Mo Salah's superb opening-day performance was the difference between dropping points and victory for Liverpool against a Leeds side who thoroughly impressed in their first game back in the top flight for 16 years.
But how did Salah play overall?
📷 Salah: Match Snapshot
Salah very much hit the ground running in this one.
⚽ ⏱️ 4' Four minutes in it was his shot that cannoned off the arm of defender Robin Koch to hand the Reds a perfect start.
Salah himself accepted responsibility and duly lashed his penalty down the middle, giving the goalkeeper absolutely no chance.
⚽ ⏱️ 33' After Leeds had gotten themselves back into the contest another twice, the score was at 2-2 when the ball dropped to Salah inside the area.
Catching his half volley as sweet as you like, his shot careered into the top corner giving poor Illan Meslier absolutely no chance, for one of the goals of the opening weekend.
⚽ ⏱️ 88' And in the closing moments when it seemed as if Leeds had done enough to earn a battling draw, a poor challenge from substitute Rodrigo on Fabinho earned another penalty for the home side.
Salah duly stepped up again and held his nerve to slot into the corner and ensure the champions made a winning start.
Liverpool 4-3 Leeds Utd: Full Player Ratings and Statistics
〽️ Salah: Rating Week-on-Week
✔️ IMPROVEMENT
Salah had a low-key 90 minutes in the Community Shield defeat to Arsenal, scoring a 5.7 FC Rating, but here he was back to his sizzling best. It wasn't just the hat-trick but his all-round play was always dangerous and Leeds couldn't deal with him, as he turned in a Perfect 10 FC Rating.
🗝️ Key Stats
Fati match stats
| Statistic | Value | Notes |
| FC Rating | 10 | FC Man of the Match |
| Mins Played | 90 | |
| Touches | 87 | Rank #2 |
| Comp Dribbles | 7 | Rank #1 |
| Goals | 3 | Rank #1 |
| Shots | 9 | Rank #1 |
| Touches In Box | 21 | Rank #1 |
Salah: What Next?
Salah came under a bit of criticism at the end of last season for perhaps being a little greedy in front of goal as he set out to win the Golden Boot.
But this was Salah at his very best - an astonishing 21 touches inside the opposition penalty area shows exactly where he was for most of the match and if it wasn't for him, this could have been a very sticky result indeed for Liverpool.
As it was, their finest talent looks to have started the season with renewed vigour - the rest of the league should watch out.
Mohamed Salah 
Liverpool 
Leeds Utd 
