LIVERPOOL, England -- Mohamed Salah could not bring himself to walk away. Twenty minutes after the final whistle had heralded the end of his Liverpool career, the Egypt international stood before the Kop and basked in the acclaim of his supporters.
Nine years, 442 appearances and 257 goals had led to this moment. His goodbye had been weeks in the making and still he looked like a man desperate for it all not to end.
He will not have been the only one. During his time at Anfield, the Liverpool faithful have taken Salah into their hearts and he, in return, has given them a lifetime of moments to adore.
The same, too, can be said of Andy Robertson, who is also bidding farewell to the club after nine storied seasons, having established himself as one of the greatest defenders in Liverpool's history.
This is, and always will be, their place. But for new legends to emerge, old heroes must step aside.
That has always been the way and yet that will not make this divorce any less painful for two modern-day greats, nor for those they are leaving behind. Salah and Robertson are emblems of a golden Liverpool era, one that has seen doubters turn to believers and a sleeping giant well and truly awoken.
For a generation, they have been a constant in the club's success. Envisioning glory days without them requires a leap of faith.
It was fitting on an afternoon of such high emotion that a moment of acclaim was reserved for Brentford midfielder Jordan Henderson, who was denied this kind of bells-and-whistles send-off when he left Liverpool under a cloud in July 2023 to join Saudi Pro League club Al-Ettifaq. The move was a controversial one, but the fullness of time has allowed for hostilities to mellow and Sunday offered a moment of poignant catharsis for the 35-year-old, who captained Liverpool to six trophies during his 12 years on Merseyside.
In many ways, the football -- a relatively low-key 1-1 draw that ultimately meant little for both Liverpool and Brentford -- was little more than a distraction from the fanfare of a emotionally-charged Anfield goodbye. Still, scrutiny of Liverpool's performance unearthed many of the same problems that have plagued Arne Slot's side all season: wasteful finishing, ponderous spells of possession and a sense that this team is less than the sum of its parts.
Curtis Jones opened the scoring shortly before the hour mark, tapping home from Salah's 93rd assist in the Premier League -- a tally that sees him surpass Steven Gerrard for most assists in the competition's history for Liverpool. Some questionable defending from the hosts opened the door for Kevin Schade to restore parity a few minutes later, with neither side really seizing the initiative in pursuit of a winner.
As the players completed their customary lap of appreciation, head coach Slot sat alone in the dugout and puffed out his cheeks. The Dutchman acknowledged earlier in the season that this campaign has been the most challenging of his career and surely it is one he will be eager to see the back of.
For him, many questions remain. Has he got the strength of character to win back a fanbase which has at times appeared to turn its back on him? Have the supporters got the requisite patience to allow him to oversee a period of transition at Anfield?
It will be a summer of deliberation for many of Slot's players too. Ibrahima Konaté did not look like a man who knew he had played his final game for the club when he was substituted in the second half and yet his contract is set to expire at the end of next month.
Jones' lack of celebration after scoring in front of the Kop may simply have been down to his concerns over a potential offside decision, or perhaps it was an indication that he will look to seek a new challenge in the weeks ahead, with interest from Inter Milan showing no signs of abating.
Goalkeeper Alisson Becker also has admirers in Italy, while Joe Gomez, Wataru Endo and Federico Chiesa are among those linked with a move away from Merseyside. When the teamsheets are circulated at Anfield in late August, the complexion of Slot's side will likely look very different.
"We put this club back where it belongs," Salah told Sky Sports after the match. "It's tricky to leave Liverpool...it's life. I look back and wonder if I would have wanted more than I achieved. Not really. We won it all. We see the love from the fans and this is the most important thing for me.
"I will be far away from here. I will be emotional every time. I hope the team stays in the position, fighting for everything."
For Liverpool, that must be the objective. Personnel may change but ambitions of excellence should not alter.
As the game petered out on Sunday afternoon, the Kop struck up an impromptu chorus of Bob Marley's "Three Little Birds."
"Every little thing is gonna be alright," was the refrain that echoed around Anfield. Certainly, after a summer of change, Liverpool will hope that is the case.