Key stats
- Hugo Ekitike scored after just 46 seconds, the fastest goal in the Premier League this season.
- Liverpool have scored in 14 of their 16 games, no team has done so more often in the Premier League this season.
- Mohamed Salah has assisted three goals in the Premier League this season (one in this game), no Liverpool player has more.
Highlights
Analysis
Mo Salah was introduced after 26 minutes and registered his third Premier League assist of the season, earning a 7.6 Flashscore player rating.
Liverpool were in control for large spells of the match, although Brighton threatened more after conceding the second goal.
Match report
With all the pre-match talk surrounding the return of Mohamed Salah, the Egyptian started on the bench for the hosts, who were looking to build on Tuesday’s impressive 1-0 victory at Inter Milan.
Arne Slot’s side couldn’t have dreamed of a better opening to the contest, with Ekitike collecting a brave header from Joe Gomez and firing beyond Bart Verbruggen after just 46 seconds.
Undeterred by that early setback, Brighton grew into the match and threatened a swift response when Yankuba Minteh powered a strike narrowly wide of the far post, and Diego Gómez saw a close-range effort thwarted by Álisson Becker.
An injury to Liverpool’s Gomez saw Salah introduced to a rapturous applause on 26 minutes, and the Egyptian nearly had an immediate impact when his involvement in a counter-attack culminated in Ekitike curling wide.
Chances continued to flow with HT approaching, the best of which fell to Gómez, who saw a dangerous strike blocked by Ibrahima Konaté.
The Seagulls threatened again at the start of the second period, but Gómez spurned a glorious opportunity at the back post from just a few yards out.
That miss proved to be costly, with Liverpool doubling their lead on the hour mark when Salah’s inswinging corner was coolly headed home by an unmarked Ekitike for his seventh PL goal of the season.
Faced with a two-goal deficit, Brighton refused to lie down without a fight, as substitute Kaoru Mitoma skewed an effort wide from a promising position.
That was ultimately as close as the visitors came to mounting a comeback, as a late chance for Ferdi Kadioglu went begging before Salah missed the chance to kill off the game.
Nonetheless, Liverpool saw out the closing stages to extend their dominant H2H home record to just one defeat in 12 meetings (W8, D3).
Flashscore Man of the Match: Hugo Ekitike (Liverpool)
Post-match comments
Liverpool manager Arne Slot to Sky Sports:
"Very pleased. I think you could see today what it means for the players if you have to play many games. We had three days rest and were facing a team that had a week to prepare. You could see the problems during the game with injuries but the mentality was great."
"I think he (Salah) was a threat. The first ball he touched, he almost made an assist for Mac Allister. He was constantly involved in the fact we had Mo. Pleasing to see but not a surprise.
"It was an easy decision to put him in the squad. I have said many times before what has been said between us will stay between us. We needed him and he assisted to the 2-0 which is nice for us. We have been so many times this season on the wrong side of the set-piece battle."
Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike to Sky Sports:
"I wouldn't say it was perfect because I know I could score way more today. The most important was to win in front of our fans. It was a good day at work.
"I was looking for the hat-trick but it is going to be another time. It was good, two goals. We try to stick together and work together. Today wasn't easy. We had to stay compact and stick together. I think we deserved it. We did a great week and let's continue."