Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah scored twice in three second-half minutes to lift Liverpool top of the table with a 2-1 comeback win over Brighton and Hove Albion at Anfield on Saturday.
The Reds had beaten Brighton in the League Cup early in the week but deservedly trailed through Ferdi Kadioglu’s wonderful first-half goal.
The Seagulls, however, were wasteful in the rest of their dominant first half and that gave Liverpool its route back to points.
Liverpool move onto 25 points and go atop the table by two points following Man City’s surprise loss at Bournemouth.
Brighton’s 16 points sink mid-table.
Arne Slot’s got his width right, but Konate injury raises concern
It’s wild to consider that Luis Diaz might be a bench piece for Liverpool, but the Reds right now look dominant out wide and that’s what provided their comeback win over Brighton. Mohamed Salah remains one of the best players in the world and Trent Alexander-Arnold looks more comfortable at right back under Slot than he usually looked in Jurgen Klopp’s more open set-up. But what’s currently keeping Diaz out of the XI is big Cody Gakpo, who is developing an understanding with the midfield and seemingly preferred left back Kostas Tsimikas. The Greek left back looks an upgrade on out-of-form Andy Robertson at the moment. But now Liverpool have to sort out its preferred center back pairing if Ibrahima Konate, who left the first-half pitch with his arm in a makeshift sling, misses time. Joe Gomez took his place Saturday but Jarell Quansah is also an option.
Liverpool vs Brighton player ratings
(from fotmob.com)
Liverpool vs Brighton player ratings (from fotmob.com)
Liverpool vs Brighton player ratings (from fotmob.com)
What’s next?
Liverpool host old pal Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen in a 3pm ET Tuesday game in the UEFA Champions League, then get a 3pm Saturday visit from Aston Villa in the Premier League.
Brighton host Manchester City at 12:30pm ET Saturday.
How to watch Liverpool vs Brighton live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 11am ET Saturday (November 2)
Venue: Anfield— Liverpool
TV Channel: Peacock
Streaming: Watch live on Peacock
Liverpool vs Brighton final score: 1-2
Ferdi Kagioglu 15', Cody Gakpo 70', Mohamed Salah 72'
Liverpool vs Brighton live updates — By Nick Mendola
Mohamed Salah goal! Liverpool 2-1 Brighton (72nd minute)
Two goals in three minutes, and this is a rocket from Mohamed Salah that Verbruggen just fails to reach with a flying right hand.
Salah’s seventh of the Premier League season and Liverpool lead!
Cody Gakpo goal — Liverpool 1-1 Brighton (70th minute)
Looked like it was a Darwin Nunez flicked header off Cody Gakpo’s delightful cross, but Nunez didn’t get it.
Or if he did, and it gets changed, it was with a single hair of his man bun.
Either way, Liverpool are level!
Verbruggen denies Salah breakaway
Mo Salah beats Estupinan to a through ball and nods himself to a close-range encounter with Bart Verbruggen.
Salah opts to try to dink the ball past the keeper but Verbruggen gets a hand to it!
Chances continue as Mac Allister denied
Both teams are eager to find the next goal, as Cody Gakpo sets up a terrific chance that Alexis Mac Allister nods wide while taking a knock.
There’s a scrap at the other end as Trent Alexander-Arnold shoves Pervis Estupinan then seems to realize he’s up against an eager-enough opponent.
Entertaining, but still 1-0 Brighton in the 56th.
Ibrahima Konate injury update
Konate does not arrive for the second half, and Joe Gomez takes his place with the Reds down one at Anfield.
Halftime — Liverpool 0-1 Brighton
Brighton could be running away with this, and there’s more trouble as Ibrahima Konate walks off with trainers, using his shirt as a makeshift sling for his right arm.
Shots are 7-4 for Brighton, whose had 53% of the ball in a game that sees Arne Slot’s team not in control for the first time apart from the Arsenal contest.
Liverpool are open!
The Seagulls are breaking again in the 35th minute.
Mitoma cues up a cross to the back post and Kadioglu seems to be between two minds as he lashes a good chance over the goal.
1-0 Seagulls, 36'.
Kelleher keeps it 1-0
Georginio Rutter is played toward the box and has Virgil van Dijk on his shoulder but has a clear central chance against an on-charging Kelleher.
The Irish keeper gets his left leg on Rutter’s shot to keep it a one-goal deficit for the Reds.
Ferdi Kadioglu goal! Liverpool 0-1 Brighton (15th minute)
Kaoru Mitoma’s cross isn’t fit for any of three would-be Brighton receivers, but Danny Welbeck gets a very small piece of the ball and it bounds to the right side of the box.
Ferdi Kadioglu tracks it down, and the Turkish youngster hammers a curling ball past a flying Caoimhin Kelleher, off the post and inside the goal.
Darwin Nunez comes close
Nunez bulls his way from midfield into the 18. He’s got a small window to lay off to Mo Salah, but it passes and the Uruguayan’s hard shot is saved by the left hand of Bart Verbruggen.
Just what you’d expect
Two talented, attack- and possession-minded teams are providing a bright start to this game, and the red vs blue kit combo is making it a good-looking viewing experience..
0-0, 7'.
Liverpool lineup
Kelleher, Tsimikas, Konate, Van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Gakpo, Salah, Nunez
Brighton lineup
Verbruggen, Veltman, Van Hecke, Igor Julio, Estupinan, Kadioglu, Ayari, Rutter, Mitoma, Hinshelwood, Welbeck
Liverpool team news, focus
OUT: Harvey Elliott (foot), Alisson Becker (thigh), Diogo Jota (chest), Federico Chiesa (other)
Brighton team news, focus
OUT: James Milner (thigh), Adam Webster (hamstring), Solly March (knee) | QUESTIONABLE: Joao Pedro (ankle), Ferdi Kadioglu (ankle), Matthew O’Riley (ankle), Yankuba Minteh (muscular), Lewis Dunk (muscular)
Liverpool vs Brighton prediction
Brighton will try to goad Liverpool into an end-to-end track meet, but the Reds have shown admirable restraint (aside from the first half against Arsenal) by sticking to Slot’s patient plan. Brighton will find it very difficult to generate scoring chances if they can’t open the game up. Liverpool 3-1 Brighton.
