Liverpool 2 Brighton 1: Salah caps the comeback, Liverpool go top ...

23 days ago

The Athletic

Two goals in less than three minutes took Liverpool to the top of the Premier League table. Never in doubt, eh?

Liverpool - Figure 1 — Photo The Athletic

The hosts had an awful first 45 minutes as Ferdi Kadioglu put Brighton ahead early on. Liverpool offered little in response and then lost Ibrahima Konate to injury at half-time. But a cross-cum-shot from Cody Gakpo and then a beautiful left-foot strike from Mohamed Salah saw Arne Slot’s side clinch three points.

After Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat at Newcastle United in Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off and with Manchester City losing at Bournemouth, it was Liverpool who seized the initiative in the Premier League title race.

Gregg Evans dissects the key talking points…

How did Liverpool turn it around?

Liverpool came out flying in the second half but needed some Salah magic to complete the turnaround.

His stunning strike — so soon after Gakpo had equalised — sparked wild celebrations at Anfield and helped the Egyptian set another new record.

Liverpool - Figure 2 — Photo The Athletic

Salah has now made more appearances and scored more goals against Brighton than any other player in Liverpool history. He has played 17 times and netted 10 goals (with six assists) and this one was of his best.

Salah puts Liverpool ahead (Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

Slot had encouraged his players to keep hold of the ball after a woeful first-half showing and the performance after the break was much improved.

Liverpool pushed up higher and pressed Brighton more efficiently and, when they had possession, they were direct and clinical.

Bart Verbruggen was forced into making a number of saves but he could do nothing to stop Gakpo and Salah.

Was the first half Liverpool’s worst 45 minutes under Slot?

Liverpool lost possession 60 times in the first half in what was comfortably their worst half of football under the new head coach.

Liverpool - Figure 3 — Photo The Athletic

Brighton totally outplayed them with crisp build-up play and should have added more goals to their tally.

Kaoru Mitoma was the key threat as he ran at Trent Alexander-Arnold with pace and purpose throughout and was influential in Ferdi Kadioglu’s opening goal.

Kadioglu puts Brighton ahead in the 14th minute (Darren Staples/AFP via Getty Images)

Liverpool lost the midfield battle and were exposed time and again as Brighton moved the ball patiently across the backline and then burst forward with precision. The press was completely off and that allowed Brighton to pick holes in the system while also limiting the threat going the other way.

Surprisingly, Liverpool had very little in response other than a threat at set pieces and a rare charge forward from Darwin Nunez who was superbly denied by Verbruggen.

Liverpool - Figure 4 — Photo The Athletic

Liverpool sweating on Konate’s fitness

Ibrahima Konate was forced off at half-time with an arm injury in what could be a big blow for Liverpool.

The centre-back, who has been inspirational this season alongside Virgil van Dijk, appeared to land awkwardly after a challenge shortly before the break.

Konate used his shirt as a makeshift sling as he headed down the tunnel in clear discomfort. Joe Gomez came on to replace the Frenchman at centre-back ahead of Jarrel Quansah.

(Darren Staples/AFP via Getty Images

With key injuries to goalkeeper Alisson and striker Diogo Jota, Liverpool will now be sweating on the severity of Konate’s setback.

He has started every Premier League game since replacing Quansah at half-time against Ipswich on the opening day of the season, delivering top-class performances on each occasion to return to his best. The run of nine games is a personal best in a Liverpool shirt which shows how stop-start his time at the club has been so far.