Liverpool vs Brighton LIVE: Premier League result and reaction – The Independent

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Liverpool 2-1 Brighton: Jurgen Klopp’s men move three points clear of Arsenal and regain top spot
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Liverpool moved to the top of the Premier League table with a battling comeback victory over Brighton at Anfield.
The visitors ignited a superb contest inside the opening two minutes as Danny Welbeck latched onto a loose ball inside the Liverpool box to fire Brighton into the lead.
That goal spurred Liverpool into an aggressive response and they camped themselves inside Brighton’s half desperately chasing a leveller. It came through Luis Diaz who darted into space from a corner and turned Mo Salah’s header, flicked on by Joel Veltman’s poor clearance, into the back of the net.
The second half was no less entertaining. Liverpool on the attack, Brighton countering but the difference came from the hosts’ talisman. Alexis Mac Allister fed a short pass into the box, Salah ran into space to collect. He took a touch then curled the ball into the back of the net.
Brighton increased the tempo of their own play but they were unable to claw back the deficit and Jurgen Klopp’s men secured a vital three points.
Relive the action from Liverpool v Brighton below:
He was bold, he was brash, but Roberto De Zerbi’s Anfield audition did little to convince a sceptical audience he has what it takes to succeed Jurgen Klopp as the Liverpool title charge rumbled on at Anfield on Sunday.
The Brighton boss set things up perfectly pre-match, insisting he is not sure where his future lies beyond this season, with Manchester United another potential destination.
Given his lack of managing at the very top level, the doubters needed to see something special from Brighton on Sunday, a lesson on par with that they put on at Old Trafford earlier this season, to convince them the Italian is Klopp’s rightful heir.
Liverpool 2-1 Brighton: Goals from Salah and Luis Diaz rescued the Reds after they fell behind from Danny Welbeck’s opener
He said: “We have a booth room and I will watch a bit of it because the traffic is now heavy to get out of the stadium. We just have to win our games and see where we end up.”
Reaction from Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp who spoke to BBC MOTD: “I would have loved to not be 1-0 down, I would love to have been four or five nil up but that’s the best we played against De Zerbi’s Brighton.
“Playing wise it was really good, defending wise, yes always a struggle but there’s been games against Brighton we were never close but this time we were calm. That is the first of the last 10, let’s keep going.”
On move for the winner: “That is an unbelievable ball [from Dominik Szoboszlai]. It is the creativity and the quality, seeing that. He sees Macca, his first touch is incredible and then he sees Mo. How wasteful we were at all the other moments it was good we had this genius football moment to finish the game off.
“Brighton have incredible quality. That is the measure I have for how good we were today because I really respect them. They had chances, they took more risks all of a sudden and we got slightly tired.
“We deserved to win the game. That is what you want and then on top of that it is really cool.”
Mo Salah had 12 shots v Brighton, his most ever in a Premier League game, the most on record (from 2003-04) by a Liverpool player in a match in the competition, and the most by any player in the top-flight since Zlatan Ibrahimovic v Burnley in October 2016 (12).
Mohamed Salah scored a vital winner as Liverpool overcame a significant Brighton challenge to win 2-1 and kick-start the title run-in by sending a message to rivals Manchester City and Arsenal.
Rather than benefit from not playing for Egypt during the international break, Salah appeared to have suffered from it as it took him almost an hour to find his usual sharpness.
Indeed, it was his slack pass which allowed Brighton to take a shock lead inside 90 seconds through Danny Welbeck.
Liverpool 2-1 Brighton: Danny Welbeck gave the visitors an early lead before goals from Luis Diaz and Salah
Liverpool have won seven Premier League games in which they were behind this season, now their outright most ever in a single campaign in the competition.
One of the two Premier League matches that will influence the title race has been played today, the other is just about to get underway.
Manchester City vs Arsenal is live right here with kick off at 4.30pm:
Pep Guardiola faces his protege Mikel Arteta in a title defining contest at the Etihad Stadium
Liverpool have now won a huge 26 points from losing positions in this season’s Premier League. A sign that they could be potential champions perhaps?
Liverpool will be eagerly watching the next match of the day as Manchester City host Arsenal. Both are title contenders and at least one of the sides will be dropping points this afternoon.
Will Jurgen Klopp’s men end the day top of the table or can Arsenal beat City and regain top spot?
Alexis Mac Allister was awarded the player of the match, rightly so. He spoke to Sky Sports after the game saying: “We didn’t start as we wanted, but it was an amazing game.
“We played against an unbelievable team, I know them very well, I know what they can do. I would rather not concede so early, but the mentality of the boys is amazing. Today we showed it again.
“[Mo] has been asking for passes and assists from me during the week. Second half he scored. That’s the mentality he shows, because in the first half he missed a couple but in the second half he showed his quality.
“If I get home in time I’ll watch the City game, because I like to watch football and this is a great football match.”
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