Liverpool vs Brighton final score, result, stats, analysis as Diaz, Salah secure Premier League comeback win – Sporting News
Liverpool moved back to the top of the Premier League for at least a couple of hours after battling back from a goal down to defeat Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.
Goals from Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah secured a 2-1 victory for Jurgen Klopp’s team after former Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck silenced Anfield with barely 100 seconds on the clock.
The result put the Reds back on top of the standings, although they will give up that place if Arsenal defeat Manchester City in the later game on March 31.
MORE: Man City face Arsenal in huge Premier League title match
Confirmed lineups:
Liverpool (4-3-3, right to left): 62. Caoimhin Kelleher (GK) — 84. Conor Bradley, 78. Jarell Quansah, 4. Virgil van Dijk, 2. Joe Gomez — 8. Dominik Szoboszlai (38. Ryan Gravenberch, 90+4′), 3. Wataru Endo, 10 Alexis Mac Allister — 11. Mohamed Salah, 9. Darwin Nunez (19. Harvey Elliott, 83′), 7. Luis Diaz (18. Cody Gakpo, 89′).
Brighton (3-4-2-1, right to left): 1. Bart Verbruggen (GK) — 34. Joel Veltman, 5. Lewis Dunk, 29. Jan Paul van Hecke — 2. Tariq Lamptey (40. Facundo Buonanotte, 69′), 20. Carlos Baleba ,13. Pascal Gross, 30. Pervis Estupinan, (19. Valentin Barco, 90+3′) — 24. Simon Adingra (28. Evan Ferguson, 83′), 15. Jakub Moder (14. Adam Lallana, 83′) — 18. Danny Welbeck.
MORE: The latest Premier League standings
Liverpool saw their hopes of a quadruple end prior to the international break after losing a seven-goal thriller to Man United in the FA Cup, and fans inside Anfield will have felt a similar sinking feeling at the sight of Welbeck smashing in a shot off the left-hand post in just the second minute after Virgil van Dijk had blocked Jakub Moder’s attempt.
The goal came after a Brighton attack down the Liverpool right, and the Seagulls persisted in that tactic on the counter-attack as Simon Adingra gave Conor Bradley a real headache in the first half in particular.
Liverpool win ✅
Depending on the result between Man City and Arsenal, here’s how each team’s title winning % might change
More info: https://t.co/Sb2Kwojr2N pic.twitter.com/SxKtO7lxAW
Yet Liverpool looked the more dangerous side and there was no great surprise when they levelled in the 27th minute, although the goal came about thanks to an element of good fortune. Salah headed the ball back into the box following a corner, and Diaz pounced to steer a clever finish high into the net from six yards out. The Colombian winger would have been comfortably offside had the ball not glanced off Joel Veltman’s leg after Salah’s header.
Salah endured a largely wasteful performance but, as he so often has for Klopp, he came up trumps when they needed him most just past the hour mark, producing a composed finish after two good passes from Dominik Szoboszlai and the excellent Alexis Mac Allister.
Brighton threatened as Liverpool tired in the closing stages, but Caoimhin Kelleher’s goal was never unduly troubled as the Reds beat Roberto De Zerbi’s side for just the second time in the past nine meetings in all competitions.
Salah’s goal was a typically composed finish at the end of a slick two-pass move involving Szoboszlai and Mac Allister. It was an even better piece of play from the Egyptian when you consider how poor he had otherwise been in the match.
Salah attempted 12 shots in the match, which is the most he has ever had in a Premier League game. In fact, not since Zlatan Ibrahimovic for Manchester United against Burnley in October 2012 has anyone tried quite so many efforts at goal in an English top-flight league match. Yet so many of them were either misguided — first-half volleys from angles when a cross was the better option — or poorly executed, such as the one-vs-one chance he had when Liverpool were already ahead.
But the thing about having a player like Salah is that, even on an off-day, you always feel like the goal is coming. And there’ll be a few more yet in this fascinating title race, regardless of how good his performances are.
12 – 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). Persistent. pic.twitter.com/i4jgdRTOLQ
Brighton fans are used to seeing Alexis Mac Allister being the best player on the pitch in their games, so it must be sore to see it happen against them.
The Argentina midfielder was exemplary at the heart of the pitch, winning the ball back with aplomb and using it with guile. He created openings for Salah in the first half before getting the assist for him in the second with a slide-rule pass from the edge of the box. It was a fantastic display from the 25-year-old, who is undoubtedly one of the best signings of 2023/24.
This was the seventh time in 2023/24 that Liverpool have won a game after going behind. They have never done that as often in a single season in the Premier League era.
In a three-way title race as tight as this, rescuing 21 points from the possibility of zero could be significant come the latter part of May, when Klopp will oversee a Liverpool league match for the final time.
7 – 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. Magnificent. pic.twitter.com/PnYvEhodWb
That’s that, and Liverpool are back on top of the table! Over to you, Manchester City and Arsenal…
90 + 3 mins: Welbeck strolls into the Liverpool box but the angle is tight and he can only hit the side netting. Van Dijk, Gomez, and Cody Gakpo are arguing about who should have stopped that run.
90 + 1 mins: It’s all Brighton now. Liverpool have six minutes of injury time to hold on.
90 mins: What a save! Liverpool launch a counter through Elliott, who has time and space to the right of the Brighton box. He picks out Salah, who hits a right-foot shot on the turn that Verbruggen somehow gets a hand to when it looked destined for the bottom corner.
86 mins: Liverpool are suddenly living dangerously. After Bradley was caught in possession, this time Diaz loses the ball in his own half, and Brighton substitute Adam Lallana drags a show narrowly wide. Imagine the former Red had scored there!
83 mins: Harvey Elliott nearly scores with his first touch! The substitute can’t quite get enough on the ball to turn home from a corner, and Brighton clear.
81 mins: Good save, Kelleher! Dunk wins a powerful header from a free-kick, which loops towards the far corner, and the Liverpool keeper scrambles across to tip it wide. He nearly makes a mess of catching the next one from the resulting corner, but he gets hold of the ball in the end.
75 mins: Big chance for 3-1! Liverpool break from a Brighton corner and suddenly it’s 2 vs. 1. Diaz squares to Salah, who runs into the box to the left of the goal, but fires his shot straight at the goalkeeper. By his standards, that was a poor finish.
71 mins: GOAL — NO! Offside! Salah slides a great pass to Diaz, whose first-time finish squirms through the gasp of Verbruggen and over the line. The flag is raised, VAR checks… and he’s off by a millimeter. It’s still 2-1.
66 mins: GOAL! Salah scores at long last! Szoboszlai fizzes a great low pass to Mac Allister from the right wing. The Argentina midfield slides a short ball to Salah, who takes a touch before rolling a low finish past Verbruggen. Brighton’s defence was out of shape, so there’s no question of offside. Liverpool lead!
Watch in USA:
MO SALAH COMES UP HUGE ‼️
Liverpool have come from behind to lead Brighton 2-1! pic.twitter.com/X5Or5RPhOy
64 mins: Szoboszlai, apparently bored with Liverpool’s patient build-up play, lets fly with a shot that bounces narrowly wide of the right-hand post. Good effort, but he was unlikely to score from there. Nunez comes a bit closer, cutting back onto his right foot inside the box before shooting straight at Verbruggen.
60 mins: The game is just settling down again. You wonder if Klopp in particular might look to make a change or two soon. Brighton are still looking to cause problems on the break, but their threat this half hasn’t really extended beyond a wild shot from Baleba that presumably landed somewhere in the River Mersey.
55 mins: Salah tries to turn Lewis Dunk in the box and goes to ground, but he’s not getting a penalty for that. It’s not been a good day for the Liverpool star so far, but you sense he’ll get a few more chances to change that.
53 mins: Mac Allister glances a header just wide of the far post after a decent delivery from Joe Gomez. Liverpool have resumed the half firmly on top.
Let’s see how this one plays out…
We’re level at the break.
45 + 1 mins: We’re into four minutes of added time at the end of the half. Liverpool are starting to concede a few too many fouls in their desperation to win the ball in midfield. It’s sort of killing any momentum they might have.
42 mins: Mac Allister’s shot is blocked behind for a corner. He probably deserves a goal given how he’s played in this first half. The pace has settled down a bit now we’re approaching halftime, but Liverpool are still doing most of the attacking.
37 mins: Nunez nearly scores from the floor! On the deck near the six-yard box, the ball bobbles back his way and he swings a foot at it. It flies across the face of goal, and Brighton clear.
34 mins: Estupinan and Adingra combine down the left again, but the forward can’t squeeze a cut-back to a Brighton shirt. Conor Bradley is being exposed far too often, and he needs some help.
Brighton relentlessly targeting Liverpool’s right-hand side in the first half…#LIVBHA pic.twitter.com/ihNHi1swe3
31 mins: Welbeck runs right through the Liverpool midfield and receives a pass from Adingra, but he fires his shot into the side-netting. Liverpool go straight down the other end and Salah is running through, but his shot is a weak one, straight at Verbruggen. That side of the pitch is where the vast majority of chances are being created — for both sides.
27 mins: GOAL! Liverpool are level! Brighton clear a corner, Salah nods it back in, and Diaz ghosts in to prod a high finish past Bart Verbruggen! Brighton want an offside flag, but because the final touch came from Veltman before Diaz’s finish, the goal stands!
Watch in USA:
Anfield erupts as Luis Diaz brings Liverpool level! 👏 pic.twitter.com/g35jyhKpnz
24 mins: Luis Diaz runs at Joel Veltman and wins a corner for the Reds. It’s not a great delivery from Dominik Szoboszlai, and as the ball comes back in, the offside flag is raised. Brighton have done well to weather a bit of a storm here.
18 mins: Salah again! It’s another precise ball from Mac Allister, this time over the top of the Brighton defence, but Salah’s attempt on the volley with his left foot sails over.
13 mins: Alexis Mac Allister plays a good ball to Salah, who checks back onto his left foot and is tackled by the retreating Carlos Baleba. Brighton try to break through Adingra, who is shouldered to ground by Mac Allister, and the Liverpool man goes into the book.
9 mins: Mohamed Salah is starting to get involved now. He tries to curl a shot into the top corner from the right of the penalty area, but it flies narrowly wide.
5 mins: Penalty shout for Liverpool as Darwin Nunez goes to ground, but the referee waves the appeal away. VAR looks at the incident but decides Estupinan’s grab of the striker’s arm wasn’t enough to force him to ground.
2 mins: GOAL! Brighton lead inside two minutes and Anfield is stunned! The visitors break forward through Simon Adingra, Virgil van Dijk blocks a shot from Jakub Moder, and Danny Welbeck lashes the loose ball in off the post from the edge of the box. It’s a stunning finish from the former Man United man!
Watch in USA:
DANNY WELBECK SHOCKS ANFIELD WITH A FEROCIOUS STRIKE. BRIGHTON LEAD. 👀
📺 @USANetwork | #LIVBHA pic.twitter.com/COhqeW9tzE
Here we go!
5 mins before kickoff: The teams are out on the pitch and we’re almost underway. First, though, there will be a minute’s applause in honour of Larry Lloyd, the former Liverpool and Nottingham Forest defender who died this week.
20 mins before kickoff: Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is still recovering from injury and won’t play today, says the players want to give Jurgen Klopp the best send-off they can as he prepares to step down at the end of the season.
“He’s done so much for us” 🙏
Trent Alexander-Arnold says the Liverpool players want to give Jurgen Klopp the best send off possible ❤️ pic.twitter.com/aDVyBGr7Pw
45 mins before kickoff: Liverpool arriving to plenty of support.
Anfield arrivals 👊 pic.twitter.com/kiuRLQumvs
Andrew Robertson is OUT for Liverpool today, so Joe Gomez and Jarell Quansah start, with Ibrahima Konate on the bench. Otherwise, the team is largely as expected.
Team news is IN! 📋
This is how the Reds line up to take on Brighton ✊ #LIVBHA
Brighton appear to be going with a back three, while Jakub Moder starts in attack alongside Simon Adingra and Danny Welbeck.
TEAM NEWS! 🚨 Here’s our starting XI to take on Liverpool at Anfield. 👀📝
📲 https://t.co/S3j1TIedJv // #BHAFC 🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/48I83XbrJL
1 hour 30 mins before kickoff: This is potentially a huge day in the title race, but Liverpool will only enjoy it if they can do something they haven’t done since November 2019: beat Brighton at home. In fact, Jurgen Klopp’s side have only managed one victory in the past eight meetings with the Seagulls in all competitions.
2 hours before kickoff: With Manchester City and Arsenal meeting later, can Liverpool apply a bit of pressure in the Premier League title race? We’ll find out soon enough.
Sadio ➡️ Bobby ➡️ Salah 🎯#LIVBHA 18/19 💫 pic.twitter.com/I8zqE9Dph0
Liverpool have won 20 of the 40 all-time meetings between these two teams, but their recent record doesn’t make for positive reading: they have beaten the Seagulls just once in their past eight games in all competitions.
This Premier League clash takes place at Anfield in Liverpool, UK and kicks off on Sunday, March 31 at 2:00 p.m. local time.
Here’s how that time translates across some of the major territories:
*The UK switches to British Summer Time (BST) on March 31, all times below are inclusive of the change.
Klopp was hopeful Andrew Robertson could recover from a minor knock picked up on international duty with Scotland, but he does not start. Striker Darwin Nunez is back fit, though.
Diogo Jota and Trent Alexander-Arnold are still sidelined for the hosts and should return for next weekend’s trip to Manchester United.
Liverpool XI (4-3-3, right to left): Kelleher (GK) — Bradley, Quansah, Van Dijk, Gomez — Szoboszlai, Endo, Mac Allister — Salah, Nunez, Diaz.
Liverpool subs (9): Adrian, Konate, Gakpo, Elliott, Tsimikas, Gravenberch, Clark, McConnell, Danns
Brighton’s injury list is largely unchanged following the international break, with James Milner not ready in time to face his old club, and Joao Pedro still out.
Solly March, Billy Gilmour and Julio Enciso also miss out, while Jakub Moder starts.
Brighton XI (3-4-2-1, right to left): Verbruggen (GK) — Veltman, Dunk, Van Hecke — Lamptey, Baleba, Gross, Estupinan — Adingra, Moder — Welbeck.
Brighton subs (9): Steele, Igor Julion, Webster, Lallana, Barco, Ferguson, Fati, Buonanotte, Chouchane
Here’s how to watch this Premier League match across selected areas of the world’s major regions:
Fubo Canada
STREAM LIVERPOOL VS BRIGHTON
LIVE AND ON DEMAND. CANCEL ANYTIME.
USA: This game is available on the NBC USA Network with streaming options on Fubo and the latter are currently offering a FREE trial. Spanish language options are on Telemundo.
Canada: Every Premier League game this season is live-streaming exclusively via Fubo.
Australia: Fans in Australia can stream every match live and on-demand on Optus Sport.
UK: This game is available via live broadcast on Sky Sports with streaming options on Sky GO and Now TV.
Joe is Senior Editor (Football) at Sporting News.
