Brighton fail to attack at Anfield, Liverpool forge ahead
Liverpool’s seasons rarely go in a straight line, but this feels like a step in the direction of calm. Arne Slott’s side beat Brighton 2-0 with a brace from Ugo Ekitic and an assist from Mohamed Salah to lift them into sixth place and extend their unbeaten run and have quietly built momentum.
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The storyline is inevitably dominated by Salah’s return. The Egyptian started the match at Leeds United in midweek on the bench after an emotional outburst, but was brought on early due to an injury to Joe Gomez. However, the results themselves speak to the broader issue of teams learning to manage noise, distractions and expectations.
Strike early to set the tone
Liverpool took control of the afternoon game with little composure. In the opening minute, Gomez’s header went into the hands of Ekitic, who adjusted his body and volleyed past Bart Verbruggen. It was an instinctive goal rather than a flashy one, but it set the tempo Liverpool wanted.
Brighton is lively without being cold and offers space and opportunity in equal measure. Alisson denied Diego Gomez on a clean break and more openings came and went. Each mistake felt increasingly costly, especially as Liverpool began to find their composure in midfield, even with Dominik Szoboszlai filling the void at right-back.
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Ekitike Emerging Focus
Ekitek’s afternoon far exceeded his goals. He stretched Brighton’s backline, found gaps between the defenders and provided angles for Florian Wirtz and Salah to exploit on several occasions. He may have more ability to shoot from close range and hit long range shots after clever build-up play.
His second goal of the hour came from a familiar Liverpool source. Salah’s corner kick drifted to the back post and Ekitic scored his tenth goal of the season unmarked. This underlines the growing trust in set-pieces and Ekitic as the go-to guy under Slott.
Salah returns to add advantage
Salah’s contribution was measured but meaningful. His assists enabled him to score 277 times in the Premier League on behalf of Liverpool, setting a new record for a single club. Beyond the numbers, his presence has sped up Liverpool’s transitions and raised the tempo in the final third.
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There was a late chance to pull one back but Salah fired wide after a clever pass from Federico Chiesa. Even so, the applause from the four teams at Anfield was significant before he missed the Africa Cup of Nations again.
Brighton regret to leave
Brighton will consider the afternoon wasted. Thirteen attempts, an expected goals ratio of 1.91 and multiple trips into the Liverpool penalty area all produced no real results. Their performance was one of waste, not ambition.
Mistakes also played their part, particularly in the build-up to Liverpool’s opener, while crucial moments from Diego Gomez and Brayan Gruda were missed. By full-time play, the format is a familiar, attractive matchup marred by a lack of cutouts.
Liverpool have continued on with back-to-back wins and clean sheets, Brighton have slipped to ninth, and the gap between performance and results feels wider for one side than the other.