Mohamed Salah once again played the hero as Liverpool bounced back from a disastrous first half against Brighton to secure a crucial 2-1 victory, propelling them to the top of the table while taking advantage of unexpected losses by both Manchester City and Arsenal.
The Reds might have anticipated an easy win, but Brighton had other ideas. After a lively start from the hosts, where Darwin Nunez was denied by an impressive one-handed save from Bart Verbruggen, Anfield fell silent when Ferdi Kadioglu unleashed a powerful shot following a deflected cut-back from Kaoru Mitoma, striking the far post and landing in the opposite corner to give the visitors an unexpected lead.
Liverpool needed that goal as a wake-up call, but Brighton continued to press. Caoimhin Kelleher thwarted Georginio Rutter’s attempt to make it 2-0, and Kadioglu wasted a volley by shooting over, while Danny Welbeck narrowly missed with a free-kick.
However, everything shifted in the 69th minute when Cody Gakpo cut inside on his right foot, and his dangerous cross deflected off a Brighton player and found its way into Verbruggen’s net for the equalizer.
Then came Salah. After being largely quiet during the match, the Egyptian came alive on a counterattack, cutting inside on his left foot and firing an unstoppable shot into the far corner. This moment showcased Salah’s signature style and proved crucial for his team.
While it wasn’t a classic, fluid performance from Liverpool, the surprising loss of City to Bournemouth and Arsenal’s dropped points meant that Arne Slot’s team is now comfortably positioned at the top of the table, which is all that truly matters.
