Salah Dazzles on Return But Liverpool Teammate Steals the Spotlight Against Brighton

Liverpool broke their three-match winless streak at home with a convincing 2–0 triumph over Brighton & Hove Albion, thanks to Hugo Ekitiké's double strike.

Mohamed Salah returned to the Liverpool lineup after being omitted from the Inter Milan win following his public comments, though the Egyptian started on the substitutes' bench under Arne Slot's selection.

Nevertheless, the Dutch manager brought Salah into the game during the first half when Joe Gomez suffered an injury, with Liverpool already in front through Ekitiké's volleyed goal within the first minute.

The Merseyside club extended their lead after sixty minutes when Salah delivered his first assist since the Merseyside derby in September. Ekitiké finished off the winger's cross-field corner to secure Liverpool's dominant position.

Aided by Brighton's missed opportunities, Slot's team maintained their defensive solidity for a morale-boosting clean sheet, with the win lifting them to sixth place in the Premier League standings.

Liverpool Player Ratings vs. Brighton (4-2-3-1)

*Ratings courtesy of FotMob*

GK: Alisson—8.2: Produced a crucial save to preserve Liverpool's early lead and responded well whenever tested throughout the match.

RB: Joe Gomez—7.5: Yet another injury setback for Gomez, who was forced to leave the pitch despite making an encouraging start against Brighton. Still managed to provide an assist for Ekitiké's opening goal.

CB: Ibrahima Konaté—8.1: Available to block multiple dangerous attempts during the opening period in what represented a more confident showing from the French defender. Did receive a careless booking, however.

CB: Virgil van Dijk—7.2: Liverpool's backline remains susceptible and Van Dijk wasn't as commanding as he had been against Inter in midweek. Still, it was a satisfactory outing from the captain.

LB: Milos Kerkez—7.5: Brighton's most threatening attacks frequently targeted Kerkez's side and Liverpool appear more defensively solid with Andy Robertson in the lineup. One of his improved performances, nonetheless.

DM: Ryan Gravenberch—7.9: Navigated past Brighton's pressing game well and showed defensive strength against some skillful Brighton forwards.

DM: Curtis Jones—7.8: Controlled the tempo during the opening half as he registered more touches and passes than any other player. Equally influential after halftime as he discovers some crucial form.

RW: Dominik Szoboszlai—7.6: Shifted to right-back position following Salah's entry with Conor Bradley suspended and delivered another energetic performance. Worked tirelessly and competed well against Brighton's wide players.

AM: Alexis Mac Allister—6.9: Still falling short of the high standards Liverpool demand from him, but it was a reasonably solid showing from the Argentine. Slot will continue expecting more from Mac Allister.

LW: Florian Wirtz—8.4: Drifted across Brighton's half and consistently helped link up play. Another positive display from the German, who also worked tremendously hard defensively.

ST: Hugo Ekitiké—9.2: Outstanding from the French striker once more. Clinical with his early strike and remained a constant creative threat for Liverpool, moving around the attacking third with pace and energy. Secured his second goal to steal the spotlight.

Unused substitutes: Giorgi Mamardashvili (GK), Freddie Woodman (GK), Calvin Ramsay, Wellity Lucky, Rio Ngumoha.

Brighton & Hove Albion (4-2-3-1)

Starting XI: Bart Verbruggen; Mats Wieffer, Jan Paul van Hecke, Lewis Dunk, Ferdi Kadıoğlu; Carlos Baleba, Jack Hinshelwood; Yankuba Minteh, Brajan Gruda, Diego Gómez; Georginio Rutter.

Substitutes used: Kaoru Mitoma, Yasin Ayari, Danny Welbeck, Charalampos Kostoulas, James Milner.

Player of the Match: Hugo Ekitiké

Liverpool 2–0 Brighton: How The Match Developed at Anfield

Focus naturally centered on Salah's inclusion in the matchday roster following discussions with his manager on Friday, but Liverpool couldn't allow themselves to be distracted from the immediate challenge. They certainly weren't in the early moments.

Just 46 seconds into the match and Liverpool had taken the lead, capitalizing on some poor Brighton defending. Gomez won the aerial battle against Yankuba Minteh's weak clearance and the ball found its way to the unmarked Ekitiké in the box, with the confident Frenchman firing home to settle any early anxiety.

A diving save from Alisson prevented Brighton from finding an immediate response, but focus would soon shift back to Salah. The 33-year-old came on for the injured Gomez in the 26th minute and received warm recognition from the Anfield supporters as Slot was compelled to reorganize his formation.

Salah's introduction didn't upset Liverpool's rhythm and they deserved their halftime lead. They might have ended the period with a numerical advantage too, as Diego Gómez was fortunate to avoid a red card for a dangerous challenge on Florian Wirtz's torso during added time.

Brighton had shown flashes of their offensive capabilities during first-half breakaways and they should have leveled within five minutes of the second half. A flowing attack looked certain to conclude with Gómez converting at the back post, but the Paraguayan incredibly hit the frame with an open goal beckoning.

Liverpool capitalized on Brighton's wastefulness at the hour mark as Ekitiké, clearly Liverpool's standout performer, finished from close range to give the Reds breathing space. The summer acquisition claimed consecutive Premier League doubles as he nodded home from Salah's excellent far-post delivery—Liverpool's maiden corner goal this campaign.

Brighton pressed forward as they attempted to create a tense finale at Anfield, but Liverpool's defense held firm to preserve their clean sheet. The shutout, combined with Salah's strong comeback, Ekitiké's exceptional display and three crucial points, completed an excellent afternoon for Slot.

Liverpool vs. Brighton Half Time Statistics

Liverpool vs. Brighton Full Time Statistics