How long Liverpool can continue to play so poorly in the first half and yet dig out a victory remains to be seen, but whilst they have Mo Salah at the club, we can probably expect more results like that witnessed at Anfield versus Brighton. The Egyptian scoring with his trademark top right finish, to secure all three points, and take his side to the top of the Premier League.
To say Liverpool were sluggish in the opening half, whilst accurate, is not the whole story and would be doing Brighton a disservice. The visitors played with purpose, verve and caused Liverpool constant discomfort, whilst Liverpool’s only real moment was produced by Nunez, who saw his effort parried away for a corner.
Brighton, deservedly took the lead through Kadioglu after fourteen minutes, a strike that glanced in off the post, and looked dangerous with just about every attack. Kadioglu later missing a very presentable chance to double the lead, was just one of several opportunities that Liverpool were fortunate to see wasted. Kelleher coming to their rescue with a one on one in the closing stages of the first half, whilst two needlessly given away free-kicks by Liverpool were wasted by the Seagulls.
Liverpool could surely only improve in the second half, but had to do without Konate. An arm injury in collision with Van Djik seeing him replaced by Gomez. The red men though, continued to give the ball away, and the loose touches in possession, though less frequent than in the first half, were still there. Meanwhile, Brighton were playing around the red shirts in neat progressive triangles all over the pitch, perhaps with not the ease of the first half, as Slot had evidently instructed his players to press with more energy and in greater numbers.
Something more though needed to change, and though the introduction of Diaz for Mac Alister made little significant difference to the dynamics of the game, Gakpo completely transformed the atmosphere in the ground, as his cross come shot, nestled into the net in the 69th minute.
Suddenly, Liverpool, so slow with the ball, and to the ball, for an hour, attacked with pace, and a greater obvious urgency, and soon took the lead. A counter attack, ending with Salah cutting in field on his left foot, before a stunning strike from world class forward, nestled into the top right corner. The game had been turned on its head inside three minutes.
Brighton however, didn’t wilt, and it was they who produced most of the attacking football in the final fifteen minutes. Liverpool bringing on Endo, Bradley and Jones to see out a game in which for long spells, Slots men were second best. The visitors though couldn’t find the goal that would have given them a point they probably deserved.
So having seen Arsenal lose earlier in the day, and surely knowing Manchester City were trailing at Bournemouth, Liverpool ultimately grasped the opportunity to top the Premier League table. Next up in the league, is a home game against Aston Villa, when surely Liverpool will have to up their game. Before that though, Anfield will no doubt give a rapturous welcome to Xabi Alonso, as he brings his Leverkusen team to Liverpool in the Champions League.
