Liverpool made it back-to-back wins with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Brighton as Hugo Ekitike scored twice and Mohamed Salah impressed off the bench with an assist
Liverpool secured consecutive victories as Hugo Ekitike shone for the Reds, leading them to a comfortable 2-0 triumph over Brighton and Hove Albion.
The French international scored in both halves, helping Arne Slot’s team extend their unbeaten streak to five matches. The week had been dominated by Mohamed Salah after he was left out of the squad for the midweek journey to Inter Milan.
However, the Egyptian was brought back into the squad against the Seagulls for his last appearance before heading off for the AFCON. Despite being named on the bench again, he made an immediate impact when he replaced the injured Joe Gomez in the first half.
The win propelled Liverpool to sixth place in the Premier League table. And Daily Star Sport has assessed the performance of the Liverpool players.
Alisson Becker, 7 – Mostly untroubled but showed quick reactions to dash off his line and deny Gomez with a solid one-on-one save after the latter found himself behind the defence, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Joe Gomez, 7 – Another assist for the defender! Positioned perfectly to head down for Ekitike, and nearly set up a second goal, only for the Frenchman to shoot over.
Had to leave the pitch due to injury midway through the first half, a disappointing setback for the England international.
Ibrahima Konate, 8 – Another solid performance from the defender. He was a bit impulsive at times, but showed determination in winning the ball on every occasion.
Made an excellent recovery run and block to thwart Minteh’s counter-attack, and made a crucial block against Gomez. Won numerous tackles and aerial duels.
Virgil van Dijk, 7 – Van Dijk dominated the physical battle against Rutter, limiting Brighton’s opportunities in front of goal. He blocked one shot from Minteh. It was a relatively easy afternoon for the Dutchman.
Milos Kerkez, 7 – Kerkez was tasked with marking Minteh but managed to keep the in-form winger quiet for most of the match. His strong tackles earned cheers from the crowd.
Ryan Gravenberch, 7 – Gravenberch’s partnership with Jones continues to flourish. He looked to push forward when possible and had a few shots on goal.
He moved through midfield effortlessly when given time on the ball. He was a significant defensive presence late in the game, protecting the clean sheet by heading clear and putting his body on the line.
Curtis Jones, 7 – Jones put in another solid performance in midfield. He sometimes had to play a more defensive role, but he was central to the team’s engine room. He ended the game as Liverpool’s third right-back of the afternoon.
Dominik Szoboszlai, 7 – Worked tirelessly in midfield before being forced to switch to right-back following Gomez’s exit.
Formed a good partnership with Salah on the right after the Egyptian came on, shooting over the bar in the first half and having another attempt blocked later. Took a hit in the second half before being substituted towards the end.
Alexis Mac Allister, 6 – His effort at number 10 couldn’t be faulted, but things didn’t quite go his way in the final third. His shot at Verbruggen was weak when well-positioned and he failed to find Ekitike with a square pass.
Florian Wirtz, 8 – Initially positioned on the left but given the freedom to roam, the German certainly made the most of his time in the final third. He twice set up Ekitike in the box and had great success weaving through the Brighton defence.
He wasn’t as involved after half-time but did manage to set up Salah for a chance on the counter.
Hugo Ekitike, 9 – The striker scored two goals in consecutive Premier League matches. His touch and finish for the first goal in the opening minute were superb, leaving Verbruggen with no chance before rising highest to connect with Salah’s corner.
A constant threat, his name was chanted throughout the match and he could have had a hat-trick on another day.
SUBS:
Mohamed Salah (On for Gomez, 26), 8 – He received a warm welcome when he replaced Gomez and was keen to show his worth.
He nearly made an immediate impact by setting up Mac Allister in the box, but was denied by Verbuggen before assisting Ekitike for the second goal. However, he should have scored from Chiesa’s cross.
Alexander Isak (replaced Ekitike, 78), 6 – He didn’t get much action in the final third, but did manage to clear one corner with a header. He was unable to get a shot off from Chiesa’s cross.
Andy Robertson (replaced Wirtz, 78), 6 – Despite having played 359 times for Liverpool, this was a first for him – being brought on as a left winger rather than in his usual left-back position.
Federico Chiesa (replaced Szoboszlai, 83), N/A – He was greeted with a loud rendition of his popular chant when he came on. He almost set up Salah in stoppage time with a fantastic low cross, before finding Isak.