Liverpool defeated Brighton to reclaim the top spot in the Premier League.
After just two minutes, Danny Welbeck gave the visitors an unexpected lead when he beat Caoimhin Kelleher with a strong shot from outside the area.
But Luis Diaz’s close-range volley after a recycled corner gave Jurgen Klopp’s team a point later in the first forty-five minutes.
Midway through the second half, Mohamed Salah gave the Reds the lead after Alexis Mac Allister set him up for an easy finish.
With nine games left, Liverpool leads fellow championship challengers Manchester City and Arsenal by two points following their goalless draw later on Sunday.
The main talking points from Anfield were as follows:
Reds ride the storm to top spot
Liverpool has not always benefited from starting first in the Premier League title battle, as recent history bears out. This is especially true on memorable spring afternoons.
In 2014, as they approached the final line, Brendan Rodgers’ team entertained Chelsea and failed to capitalize on Manchester City’s erratic start.It is not necessary to remind Kopite of what transpired that day, but it is possible that the same thing could have happened during this Easter Sunday matchup with Brighton.Before a ball was kicked at the Etihad Stadium, the Reds ran the risk of falling behind their championship rivals due to a slow start that resulted in an early goal given up.
But even if it turned out that City and Arsenal would be eking out a draw, Jurgen Klopp was never going to take any chances.The Seagulls’ manager’s attempt to appoint him as the German’s successor did not go as planned, so his team had to weather the storm.Liverpool hasn’t had to grind out a victory at home like this season very often, as the tension in the stadium throughout the six minutes of extra time highlighted.However, this will be a historic occasion if the title does return to Anfield in May.
Salah unearths a new prey
Mohamed Salah has developed a routine of playing with a known target.
The sight of the Egypt international closing in on goal or setting up an offensive partner to attack their defense makes opposing defenders shudder.Brighton is now experiencing the agony that Liverpool’s bubbly lucky charm had only been known to inflict on bitter rivals Manchester United.But with Salah’s 15th goal involvement from 14 outings, his South Coast rivals have eclipsed their Old Trafford rival.
In addition to scoring the game’s winning goal in the second half in front of a cheering crowd of Kop supporters, the 31-year-old set a record in the Premire League.Since records began, only former United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic had previously managed to muster 12 efforts against a single opponent in a top-tier match.Salah’s early knocks on Bart Verbruggen’s door did not result in him firing tests, thus it took some time for his perseverance to pay off.There was probably only going to be one result once things got going.
De Zerbi flunks Anfield audition
With Xabi Alonso’s statement that he will be staying with Bayer Leverkusen, the competition to succeed Klopp was reduced to a two-horse race.Roberto De Zerbi’s team was heading to Anfield 48 hours after the former playmaker made his announcement, so the timing couldn’t have been better.
Setting a clear precedent for his candidacy was imperative for the Italian, particularly given the differing opinions among his followers over his suitability as an appointee.They may have a little more clarity after this game. They are also undecided about Sporting Lisbon head coach Ruben Amorim, his current opponent for the position.De Zerbi did a respectable job of positioning his team to take advantage of the hosts’ full-back positions, and Danny Welbeck’s opening goal in the second minute gave them an early lead.
But Brighton failed to put Liverpool to the test again once they awoke from their sleep and were limited to a few mostly ineffective counterattacks.It is unlikely that Klopp’s first triumph over De Zerbi at his fifth attempt will influence the data-driven process that will select his replacement come summertime.Given that he failed this audition, his opposite number is lucky in that regard.