Liverpool moved three points clear at the top of the Premier League – potentially only for a couple of hours – after overcoming the shock of conceding within 90 seconds to see off Brighton at Anfield.
Danny Welbeck fired Roberto De Zerbi’s men in front early on but Luis Diaz equalised before Mohamed Salah grabbed the winner midway through the second half.
The result takes Jurgen Klopp’s side top but they will be overtaken once again if Arsenal win at Manchester City in the second Sunday game.
Read our other football news stories here:
Matchwinner Barnes on Newcastle v West Ham
Arsenal team news v Man City
Wilder admits Sheffield United have let fans down
Anfield was bouncing as the game got underway but the home fans were stunned into silence inside 90 seconds.
The impressive Simon Adingra escaped down the left and even though his pass inside was miscontrolled by Jakub Moder it fell nicely for Welbeck who rifled a brilliant shot into the top right-hand corner.
Liverpool’s response was impressive as they came swarming forward with Brighton happy to sit in, play on the counter and utilise Adingra’s pace.
Salah curled a left-footed shot inches wide after nine minutes before the Egyptian then volleyed over a difficult chance nine minutes later.
How things currently stand following that @LFC win 👀
Who will end the day atop the Premier League table? pic.twitter.com/LVDitRYkoJ
— Premier League (@premierleague) March 31, 2024
The equaliser duly arrived after 27 minutes. Brighton could only partially clear a corner, and when Salah bravely headed the ball back into the area, Joel Veltman inadvertently nudged it on for Diaz to pounce and volley home.
Liverpool could have gone into half-time ahead when Darwin Nunez stuck out a leg while on the floor to poke a shot towards goal that hit the leg of Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen despite him knowing very little about it.
The pattern of the first half continued after the break – Alexis Mac Allister glancing a header wide against his former club and Verbruggen saving well from Nunez.
Mac Allister was starting to pull the strings in midfield and the Argentina World Cup winner was the architect of Liverpool’s second with a clever pass inside for Salah who took a touch before firing into the bottom corner.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐠𝐲𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠 🇪🇬👑 pic.twitter.com/A0pxyJlVgG
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 31, 2024
Liverpool thought they had a third with 18 minutes to go but Diaz was adjudged to have been offside after latching on to a brilliant Salah pass and squeezing his shot under Verbruggen.
Salah was denied twice more by Brighton’s Dutch goalkeeper while, at the other end, the Seagulls almost snatched an undeserved equaliser when Caoimhin Kelleher had to dive full length to keep out Lewis Dunk’s towering header.
