With a brilliant victory, Arna Slot’s side has also made a small leap up the league table.
After dropping points in two consecutive Premier League matches, Liverpool finally returned to winning ways. Hugo Ekitike’s brace helped Arna Slot’s team defeat Brighton.
At Anfield on Saturday, the champions won 2-0, with Ekitike scoring once in each half.
Following a string of subdued performances, Salah had lost his starting spot and was even left out of last week’s Champions League squad after a dispute with the coach. However, a discussion with the coach on Friday hinted at a resolution.
Salah returned to the squad and came on early due to a teammate’s injury, contributing to Ekitike’s opening goal.
With this win, Liverpool climbed to sixth place with 26 points from 16 matches—eight wins and two draws. Brighton sit ninth with three points fewer, while Arsenal lead the table with 33 points, having played one game fewer.
Liverpool capitalized on an early mistake by the opposition, taking the lead just 46 seconds into the match. Brighton’s Yankuba attempted to clear the ball near their own box but passed it to Joe Gomez. Gomez delivered a header into the box, which Ekitike converted with a powerful strike.
This marked the French forward’s second consecutive Premier League game with a goal.
Midway through the first half, Liverpool faced a setback as English defender Gomez left the field injured, and Salah came on as his replacement.
Brighton had a golden opportunity to equalize in the sixth minute of the second half, but Paraguayan midfielder Diego Gomez’s shot from the left side of the six-yard box hit the post.
Liverpool doubled their lead shortly after. In the 60th minute, Salah’s shot from outside the box was blocked and turned into a corner by the goalkeeper. From that corner, Ekitike scored his second goal with a header.
Ekitike, who joined Liverpool from Eintracht Frankfurt in July at age 23, had also scored twice against Leeds United last week. His Premier League tally now stands at seven goals.
Salah nearly added a goal in the final moments, receiving Chiesa’s pass outside the six-yard box, but he missed. Despite not scoring, Salah’s face showed relief and joy after the victory. Many fans in the stands wore his jersey, while others held banners. Salah went up to the crowd and responded to their love with applause for several minutes.
