Liverpool made a swift first-half break count at Anfield, beating Brighton & Hove Albion 2-0 on Sunday to take the points from their Premier League meeting. Pascal Groß’s own goal gave the home side a way through before Alexander Isak added a close-range second, leaving Brighton to reflect on a busy afternoon without the finish their pressure deserved.
Why it landed this week
- Liverpool
- Brighton & Hove Albion
- Alexander Isak
- Pascal Groß
- Florian Wirtz
- Yasin Ayari
The match, played at 15:00 on 25 October in the eighth round of the Premier League season, began with both sides trying to get in behind early. Cody Gakpo was caught offside for Liverpool, while Brighton’s Yasin Ayari also went too soon from a Lewis Dunk pass.
Brighton suffered an immediate setback when Ferdi Kadioglu was injured four minutes in. Costinha came on in his place, but Liverpool soon began to find more threatening positions. Gakpo had an effort held after a lay-off from Isak, while Florian Wirtz fired wide from inside the box.
The opening goal arrived in the 17th minute, registered as a Pascal Groß own goal. Four minutes later Liverpool had their second. Bradley Barcola supplied Isak, who finished left-footed from close range into the bottom corner.
It was an efficient spell from Liverpool rather than a one-sided one. Brighton had already seen Ayari shoot over from a Groß pass, and the visitors continued to press for a route back. Charalampos Kostoulas had several attempts blocked, Chema Andrés headed wide, and Ayari struck the right-hand post from outside the area on 36 minutes.
Liverpool had chances to make the margin larger before the interval. Alexis Mac Allister headed wide after a Wirtz corner, Ronald Araujo forced a save from close in, and Gakpo shot over after Isak had provided the pass. At the other end, Kostoulas tested the goalkeeper in added time and Diego Gómez sent an effort narrowly off target.
Brighton push without reward
Brighton changed personnel at the interval, with Jack Hinshelwood replacing Olivier Boscagli, who had been booked shortly before the break. Their problems deepened when Chema Andrés had to go off injured in the 54th minute, Malick Yalcouyé taking his place.
The visitors nevertheless had their spells. Luka Vuskovic headed a corner wide, then sent a free-kick too high. Costinha saw a shot blocked in the Liverpool box, while Ayari was close again with a strike that flashed just beyond the left post.
Liverpool’s best route to a third came through Gakpo. He had a header blocked after Wirtz crossed, then saw another effort stopped following an Isak assist. Barcola also went close from distance, his left-footed shot drifting narrowly wide.
Wirtz was forced off after receiving treatment for an injury just before the hour, with Trey Nyoni introduced. Liverpool later brought on Rio Ngumoha and Lewis Koumas for Barcola and Isak, while Kostas Tsimikas replaced Milos Kerkez.
Brighton kept arriving in the final quarter. Georginio Rutter replaced Yasin Ayari and helped create a close-range opening for Kostoulas, whose shot was blocked. Rutter later had an effort stopped in the box, Diego Gómez was denied from distance and Maxim De Cuyper had a late shot blocked after a Groß pass.
Costinha and Boscagli were booked for dangerous challenges, but Liverpool saw out four minutes of added time to preserve the clean sheet. Brighton had enough of the ball around the home area to make the closing stages awkward, yet Liverpool’s two-goal first-half lead remained intact.
