Alexander Isak scored his sixth Premier League goal in as many games as Liverpool beat Brighton, with Bradley Barcola and Florian Wirtz also standing out in an attacking display that caused the visitors plenty of problems.
Alisson had little to do in the first half, though he was nearly punished when Yasin Ayari hit the post after a careless pass out from the back. Liverpool's backline was solid throughout. Ronald Araujo showed great strength in the build-up for the first goal, Jeremy Jacquet made some crucial blocks, and Virgil van Dijk returned to his usual self after a relatively poor display in midweek, securing another Premier League clean sheet. Ryan Gravenberch worked hard in a game where Liverpool had much less of the ball.
In attack, Barcola did superbly to tee up Isak and was a handful all afternoon for Olivier Boscagli, doing everything but score. Wirtz played with confidence and didn't hold back with the strike that resulted in an own goal from Pascal Gross, and he caused Brighton plenty of problems before going off after receiving treatment. Cody Gakpo constantly threatened from his unfamiliar left side and had two efforts saved. Isak's finish was simple but well-timed, and while he is not yet at his best, six goals in six games will delight Andoni Iraola's rivals.
For Brighton, Verbruggen made some good saves in the first half but was beaten by the deflection for the first goal. Luka Vuskovic looked good on the ball, and Diego Gomez linked well with Joao Costinha, but the visitors were punished by Liverpool's ruthlessness and conceded in the league for the first time since 16 September.
Source: BBC Sport Football · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing