Liverpool ended their three-game winless run at Anfield as they beat Brighton & Hove Albion 2–0 courtesy of Hugo Ekitiké’s brace.
Mohamed Salah re-entered the Liverpool squad after being excluded from the victory against Inter following his extraordinary outburst, but the Egyptian was only named on the bench by Arne Slot.
However, the Dutchman turned to Salah midway through the first half following an injury to Joe Gomez, with Liverpool already leading via Ekitiké’s volleyed effort inside the opening minute.
The Reds doubled their advantage after an hour as Salah provided his first assist since the Merseyside derby in September. Ekitiké converted the winger’s deep corner to put Liverpool in a commanding position.
With the help of Brighton’s wastefulness, Slot’s side held firm for a confidence-boosting clean sheet, with victory taking them to sixth in the Premier League table.
Liverpool Player Ratings vs. Brighton (4-2-3-1)
GK: Alisson—8.2: Made an excellent save to keep Liverpool ahead early doors and rose to the occasion when called upon thereafter.
RB: Joe Gomez—7.5: Another injury forced Gomez off the field, with the luckless right back having made a positive start against the Seagulls. Even notched an assist for Ekitiké’s opener.
CB: Ibrahima Konaté—8.1: On hand to block several promising shots during the first half in what was a more assured display from the Frenchman. Still picked up a reckless yellow card, though.
CB: Virgil van Dijk—7.2: Liverpool’s defence continues to looks vulnerable and Van Dijk wasn’t as imposing as he was against Inter midweek. However, it was a perfectly acceptable performance from the skipper.
LB: Milos Kerkez—7.5: Brighton’s best moments very often came down Kerkez’s flank and Liverpool still look defensively stronger with Andy Robertson in the team. One of his better displays, however.
DM: Ryan Gravenberch—7.9: Stepped beyond the Brighton press effectively and was defensively resilient against some tricky Brighton attackers.
DM: Curtis Jones—7.8: Orchestrated the match throughout the first half as he enjoyed more touches and passes than anyone on the pitch. Similarly impactful after the break as he finds some timely form.
RW: Dominik Szoboszlai—7.6: Moved to right back after Salah’s introduction with Conor Bradley suspended and offered up another tireless display. Ran himself into the ground and held his own against Brighton’s wide men.
AM: Alexis Mac Allister—6.9: Still nowhere near the lofty standards Liverpool expect of him, but it was a solid enough performance from the Argentine. Slot will still want more from Mac Allister.
LW: Florian Wirtz—8.4: Floated around the Brighton half and was always on hand to knit play together. Another encouraging display from the German, who was also tremendously industrious out of possession.
ST: Hugo Ekitiké—9.2: Terrific from the France international once again. Ruthless with his early finish and was a constant source of creativity for Liverpool, buzzing around the final third with speed and intensity. Added a second as he stole the show.
| Substitute | Rating (Out of 10) |
|---|---|
| Mohamed Salah (26’ for Gomez) | 8.3 |
| Alexander Isak (78’ for Ekitiké) | 6.0 |
| Andy Robertson (78’ for Wirtz) | 6.4 |
| Federico Chiesa (83’ for Szoboszlai) | N/A |
Subs not used: Giorgi Mamardashvili (GK), Freddie Woodman (GK), Calvin Ramsay, Wellity Lucky, Rio Ngumoha.
Brighton & Hove Albion (4-2-3-1)
Starting XI: Bart Verbruggen; Mats Wieffer, Jan Paul van Hecke, Lewis Dunk, Ferdi Kadıoğlu; Carlos Baleba, Jack Hinshelwood; Yankuba Minteh, Brajan Gruda, Diego Gómez; Georginio Rutter.
Subs used: Kaoru Mitoma, Yasin Ayari, Danny Welbeck, Charalampos Kostoulas, James Milner.
Player of the Match: Hugo Ekitiké
Liverpool 2–0 Brighton: How It Unfolded at Anfield
All eyes were naturally drawn to Salah’s presence in the matchday squad following crunch talks with his manager on Friday, but Liverpool could ill-afford to turn their attention away from the task at hand. They certainly didn’t in the opening stages.
Just 46 seconds after the first whistle and Liverpool were ahead, preying on some sloppy Brighton defending. Gomez rose highest to win Yankuba Minteh’s poor clearance and the ball arrived at the feet of the unmarked Ekitiké in the penalty area, with the in-form Frenchman rattling home to ease the nerves.
A sprawling save from Alisson denied Brighton a swift route back into the match, but the attention would soon turn to Salah once again. The 33-year-old replaced the injured Gomez in the 26th minute and was greeted by a warm applause from the Anfield crowd as Slot was forced to shuffle his pack.
Salah’s arrival didn’t disrupt Liverpool’s flow and they were good value for their advantage at the break. They could well have finished the half with more players than their visitors, too, with Diego Gómez fortunate to escape a red card for a studs-up challenge on Florian Wirtz’s midriff in stoppage time.
Mohamed Salah now has the third-most goal involvements in Premier League history 🤩 pic.twitter.com/1uKd5Jm5Xz
— Premier League (@premierleague) December 13, 2025
Brighton had offered glimpses of their attacking potential during first-half counter attacks and they should have equalised within five minutes of the restart. A sweeping move appeared destined to end with Gómez tapping in at the far post, but the Paraguay international inexplicably struck the woodwork with the goal gaping.
Liverpool punished Brighton’s profligacy on the hour mark as Ekitiké, by far Liverpool’s best player on the day, converted from close range to offer the Reds a buffer. The summer signing collected back-to-back Premier League braces as he headed home from Salah’s lovely far-post cross—Liverpool’s first goal from a corner this season.
Brighton huffed and puffed as they sought to set up a nervy finish at Anfield, but Liverpool’s rearguard clung on to their clean sheet. The shutout, alongside Salah’s impressive return, Ekitiké’s super performance and three invaluable points, capped a fantastic afternoon for Slot.
Liverpool vs. Brighton Half Time Stats
| Statistic | Liverpool | Brighton |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 59% | 41% |
| Expected Goals (xG) | 0.73 | 0.96 |
| Total Shots | 10 | 7 |
| Shots on Target | 2 | 1 |
| Big Chances | 1 | 1 |
| Pass Accuracy | 92% | 88% |
| Fouls Committed | 1 | 8 |
| Corners | 1 | 0 |
Liverpool vs. Brighton Full Time Stats
| Statistic | Liverpool | Brighton |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 50% | 50% |
| Expected Goals (xG) | 1.82 | 1.91 |
| Total Shots | 18 | 13 |
| Shots on Target | 4 | 1 |
| Big Chances | 3 | 3 |
| Pass Accuracy | 87% | 89% |
| Fouls Committed | 8 | 15 |
| Corners | 2 | 2 |
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Liverpool Player Ratings vs. Brighton: Impressive Salah Returns But Is Outshone.
