Liverpool claimed a decisive 2-0 home victory against Brighton & Hove Albion, securing three crucial Premier League points. The match was defined by a rapid start, with striker Hugo Ekitike capitalizing on an early error for the opener.
Despite a missed golden opportunity by Brighton’s Diego Gomez, Ekitike sealed the win in the second half from a corner, moving the Reds up the table.
LIVERPOOL PLAYER RATINGS
Alisson Becker (8/10): The goalkeeper made a superb first-half save to deny a clear chance from Gomez. Apart from that crucial intervention, Alisson was largely untested throughout the match.
Joseph Gomez (6/10): Gomez started strongly, assisting Ekitike’s opening goal just 45 seconds into the match. Unfortunately, his afternoon was cut short after only 26 minutes due to an injury.
Ibrahima Konate (8/10): The centre-back was physically and defensively dominant, dealing well with the threat posed by Brighton’s attackers. He only had a few shaky moments involving some minor fouls.
Virgil van Dijk (7.5/10): The defender put in a solid performance, rarely challenged defensively and exhibiting great composure when passing the ball out from the back.
Milos Kerkez (7.5/10): Kerkez showed plenty of energy on the left flank. He was defensively sound, effectively nullifying the attacking threat of Minteh throughout the game.
Alexis Mac Allister (6.5/10): The midfielder’s involvement was minimal, aside from a well-placed pass that sent Salah through on goal. He saw little of the ball and sometimes looked tired and timid in the tackle.
Ryan Gravenberch (7.5/10): Gravenberch had several tidy spells of possession and was key in starting quick counter-attacks that should have been converted into goals by his teammates.
Curtis Jones (8/10): Jones was highly influential, seeing a great amount of the ball and utilizing it effectively. He consistently looked to push the attack with his passing and powerful bursts through midfield.
Dominik Szoboszlai (7.5/10): The Hungarian put in a solid shift, especially considering he was moved to an unnatural right-back role early on. He delivered good crosses and was defensively sound.
Hugo Ekitike (9/10) – Man of the Match: Ekitike was the match-winner for Liverpool, proving a major nuisance for Brighton’s defense all afternoon. He finished both his goals expertly.
Florian Wirtz (8/10): This was arguably the German’s finest performance for Liverpool, as he tirelessly created chances for others and demonstrated real quality on the ball.
Mohamed Salah (8.0/10) – Substitute: The Egyptian showed flashes of his best form after coming on. He provided a very good assist for Ekitike’s second goal and was Liverpool’s most effective creative force.
BRIGHTON PLAYER RATINGS
Bart Verbruggen (5.5/10): The goalkeeper made only routine saves, but could arguably have done better to stop Ekitike’s opening goal, which was hit powerfully down the center.
Mats Wieffer (5/10): The full-back had a really tough contest against Wirtz, consistently losing out in defensive one-on-one situations due to the German’s energy.
Jan Paul van Hecke (6/10): Van Hecke was competent with the ball at his feet, but struggled at times to cope with the pace and physical power of Ekitike.
Lewis Dunk (5.5/10): Dunk struggled significantly with the speed of Liverpool’s forward players and was frequently caught out of position, which gave Liverpool chances on the break.
Ferdi Kadioglu (5.5/10): Kadioglu displayed some quality in attacking areas but struggled defensively throughout the match when dealing with substitute Mohamed Salah.
Jack Hinshelwood (5.5/10): Hinshelwood played with high energy but lacked the technical quality necessary to make things happen on the ball, resulting mostly in sideways or backward passes.
Carlos Baleba (4/10): The midfielder appeared to struggle with the match’s high speed and intensity. He was disappointing on the ball, which was surprising given his technical ability.
Brajan Gruda (7/10): The young German looked bright and energetic in the final third, showcasing tidy moments on the ball and coming close to scoring in the 56th minute.
Yankuba Minteh (5.5/10): Minteh attempted to utilize his pace and power but was consistently contained and dealt with easily by Liverpool’s left-back, Kerkez.
Georginio Rutter (6/10): Rutter had a few bright moments, mostly in a creative capacity for his teammates, but he did not manage to register a clear goalscoring opportunity himself.
Diego Gomez (5/10): Gomez had a poor outing, highlighted by missing a sitter in the 51st minute. He was also fortunate to remain on the pitch after an overly aggressive high kick on Wirtz.