Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - November 2, 2024 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah during the warm up before the match REUTERS/Molly Darlington
LIVERPOOL, England (Reuters) - A sensational trademark strike from Mohamed Salah earned Liverpool a 2-1 comeback victory over Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, a win that moved Arne Slot's team two points clear at the top of the Premier League.
Brighton started brightly on an Anfield ground where they have a good recent record, taking a deserved lead in the 14th minute after Turkey international Ferdi Kadioglu rifled a stunning effort into the far corner.
Liverpool struggled to create any openings of note in the first half but came flying out the traps after the break, dragging themselves level in the 69th minute through Cody Gakpo, before Salah completed the turnaround three minutes later.
With their two main title rivals, Arsenal and Manchester City, both losing, Liverpool overtook the champions to climb to the summit, six clear of Nottingham Forest in third and seven ahead of Arsenal.
"I was waiting for us to score the goal but we didn't that's why I made the substitutions," Slot said. "Both of them (Curtis Jones and Luis Diaz) came on really strong.
"The second goal was a Mo Salah special. It's not the first and not the last time he will score from that position. Today we faced the same quality and idea about football and both times we had to come from behind to get a result. That is what makes my day."
Brighton have become Liverpool's Premier League nemesis in recent years, with Slot's side having won two of their last eight meetings coming into Saturday's clash.
Outperforming expectations again this season, Brighton showed no fear early on at Anfield, having the better of the opening exchanges.
A superb solo run and shot from Darwin Nunez lifted the home crowd, but Kadioglu’s first ever Premier League goal silenced the famous Kop Stand, a sensational strike for a player who normally operates as a left-back.
A fine stop from Caoimhin Kelleher in the much busier Liverpool goal to deny Georginio Rutter kept Brighton from extending their first-half lead, while the hosts could barely string two passes together.
Liverpool were much improved after the break, with Virgil van Dijk and Salah wasting golden opportunities to level early in the second half.
Brighton could not cope with wave after wave of Liverpool attacks, with Gakpo's cross that evaded everyone and ended up in the net breaking their resistance.
The goal that won it and nearly lifted the roof off Anfield, however, is the type of shot Liverpool supporters have seen many times before, as Salah cut inside onto his left foot and curled a sumptuous strike into the net.
The Egyptian is now outright eighth in the Premier League's all-time top goalscorer list, with his goals remaining as crucial as ever to Liverpool's title charge.
"There was a big chance today," Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler said. "If we score the second goal, or we could have even got a third or fourth, in the first half then it is a different game.
"Then of course they have individual quality. They scored out of nowhere with a cross, they scored with a shot from outside the box. In this league there are top quality players."
(Reporting by Peter Hall; editing by Clare Fallon and Pritha Sarkar)
