Liverpool 2 Brighton and Hove Albion 1
The Seagulls treated travelling fans to an impressive first-half performance at Anfield this afternoon (Saturday 2 November) and led Liverpool for more than an hour.
Ferdi Kadioglu put Brighton in front just inside the quarter-hour mark. He played the ball wide to Kaoru Mitoma, who was in space on the left, before drifting in behind the front pair as the Japan left winger raced forward.
Mitoma sent a firm ball along the ground to Danny Welbeck who flicked it on. Georginio Rutter either left it or couldn’t quite reach it.
Kadioglu responded first, sweeping in and, despite most of the Liverpool side packing their own area, fired the loose ball home.
Albion could have been two or three up by the interval. Welbeck came close. At one point, Yasin Ayari played a superb long pass upfield for Rutter.
The frontman had Virgil van Dijk on his shoulder as he went one on one with Caoimhin Kelleher but the Republic of Ireland keeper had narrowed the options and managed to block Rutter’s shot with his foot.
And Kadioglu almost nabbed a second. After a neat one-two with Welbeck, Mitoma played the ball across the area but the Dutch midfielder volleyed the ball high over the bar.
Liverpool had a few chances too but it was very much Albion in the ascendant.
After the break, Liverpool pressed with more urgency and Bart Verbruggen pulled off a series of magnificent saves including from Mo Salah and former Seagull Alexis Mac Allister.
It took the hosts until the 70th minute to level the scores when Cody Gakpo bagged his third goal against Albion this week.
Mo Salah put the Reds in front a few minutes later with a trademark surging run, leaving Verbruggen with no chance this time.
The fightback and the three points took Liverpool top of the table after Bournemouth stunned Manchester City by inflicting a first defeat of the season on the champions.
Albion, now seventh in the table, are due to host the Sky Blues at the Amex next Saturday (9 November) in a 5.30pm kick-off.
