Five Things We Learnt From Liverpool 2–0 Brighton: Salah’s Anfield Story Pauses, Not Ends! | OneFootball

Anfield Wakes Up, Liverpool Follow Suit.

Liverpool’s season has been defined by tension, transition and moments of emotional spillover. Against Brighton at Anfield, all three converged. This was meant to be a routine Premier League fixture; it became something far more symbolic. Mohamed Salah’s tearful applause, Hugo Ekitiké’s decisive finishing and Arne Slot’s steadying influence combined to produce a night that felt as much about reassurance as points.

Below are five key things we learnt from a match that may yet prove a hinge moment in Liverpool’s campaign.

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1. Hugo Ekitiké Is No Longer a Supporting Act

In calmer times, Ekitiké’s brace would have dominated the narrative. In context, it quietly carried Liverpool through a difficult emotional and tactical week.

His opener after just 46 seconds – the fastest Premier League goal of the season – was all sharp instincts and ruthless execution. Capitalising on Yankuba Minteh’s errant clearance, Ekitiké controlled and thundered his finish beneath the crossbar, instantly giving Liverpool the platform they so badly needed. His second, a towering header from Salah’s corner, showed a different side of his game: awareness, movement and authority in the box.

Ekitiké’s all-round performance was relentless. He stretched Brighton’s defence, pressed from the front and might have scored more. In a side still searching for attacking balance, he looked like a forward growing into responsibility rather than shrinking from it.

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2. Salah’s Absence – and Presence – Were Both Telling

Salah began on the bench again, but this was not the silence of exile. It was a negotiated truce. When Joe Gomez was forced off injured in the 26th minute, Slot turned to Salah, and Anfield responded instantly.

The reception was rapturous, the performance energetic if imperfect. Salah won the corner for Liverpool’s second goal, delivered it with trademark precision and pointed to the Kop as Ekitiké headed home. He missed chances on the break and overhit a late pass, but none of that mattered much. What mattered was intent.

This did not feel like a farewell. It felt like a pause – a moment of mutual acknowledgement before Salah departs for the Africa Cup of Nations. The emotion was real, but so was the evidence that he still has value on the pitch and resonance off it.

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3. Slot Put the Team First – and Was Backed for It

Arne Slot’s handling of the Salah situation has been under intense scrutiny. Against Brighton, he struck a careful balance between authority and empathy.

Starting without Salah allowed Liverpool to begin with clarity and energy, unburdened by off-pitch noise. Introducing him early enough to influence the game showed trust rather than punishment. The chants of Slot’s name from the Kop – alongside those for Salah – were significant. Anfield was not choosing sides; it was demanding unity.

Tactically, Slot also benefited from the early goal. Liverpool were able to control the game in phases, absorb Brighton’s pressure and counter with space. The clean sheet – only the third time this season Liverpool have managed back-to-back shutouts – will have mattered greatly to a manager seeking stability.

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4. Liverpool Remain Vulnerable – Brighton Exposed the Fault Lines

For all the positivity, this was not a flawless Liverpool display. Brighton carved out enough chances to change the complexion of the match.

Diego Gómez struck the post, Minteh went close, and Kaoru Mitoma and Brajan Gruda both spurned opportunities that a more clinical side would punish. Brighton repeatedly played through Liverpool’s midfield, finding pockets that hinted at lingering structural issues.

Alisson’s alertness was crucial, and Liverpool were occasionally rescued by Brighton’s wastefulness rather than their own defensive dominance. The clean sheet flatters slightly, but it also underscores something important: Liverpool are learning how to survive imperfect performances.

5. Anfield’s Emotional Gravity Still Shapes Liverpool’s Story

Football clubs often speak of culture, identity and connection. Few stadiums make it as tangible as Anfield does on nights like this.

Salah’s lingering applause, the crowd’s refusal to let go, the cheers for James Milner’s name from the opposition bench – all of it pointed to a club deeply aware of its past and uncertain about its immediate future. Yet the response was not nostalgia alone; it was encouragement.

Liverpool began with urgency, finished with resolve and found comfort in shared understanding. This was not vintage football, nor was it meant to be. It was about grounding a team that has wobbled under pressure.

Final Word

Liverpool’s win over Brighton was not defined by tactics alone, nor by a single player’s tears. It was about restoring equilibrium. Ekitiké delivered the goals, Salah delivered the moment, and Slot delivered something the club badly needed: calm.

There is still a season to rescue, questions to answer and performances to sharpen. But on a night heavy with emotion, Liverpool showed they can still function as a collective – and that, right now, may be the most important lesson of all.