Ekitike fires Liverpool to victory against Brighton and lifts Reds into the top six | OneFootball

Liverpool continued their steady recovery with a controlled 2-0 Premier League victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield, as Hugo Ekitike struck twice on a significant afternoon for Mohamed Salah.

The result extended Liverpool’s unbeaten run to five matches and lifted them up to sixth place, reinforcing the sense that Arne Slot’s side are regaining momentum after a turbulent spell.

Much of the pre-match focus centred on Salah, who returned to the squad after being left out of the midweek Champions League trip, but it was Ekitike who decided the contest.

Liverpool made the perfect start when they scored after just 46 seconds, the fastest goal of the Premier League season so far.

Joe Gomez headed a loose clearance into Ekitike’s path and the forward took a touch before volleying past Bart Verbruggen to stun the visitors.

Brighton responded with intent and created chances to level, only to be denied by poor finishing and decisive goalkeeping.

Alisson Becker spread himself well to block Diego Gomez when he broke through on goal and the same player later missed an open net after the interval.

Salah’s afternoon began earlier than expected when Gomez was forced off injured midway through the first half, prompting a reshuffle that saw the Egyptian introduced from the bench.

Liverpool adjusted calmly and Salah quickly found his rhythm, offering width, tracking back diligently and combining sharply with Alexis Mac Allister.

Brighton remained competitive but their failure to take chances proved costly as Liverpool grew in control.

The decisive moment arrived on the hour when Salah delivered a corner to the back post, where an unmarked Ekitike headed home his second of the game.

The goal was Ekitike’s 10th of the season and his second double in consecutive league matches, underlining his growing influence in attack.

Salah’s assist also carried historical weight, taking him past Wayne Rooney for the most goal involvements by a player for a single club in Premier League history.

Liverpool threatened to add further gloss as Brighton tired, with Ekitike and Salah both finding space in transition.

Salah came close to marking his return with a goal late on but blazed over after being picked out by Federico Chiesa.

Despite that miss, the atmosphere at full time reflected relief and renewed optimism rather than frustration.

Liverpool have now secured back-to-back wins and clean sheets, suggesting a platform is forming for a sustained climb up the table.

For Brighton, wastefulness proved their undoing as they slipped to ninth, having been unable to convert promising spells into goals.

Liverpool, however, will take confidence from another composed performance, with Ekitike’s finishing and Salah’s return pointing clearly towards a side moving forward again.