Gakpo and Salah on target as Liverpool go top with victory over Brighton

Gakpo and Salah on target as Liverpool go top with victory over Brighton

Liverpool have gone to the top of the Premier League with a victory over Brighton, after Arsenal and Manchester City returned poor results in their respective games.

The Reds were shocked when they went behind the Seagulls in the first half, with defender Ferdi Kadioglu getting the goal. They went into the break one goal down, but came back after it with intensity.

In the blink of an eye, Liverpool went from 1-0 down to 2-1 up, as Mohamed Salah put the Reds in the ascendancy three minutes after Cody Gakpo had levelled.

The Egyptian may not even be a Liverpool player anymore after this season, with his contract up at the end of the season.

But he is still giving his all for the Anfield outfit at the moment, and his importance is clear, given his goal - his seventh of the season in the league - put his side top of the Premier League, while also moving him up to eight on the all-time Premier League top-scorers list.

The Reds were to the summit of the league by a loss to Arsenal on Saturday morning, and Manchester City suffering a shock defeat to Bournemouth in the afternoon.

Speaking after the game, Liverpool Arne Slot credited his side for the way in which they fought back after the break.

"We needed another second-half performance but because we were outplayed in the first half," Slot said. "They were better on the ball, more aggressive without the ball. Then, everything changed in the second half because it was completely the opposite."

"Our attackers scored the goals but the main difference was we were better positioned and we had the ball a lot more. Without the ball they made problems for us but in the second half we just kept running.

On going top of the Premier League, he added: "If you face a team like this and are 1-0 down and can come back to a 2-1 win which in my opinion was deserved that gives me a lot of confidence. More than the position we are in."

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler rued his side's missed opportunities to go even further ahead during the first half.

"There was a big chance today. 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," he said.

"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.

"We have to be at the maximum and today we were not for 90 minutes. Then you can't win the game."

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