When Mohamed Salah final confronted Brighton at Anfield in December, there was uncertainty over whether or not he could be seen in a Liverpool shirt once more. Two months on and with the Egyptian a starter as soon as extra, Salah and Arne Slot reaped the rewards of their appeasement as Liverpool eased into the fifth spherical with a snug victory over Brighton.
Salah produced a elegant help, his fourth since getting back from the Africa Cup of Nations, and scored from the penalty spot as Liverpool condemned Brighton to a fourth defeat in 5 video games. There was no proof of Brighton not performing for the under-pressure Fabian Hürzeler however after a promising begin the guests light quickly. Curtis Jones, Dominik Szoboszlai, with an excellent aim, and Salah capitalised in a commanding victory.
Slot admitted he had struggled to sleep whereas wrestling with the dilemma of whether or not to relaxation overloaded gamers vulnerable to harm or go robust for an vital fixture. He finally leaned in direction of the latter, leaving Hugo Ekitiké and Ryan Gravenberch out of the beginning lineup as a precaution however fielding his strongest obtainable aspect in any other case. There could be no repeat of final season’s fourth-round choice and shock at Plymouth.
The cursed right-back shift went to Jones on this event, with Wataru Endo, Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong all injured and Joe Gomez deemed not match sufficient to start out.
A blood-and-thunder cup tie this was not. Liverpool wanted half an hour to seek out any urgency whereas Brighton had the higher of the opening exchanges with out significantly troubling Alisson. The under-pressure Hürzeler may take some encouragement from his gamers’ confidence in possession and willingness to press the Liverpool defence.
Jones, regularly drifting into extra acquainted midfield territory, signalled the beginning of the hosts’ enchancment when sending an angled drive simply extensive of Jason Steele’s prime nook. Cody Gakpo headed in from Szoboszlai’s whipped free-kick minutes later however from an offside place. Liverpool have been lastly enjoying with the depth and intent that the event demanded.
Salah broke away from Ferdi Kadioglu and had the ball taken off his toes by the Brighton left-back simply as he formed to shoot. Milos Kerkez then stung Steele’s fingertips having been present in area behind the guests’ defence by Alexis Mac Allister’s rapidly taken free-kick.
Brighton couldn’t escape the Liverpool strain and have been lastly breached shortly earlier than the interval. A sort out by the striker Charalampos Kostoulas on Mac Allister inadvertently performed the ball to Kerkez on the left. The Hungarian full-back swept a harmful low cross into the six-yard field, the place Jones, arriving unmarked between Jan Paul van Hecke and Kadioglu, side-footed residence through the underside of the bar. The midfielder’s first aim of the season rewarded a dominant spell by Liverpool but sparked an instantaneous response from Brighton.
Jack Hinshelwood may have levelled swiftly when beating Gakpo to Harry Howell’s nook however headed wastefully over at shut vary. A slip by Jones in first-half stoppage time introduced Diego Gómez with a one-v-one in opposition to Alisson. The Liverpool keeper got here out on prime, saving the ahead’s low shot along with his legs.
Fortune favoured Alisson early within the second half when his clearance struck the in-coming Gómez and rebounded extensive of the Liverpool aim. The keeper then made a significant intervention to forestall Lewis Dunk’s header reaching the unmarked Van Hecke. A key second, as Liverpool in impact settled the tie from their subsequent assault.
The house aspect’s second was excellent in its creation and execution. When Gakpo’s crossfield move discovered its approach to Salah the striker, in a single motion, leapt into the air and cushioned the ball into the run of Szoboszlai on the volley. The Hungary captain didn’t break stride and lashed an emphatic first-time drive previous Steele.
Salah gained and transformed the penalty that introduced Liverpool their third. There was a glimpse of the Salah of previous as he turned Kadioglu and powered previous the left-back into the field, the place he was dragged again by Pascal Gross. Stuart Attwell instantly pointed to the spot and the Egypt worldwide gave Steele no likelihood with a blistering penalty.
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