Hello! And welcome to our minute-by-minute coverage of this evening’s late kick-off between Liverpool and Brighton.
This genuinely has the makings of a cracking game at Anfield. Liverpool have the makings of a potential title challenger this season and have got off to the best possible start with back-to-back wins against West Ham and Crystal Palace — scoring six and conceding none along the way.
Brighton, meanwhile, offered the perfect response to their opening weekend defeat away to Watford by only going out and beating Man United.
Chris Hughton’s men secured their Premier League survival at home to Jose Mourinho’s men last season and earned another massive win seven days ago — Ireland defender Shane Duffy putting in a man-of-the-match display in the dramatic 3-2 win.
With all that in mind, this evening’s game promises to be a brilliant encounter on Merseyside. Kick-off is coming up in just under an hour at 5.30pm.
Let’s get started with the team news…
🔢 Here's how Albion line-up for today's @premierleague meeting against @LFC at Anfield.
— Brighton & Hove Albion ⚽️ (@OfficialBHAFC) August 25, 2018
⚽️ @LeonBalogun and @Yves_Bissouma come into the side to make their first @premierleague starts for the Seagulls.#BHAFC 🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/xDWPHFuRfS
Unchanged for a third consecutive game. 👊 #LIVBHA pic.twitter.com/DGz5YjaDAT
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 25, 2018
So, today’s teams will line out as:
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson, Milner, Wijnaldum, Keita, Salah, Firmino, Mane.
Subs: Henderson, Sturridge, Moreno, Lallana, Mignolet, Shaqiri, Matip.
Brighton & Hove Albion: Ryan, Montoya, Balogun, Duffy, Bong, Knockaert, Stephens, Propper, March, Bissouma, Murray.
Subs: Kayal, Locadia, Gross, Jahanbakhsh, Button, Suttner, Bernardo.
There’s just 45 minutes to go before we get underway at Anfield, but who’s going to come out on top? Let us know below!
Poll Results:
🎥 Albion out to warm-up... #BHAFC 🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/BXlN1pDu0x
— Brighton & Hove Albion ⚽️ (@OfficialBHAFC) August 25, 2018
KICK-OFF: We’re underway at Anfield for the first half!
A cagey opening few minutes at Anfield as both midfields battle it out scrappily in the middle of the pitch. Both teams have been high on energy on the basis of their opening pair of games and that trend continues here today. Liverpool get the game’s first chance following a snappy break down the right wing, but Sadio Mane slips a great chance narrowly wide of the bottom corner.
Save! Roberto Firmino is agonisingly close to bringing Liverpool ahead, but goalkeeper Matthew Ryan produces a stunning save to deny the Brazilian. Andy Robertson picked out his team-mate with an inviting cross lofted at the front post, with Firmino peeling away completely untracked. He managed to steer an accurate header towards the bottom corner, but you have to give Ryan a huge amount of credit for the way he reacted immediately to claw the ball away. A fine stop.
Jurgen Klopp and Chris Hughton greet each other before kick-off.
Another stop! Matthew Ryan has his work cut out from him today. Trent Alexander-Arnold directs a powerful free-kick on target, which forces the Brighton goalkeeper into a snappy save. The strike was pretty much straight at the 26-year-old, but he did really well to punch it over the bar and away from danger. Two good chances in quick succession for the Reds.
GOAL! LIVERPOOL 1-0 BRIGHTON (SALAH 23)
GOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!! 👑 pic.twitter.com/pYbPmnJenJ
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 25, 2018
Liverpool take the lead after 23 minutes through Mohamed Salah! Chris Hughton will be so frustrated at that one, as Jurgen Klopp offers a jubilant fist pump in celebration in the opposite dugout. It was a self-inflicted wound from Brighton, with the goal coming from a free-kick inside their own half.
James Milner did really well to snap up possession with a sliding challenge out of the blue, before feeding the ball quickly to Roberto Firmino. Firmino, too, didn’t dwell on possession before picking out Salah, who provided the killer touch — rolling the ball into Matthew Ryan’s bottom corner. 1-0 to the hosts!
Brighton have had just one shot after half an hour, but even with that in mind they will be kicking themselves at the nature of Salah’s goal. It was snappy, fluid passing from Liverpool which brought the ball to the Egyptian’s feet and the finish was expert. However Hughton’s side completely switched off to give possession away from their own free-kick when the game seemed to just be hitting a lull. The lapse in concentration was expertly punished by Klopp’s men, who will surely go in search of more.
Liverpool still in the ascendancy but Brighton holding their own at the back despite a lack of possession. Hughton’s side showed serious composure and discipline in defence during their 3-2 win against Man United last week, and that willingness to not be overawed by top-four sides is again evident this evening. With Manchester City dropping points at home to Wolves today, a win for Liverpool would see them go top of the table with three wins from three, so they will be intent on getting a second goal.
Close! Roberto Firmino goes close to doubling his side’s lead with a dipping effort. The Brazilian took possession just on the edge of the box before attempting an audacious effort destined for the top corner. He got plenty of whip and bend on his strike, but it landed just the wrong side of the crossbar.
There will be two minutes of stoppage time to come at the end of the first half.
HALF-TIME: LIVERPOOL 1-0 BRIGHTON
HALF-TIME
— Premier League (@premierleague) August 25, 2018
Will the hosts hold on to the lead in the second half to go top of the #PL table? #LIVBHA pic.twitter.com/DFYi3qQd9h
Well, what did we make of that? Liverpool have been on top from start to finish, but Mohamed Salah’s well-taken goal was a case of Brighton shooting themselves in the foot by giving possession away so sloppily. If things stay as they are now, Liverpool will be top of the Premier League in an hour. Still, there’s 45 minutes to go!
SECOND-HALF: We’re back underway at Anfield!
Jurgen Klopp will be looking for more of the same from hereon in. Neither manager makes any changes at the break and bizarrely the half-time music continued to boom over the speakers in Anfield for the first thirty seconds of the second half. Both teams played on and there was a loud ironic cheer from the crowd when the beat eventually stopped. Weird one.
A promising start from Brighton sees Anthony Knockaert with a brilliant chance to level right from the off. The ball falls to the 26-year-old invitingly right in front of goal, but he slices his effort and it flies well wide of the target. He should have done a lot better there.
Liverpool slowly regaining the pace and speed they played with in the first half. Andy Robertson attempts a volley at the back post after sprinting forward completely unmarked. He does his best to attempt his strike following a poor cross into the box, but the left back drills well wide.
A really late challenge by Leon Balogun leaves James Milner in tatters on the ground. It was a really sloppy sliding challenge out from the back from the defender and it earns him the game’s first yellow card courtesy of referee Chris Kavanagh. Milner really felt that one, but gets up and battles on.
Yves Bissouma tries his luck with a powerful free-kick right on the edge of the area. James Milner was penalised for a handball, however the Liverpool wall stood firm and did it’s job — the ball deflecting out wide for a corner which comes to nothing as Shane Duffy is penalised for a foul.
Substitution for Liverpool: Jordan Henderson replaces Naby Keita.
67' @JHenderson is introduced and replaces Naby Keita.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 25, 2018
[1-0]#LIVBHA pic.twitter.com/mRJnnMl6cb
Anfield erupts into a chorus of applause for goalkeeper Alisson after the Brazilian executed some fine tricky — chipping the ball over the head of Anthony Knockaert and taking it back down again with expert control. Insane skills from the former Roma man.
Close! Andy Robertson lets flies inside the area before his effort takes a nick off Shane Duffy. The Ireland defender stretched out his leg to try and block the strike, but he very nearly deflected the ball into the back of his own net. To his relief, it bounces wide for a corner kick.
The corner is easily cleared, but Klopp’s men are really piling on the pressure now in search of a second. Liverpool just haven’t been able to find their rhythm but have still maintained the upper-hand and dictated play from the offset. Brighton are so well disciplined at the back and are proving an impossible task to break down for Salah, Mane and Firmino this evening.
A corner from Yves Bissouma causes momentary panic, falling right in the middle of the box for someone to have a free strike at goal. No man in blue and white reacts quick enough, however, and Virgil Van Dijk hoofs the ball away from danger.
Alisson tries to be clever with his feet for a second time, but runs into serious trouble under pressure from Glenn Murray. The striker forces the goalkeeper into an uncomfortable position, and he just manages to boot it away. I don’t think Alisson will try that trick a third time. Nervy for Liverpool at the moment.
Substitution for Liverpool: Daniel Sturridge replaces Sadio Mane.
Almost! Trent Alexander-Arnold has seen a lot of ball bombing forward down the right flank this evening. He cuts inside and let’s fly on his left boot just outside the box, however his low effort narrowly misses the bottom corner. He looks so composed in an attacking position, the 19-year-old.
Save! Pascal Gross almost levels it with two minutes left on the clock, and he will be kicking himself he didn’t do a bit better. The substitute rises high inside the box but his header is clawed off the line by Alisson. An outstanding stop.
There will be three minutes of stoppage time to come at the end of the second half.
FULL-TIME: LIVERPOOL 1-0 BRIGHTON
FULL-TIME @LFC 🔝 of the table #LIVBHA #PL pic.twitter.com/nUQgMbwbQy
— Premier League (@premierleague) August 25, 2018
That’s all she wrote! Liverpool go top of the Premier League with their third win in as many games. It was yet another battling performance from Chris Hughton’s men, with Mohamed Salah’s second goal of the season proving the difference on the night. Thanks a million for joining us, you can read our full match report here.
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