Brighton 1-3 Liverpool
Right, that’s all from me.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
We’ll have more reaction to follow.
30 - Liverpool have won 30 of their 34 Premier League games this season (D2 L2); this is the fastest any side has ever reached 30 wins in a season in the history of the English Football League. Authority. pic.twitter.com/Hc4rSW2ZcH
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 8, 2020
FULL-TIME: BRIGHTON 1-3 LIVERPOOL
Robertson finds Salah with a brilliant cross.
The Egyptian fails to score a hat-trick, heading over.
Mo Salah looks frustrated as Mane attempts a curled shot on goal rather than passing to him.
Meanwhile, Sky’s Jamie Carragher has name the Egyptian attacker the man of the match.
There will be six minutes of stoppage time…
Van Dijk gets on the end of a free kick and heads it across to Wijnaldum, who can’t find the target with his header.
Meanwhile, the Reds make another change, as Firmino is replaced by Minamino.
As I type, Connolly escapes from a few Liverpool defenders in the box, but he can’t find the target from a very tight angle.
The Irish international is involved moments later, as he’s taken down by Gomez, with the defender getting booked as a result.
A lofted through ball from Stephens finds Trossard, who volleys over the bar.
Liverpool have looked defensively suspect throughout this game, and would have been punished further were it not for some poor Brighton finishing.
Another change for Liverpool.
James Milner replaces Jordan Henderson.
Robertson’s corner finds Salah, who gets away from Lamptey and powerfully heads home.
That should be game, set and match for Liverpool, while it keeps the Egyptian international firmly in contention for the Golden Boot.
BRIGHTON 1-3 LIVERPOOL (SALAH 76)
Triple change for Brighton.
Mooy, Bissouma and a shaven-headed Aaron Connolly are on.
Mac Allister, Gross and Propper are off.
Liverpool have been better since those changes.
Mane in particular has already made his presence felt.
Liverpool make a double change
Keita and Oxlade-Chamblerain are replaced by Mane and Fabinho.
Just before that, Burn got on the end of a flicked-on cross, but could not properly connect with his finish from close range.
That should really have made it 2-2.
A long cross-field ball from Robertson picks out Henderson.
However, the midfielder’s subsequent volley is straight at Ryan.
Here’s a look at the Salah goal…
Clinical Liverpool lead inside six minutes! 🔴
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) July 8, 2020
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Salah bursts through on goal, outpacing Burn.
However, the Egyptian’s finish is saved by Ryan.
On Sky, both Jamie Carragher and Graeme Souness defend Neco Williams’ performance.
They point out he wasn’t the only one at fault for the goal and it’s suggested the yellow card he picked up is the primary reason why the youngster was replaced by Andy Robertson.
The second half has begun…
Liverpool make a change at half-time.
The youngster Neco Williams is replaced by Robertson in a straight swap.
So half-time and it’s been an entertaining game.
Liverpool started off really sharply, capitalising on two bad Brighton mistakes, which enabled Mo Salah and Jordan Henderson to take their goals really well.
The hosts fought back well, however, and deserved their goal back from Trossard on the stroke of half-time.
Having looked dead and buried after just eight minutes, Brighton have improved immeasurably since then, and now look capable of getting something from this game.
HALF-TIME: BRIGHTON 1-2 LIVERPOOL
Stephens gets caught in possession in a dangerous area again.
Firmino then plays it to Salah, whose shot is well blocked by Webster.
Brighton are back in this game, and deservedly so.
Lamptey’s well executed cross is met by Trossard, who powers home an impressive finish on the half volley.
The Seagulls have really grown into this game.
BRIGHTON 1-2 LIVERPOOL (TROSSARD 45)
Lamptey is fouled amid a cynical challenge by Williams, who gets booked as a result.
As impressive as his goal-saving block was early on, the 19-year-old Welsh full-back has otherwise looked a little raw, as you would expect.
A corner from Gross is deflected into the path of Stephens.
The midfielder’s low shot from the edge of the area then goes narrowly wide.
Down the other end, Salah’s curled attempt from distance goes the wrong side of the post.
Maupay finds himself in a promising position inside the area, but Van Dijk is well positioned to block his goal-bound shot.
Brighton continue to improve on their disastrous start.
127 - After going 7 hours and 47 minutes without scoring a goal away from home in all competitions, Liverpool scored twice in the space of 127 seconds courtesy of Salah and Henderson. Typical. pic.twitter.com/pPNVADq7gN
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 8, 2020
Brighton counter and the ball is crossed to Maupay by Trossard.
Alisson makes the stop at close range before it’s cleared out for the corner.
The hosts have actually produced a decent response since the second Liverpool goal.
Chance for Brighton!
Maupay finds Gross in the area.
The latter’s pull-back is cut out, but it falls to Trossard, whose shot is brilliantly blocked by Williams.
That’s a goal-saving intervention from the youngster.
Liverpool had suffered somewhat of a drought away from home, failing to score in their last five games in all competitions on the road.
Clearly, they are making up for it now though. A mixture of intense pressing and sloppy Brighton play means they are coasting currently.
Brighton lose it playing out from the back again. This time Adam Webster is the culprit.
Firmino then passes to Salah, who lays it off to Henderson.
The England midfielder curls home a lovely first-time finish from the edge of the area.
Is it game over already?
BRIGHTON 0-2 LIVERPOOL (HENDERSON 8)
Brighton are punished for playing out from the back.
Keita wins the ball in the opponents’ area and squares it to Salah, who converts a simple finish.
BRIGHTON 0-1 LIVERPOOL (SALAH 6)
We’re underway…
Confirmation of tonight’s teams below. Irish internationals Aaron Connolly and Shane Duffy are on the bench for Brighton.
🚨 Team news time!
— Brighton & Hove Albion (at 🏡) (@OfficialBHAFC) July 8, 2020
👇 Here’s how we take to the field to face @LFC tonight at the Amex!
📲 @SnickersUKCom 📲#BHAFC 🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/bOlsbtz3FE
📋 Tonight's #BHALIV team...
— Liverpool FC (Premier League Champions 🏆) (@LFC) July 8, 2020
Hello, and welcome to tonight’s liveblog.
Liverpool need four wins from their final five games for a Premier League record that will see them surpass City’s 100 points tally from the 2017-18 campaign.
A win in their final five games will also see them surpass Juventus’ tally of 102 points — set in 2013-14 — which is a record in Europe’s big five leagues.
Brighton, meanwhile, are nine points clear of safety and are unlikely to go down.
However, they will want to finish the season strongly — five more points will see them eclipse their record Premier League points tally (40 points in the 2017-18 campaign).
