Liverpool secured a 2-0 victory over Brighton and Hove Albion at Anfield, thanks to an early own-goal from Pascal Gross and a finish from Alexander Isak.
The result gave the Reds their fourth consecutive win and moved them into fourth place overtaking Chelsea in the Premier League table.
The Reds made a fast start, scoring twice in the opening 21 minutes. Although Brighton created chances to get back into the game, the host defended their lead and kept a clean sheet to collect all three points.
Liverpool started on the front foot and looked dangerous in attack. Cody Gakpo tested goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen early in the match, but the goalkeeper dealt with his effort.
Brighton suffered an early setback when Ferdi Kadıoglu picked up an injury and had to leave the pitch in the sixth minute. Costinha came on to replace him while the match carried on.
The visitors had a big opportunity to take the lead when Pascal Gross played the ball into Yasin Ayari’s path. Ayari found himself in a good position inside the penalty area but sent his shot over the crossbar.
It was a costly miss for the Seagulls who would go on to learn the hard way. Liverpool punished the visitors for failing to take their chance by taking the lead.
In the 17th minute, Florian Wirtz tried his luck with a shot inside the box. The ball took a deflection off Gross and wrong-footed Verbruggen before finding the net.
The goal was officially credited as a Pascal Gross own-goal, giving Liverpool a 1-0 lead at Anfield. The Reds did not wait long to score their second goal of the encounter.
Four minutes after taking the lead, Bradley Barcola won the ball from Brighton defender Olivier Boscagli and moved forward before delivering a low cross into the penalty area.
Isak was in the right position to meet the delivery and calmly finished from close range to make it 2-0 in the 21st minute. It was a strong attacking move from the host, with Barcola providing the assist.
The Reds continued to look for more goals. Gakpo forced another save from Verbruggen, while Isak missed an opportunity with a shot that went over the bar.
Brighton had spells of possession but struggled to turn their attacking moves into clear chances. Liverpool went into the half-time break with a comfortable two-goal advantage.
The visitors tried to improve after the break and looked for a way back into the contest. However, the host remained organised and worked hard to prevent the visitors from finding a goal.
Wirtz had to leave the pitch in the second half after appearing to suffer a problem with his foot or ankle. Trey Nyoni replaced the German midfielder as they made changes to manage the closing stages.
The Seagulls continued to search for an opening, but their attacks lacked the finishing touch needed to trouble the Reds consistently. The visitors also received yellow cards as the contest became more physical.
Olivier Boscagli was booked late in the first half, while Costinha received a yellow card in the second half after a foul on Gakpo.
The Reds made further substitutions, with Lewis Koumas and Rio Ngumoha coming on for Barcola and Isak. Kostas Tsimikas also replaced Milos Kerkez late in the game.
The home side looked for a third goal, but Gakpo was unable to find a teammate with a dangerous attack down the right. The visitors could not find a breakthrough either, and the host saw out the remaining minutes to secure the win.
Liverpool finished the encounter with a 2-0 victory against Brighton and Hove Albion which gave them three points and pushed them into the fourth position on the League table.
The victory is an important result for the Reds as they continue their push towards the top of the Premier League table. Scoring twice early gave them control of the match, while their defensive performance after the break helped them secure a valuable clean sheet.
The Seagulls will be disappointed with their missed first-half opportunity and the defensive errors that allowed the home side to establish a two-goal lead so quickly.
The host will take confidence from the result, especially after keeping the away side, one of the league’s dangerous attacking teams, from scoring.
Liverpool will now look to build on their winning run when they face Arsenal in their next Premier League fixture which won’t be an easy one for them to overcome.
Meanwhile, Brighton will have improve on their finishing and defensive concentration as they prepare for their next league match against Manchester City.
