Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion: Live matchday blog
Follow live updates before, during and after the game as Liverpool take on Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield in their third Premier League fixture of 2018-19.
- Salah's superb 23rd-minute finish secured a third successive win at the start of the season.
Full Time
Yes!
By no means were Liverpool at their free-flowing best this evening, but Salah’s pinpoint effort midway through the first half is enough to seal a third win on the bounce at the start of the season.
That’s three games, three victories, seven goals scored and zero conceded in the Premier League.
Not a bad way to get 2018-19 up and running.
Substitution
Matip is on in place of Alexander-Arnold.
Great save by Alisson!
The Brazilian reacts instantly to tip Gross' header wide.
So nearly a second!
Alexander-Arnold is set up by Robertson, but his left-footed effort is deflected wide and Stephens then scrambles Wijnaldum's goal-bound flick from Salah's corner away.
The Reds have been forced to weather some pressure from Brighton in the last five minutes or so, but they're keeping the ball well now as we head into the final stages.
Substitution
A second change for the Reds, with Sturridge coming on for Mane.
Stat
Gini Wijnaldum has completed 100 per cent of his 58 passes so far today.
Firmino works himself half a yard in the box, but his low shot is saved by Ryan.
Just over 20 minutes of normal time left now.
Substitution
Klopp makes his first change, with Henderson replacing Keita.
Bissouma's free-kick deflects off the wall and wide, and Duffy is penalised for a foul on Alexander-Arnold from the resulting corner.
Gomez forces Ryan into a save with a header from Salah's cross after Balogun is booked for a heavy tackle on Milner.
Firmino and Ryan collide in the area after Bissouma slices a clearance high into the sky - but the decision goes the Brighton man's way.
Liverpool's No.9 is back on the pitch after receiving treatment for his knock.
Brighton go close to an equaliser.
Murray bundles his way into the box down the right and Knockaert fires the loose ball wide.
Kick-Off
We're back under way here. The Reds are attacking the Kop in this second half.
Half Time
67.5 per cent possession, 382 passes, five shots on target, one goal.
The statistical story of a dominant first half from the Reds, who lead at the interval thanks to Salah's precise finish.
A sustained spell of pressure from Liverpool ends with Firmino curling a shot over the bar from the edge of the area.
Can we find a second before the break?
Good save by Ryan!
The Brighton 'keeper gets down well again to save Mane's diving header, which came from Robertson's whipped cross.
*Flames emoji*
Salah has now scored 29 goals in 29 appearances for Liverpool at Anfield in all competitions.
Ridiculous.
Get in!
Excellent work high up the pitch by Milner regains possession for the Reds. Mane pases to Firmino, who lays it off to Salah, who guides a low shot with his instep in off the far post.
Simple, yet so, so effective.
Goal
MOHAMED SALAH!!!
The action areas after 20 minutes of play...
Off the bar!
Alexander-Arnold whips a free-kick - won by a driving run by Naby Keita - onto the crossbar from 20 yards.
Close again!
Firmino meets Robertson's cross to the near post with a firm downward header, which Ryan gets down well to save.
Alisson is called into action for the first time and the Brazilian comfortably holds on to Knockaert's attempt.
Close!
Mane places a left-footed shot just wide after good work down the right by Salah. It's been a promising, front-foot start by the Reds here.
Brighton get us under way. Liverpool are attacking the Anfield Road End in this first half.
You'll Never Walk Alone rings out at a sunny Anfield.
Kick-off is moments away.
Here's how Opta expect the sides to look...
'...and it's off to the match I go...'
Dressing room set
What are the odds?
Here's how BetVictor see it ahead of kick-off...
Liverpool - 2/13
Draw - 15/2
Brighton - 22/1
Fancy a flutter? Click here to place your bets with BetVictor.
The Reds are in the building
And in opposition...
Here's how Brighton are lining up.
TEAM NEWS
Liverpool will deploy the same starting XI for the third game in a row against Brighton and Hove Albion at Anfield today.
Liverpool team: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Wijnaldum, Milner, Keita, Mane, Salah, Firmino.
Substitutes: Mignolet, Henderson, Sturridge, Moreno, Lallana, Shaqiri, Matip.
Gini on the mic
Wijnaldum assumes pre-match media obligations at Anfield.
The skipper's message
Jordan Henderson broached the subject of expectancy in his programme notes for today's game and specifically how this Liverpool squad deals with it.
"Looking around our dressing room I can see - albeit it's still very early doors - that we have a good balance. It's not a case of blocking pressure out, it's a case of seeing it for what it is and not allowing it to impact as a negative.
"We didn't 'send a statement' at Crystal Palace - we did our jobs. And it wouldn't have mattered if City, Chelsea and Spurs had won, lost or drawn - the boys had a job to do and that was to win the game."
Glorious
'More confidence, less pressure'
Chris Hughton believes Brighton's 3-2 win at home to Manchester United last weekend will be a positive influence on his players at Anfield.
"An away game at Liverpool, it doesn't come much tougher than that. We certainly need to show a lot of the qualities that we showed in last week's performance.
"The result [against United] allows us to go to Liverpool with three points. Perhaps it's a little more daunting if you've lost your first two games and your next one is against Liverpool.
"Hopefully we'll go there with a little more confidence and less pressure. There isn't anybody that would expect us to win, but we've got to approach the game in a manner that will allow us to get something."
U18s hit five at the Academy
There's a win in the bag for the Reds already today - the U18s have just completed a 5-1 victory over West Bromwich Albion in Kirkby. Nice work, lads.
A peek at the programme
Here's the front cover of today's matchday programme. Pick up yours at Anfield or subscribe online here.
View from the opposition
This week's lowdown on Liverpool's opponents comes from BT Sport's Jules Breach, who gives us her take on Brighton's form and how Hughton's men are likely to approach the clash at Anfield.
Click here to read the Q&A.
The last meeting
The Reds achieved a Premier League double over Brighton last season, winning 5-1 away from home and then signing off the campaign with a 4-0 win at Anfield. Enjoy the best of the action from the latter again below...
Klopp: Earn the three points again
The boss felt Liverpool ultimately 'earned' their victory at Selhurst Park on Monday night and in his programme notes for today's game, he has called for a similar approach against the Seagulls.
"On reflection we certainly deserved to win, because I thought we were better and dominant. I think maybe the correct terminology is that we earned it. We earned it through perseverance and endeavour. We created a lot of very, very good chances and didn't present our opponent with that many.
"All the credit goes to the players for this - those who started and those who came on. What I can guarantee is that we will need to display all our best qualities again today if we want a positive result."
Here's how the third round of Premier League fixtures shapes up...
Weather
*Attention weather fans*
It's a drizzly, dreary start to the day in Liverpool with rain falling intermittently so far this morning. The experts say the temperature is currently 13 degrees and that may rise slightly by kick-off - but our unofficial advice would be to wrap up if you're heading to the stadium later.
Fancy another great stat? How about this...
Did you know?
Alisson Becker is aiming to emulate a feat achieved by only three Liverpool goalkeepers in the past 51 seasons today.
Bruce Grobbelaar, Pepe Reina and Simon Mignolet are the men to have previously kept clean sheets in each of the opening three league matches of a campaign.
Can Alisson follow up shutouts against West Ham and Crystal Palace?
The manager's view
Catch up with everything Klopp had to say at his pre-match press conference...
Team news
We have a while to wait until the confirmed teamsheets land, at around 4.30pm BST, but both managers offered fitness updates in their media previews.
Jürgen Klopp insisted he is not certain to select the same XI for a third game in a row and confirmed Dejan Lovren will not be available due to an ongoing pelvis issue.
Brighton defender Lewis Dunk is a doubt because of an ankle injury and manager Chris Hughton ruled out Florin Andone, Jose Izquierdo and Bruno.
Tale of the tape
Take a look at the numbers behind the two sides' seasons so far with the detailed Opta tool below...
2018-19 2018-19
Last time out
Liverpool made it two wins out of two in 2018-19 on Monday night with a hard-fought 2-0 victory at Crystal Palace. Relive the best of the action at Selhurst Park below.
Welcome!
Here we go again - game No.3 of Liverpool's Premier League season is upon us and it's Brighton and Hove Albion visiting Anfield in the 5.30pm BST kick-off today.
Stick with us for live updates throughout the day from the stadium, with team news, match latest, stats, photos, reaction and much more.