Match report: Liverpool beat Brighton 2-0 at Anfield in Premier League

A Pascal Gross own goal and finish from Alexander Isak during the first half was enough to secure the points on Sunday. 

The win moved Andoni Iraola's Reds up to fourth in the league standings. 

Team

There were four changes to the line-up that started the Champions League clash with Villarreal in midweek.

Isak, Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez and Bradley Barcola were those restored to the XI.

Liverpool: Alisson, Van Dijk, Jacquet, Kerkez (Tsimikas, 88), Wirtz (Nyoni, 65), Isak (Koumas, 77), Mac Allister, Gakpo, Barcola (Ngumoha, 77), Araujo, Gravenberch.

Unused subs: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Endo, Chiesa, McConnell.

First half

As both teams got to grips with the blustery conditions, Cody Gakpo produced the first effort on target with a curler straight at Bart Verbruggen.

Yasin Ayari wasted a golden chance for Brighton in the 14th minute – blazing over a Gross cut-back – and they were made to rue it. 

Wirtz picked up the loose ball from a Ronald Araujo cross that was half-cleared and fired at goal, with his low strike going in off Gross.

Gakpo was thwarted by Verbruggen moments after the restart but Liverpool's wait for a second was not long.

Having blocked Olivier Boscagli's attempted punt upfield, Barcola raced to get on the deflection before brushing off a challenge and sending an inviting delivery into the box. 

Isak was in position to expertly guide the pass into the net from close range. 

Some last-ditch defending by any means from Jeremy Jacquet and then Araujo – which was loved by the home supporters – preserved the two-goal cushion.

And so did the woodwork when Ayari's bending effort struck the post and bounced clear in minute 36, after the Reds gave away possession off a goal-kick.

It was nearly 3-0 at the break but Verbruggen tipped away a powerful drive from Araujo. 

Second half

In their search for a way back into the game, Brighton threw whatever caution they had to the swirling wind by committing more men forward. 

Trey Nyoni's first involvement was to stop a Maxim De Cuyper run from deep just as the full-back looked to strike at goal.

The Seagulls' approach meant Liverpool had plenty of space to exploit but clean execution in the final third was lacking. 

Nevertheless, the Reds maintained their clean sheet to deny the opposition from setting up an uncomfortable finale.

Attendance: 60,404