Liverpool secured consecutive victories as Hugo Ekitike shone in their comfortable 2-0 triumph over Brighton. The French international scored in both halves, helping Arne Slot's side extend their unbeaten streak to five matches. The week had been dominated by conversation about Mohamed Salah after he was left out of the squad for the midweek journey to Inter Milan following his fiery remarks about Slot and the club.
However, the Egyptian was brought back into the squad against the Seagulls for his last appearance before heading off to the Africa Cup of Nations. Despite being named on the bench again, he made an immediate impact when he replaced the injured Joe Gomez in the first half. The win propelled Liverpool to sixth place in the Premier League table. Here, we assess the Liverpool players...
Alisson Becker 7
Mostly untroubled but showed quick reactions to dash off his line and thwart Diego Gomez with a solid one-on-one save after he was played through on goal.
Joe Gomez 7
Another assist for the defender!
Perfectly positioned to head down for Ekitike, and could have provided another assist but Ekitike shot over. Forced to leave the pitch due to injury midway through the first half.
A disappointing setback for the England international.
Ibrahima Konate 8
The defender put in another promising performance. He was a bit impetuous at times, but showed determination to win the ball on every occasion.
He made an excellent recovery run and block to thwart Minteh on the counter, and made a crucial block to deny Gomez. He won numerous tackles and aerial duels.
Virgil van Dijk 7
Van Dijk emerged victorious from his physical duel with Rutter as Brighton struggled to make an impact in front of goal. He blocked one shot from Minteh.
It was a relatively uneventful afternoon for the Dutchman.
Milos Kerkez 7
Kerkez was tasked with marking Minteh but managed to keep the in-form winger quiet for most of the match. His robust tackles earned him cheers from the crowd.
Ryan Gravenberch 7
His partnership with Jones continues to flourish. He sought to push forward when possible and had a couple of shots on goal.
He moved through midfield effortlessly when given space on the ball. He was a significant defensive presence late in the game, helping to preserve the clean sheet by heading clear and putting his body on the line.
Curtis Jones 7
Jones turned in another solid performance in midfield. He had to adopt a more defensive role at times, but he was at the heart of everything in the engine room.
He ended the game as the Reds' third right-back of the day.
Dominik Szoboszlai 7
Worked tirelessly in midfield before being forced to switch to right-back following Gomez's departure. Formed a good partnership with Salah on the right, shooting over the bar in the first half and later having another attempt blocked.
Took a hit in the second half before being substituted towards the end. The Kop frequently sang his praises as his impressive season continues.
Alexis Mac Allister 6
His effort at number 10 couldn't be faulted, but things didn't quite click for the Argentine in the final third. Fired a weak shot at Verbruggen when in a good position and failed to find Ekitike with a square pass.
Florian Wirtz 8
Initially positioned on the left but given the freedom to roam, the German certainly made the most of his time in the final third. Twice set up Ekitike in the box and had great success weaving through the Brighton defence.
Wasn't as involved after half-time but did manage to set up Salah for a counter-attack opportunity.
Hugo Ekitike 9
Two Premier League braces in a row for the striker. His first goal came within the opening minute, a superb touch and finish that left Verbruggen helpless, before he outjumped everyone to meet Salah's corner.
A constant menace, his name was sung throughout the match and he could easily have scored a hat-trick on another day.
SUBS
Mohamed Salah (On for Gomez, 26) 8
He was warmly welcomed when he replaced Gomez and seemed eager to demonstrate his value. He nearly made an immediate impact by setting up Mac Allister in the box, but was thwarted by Verbuggen before assisting Ekitike for the second goal.
However, he should have scored from Chiesa's cross.
Alexander Isak (On for Ekitike, 78) 6
He didn't get much action in the final third, but did manage to clear one corner with a header. He couldn't get a shot off from Chiesa's cross.
Andy Robertson (On for Wirtz, 78) 6
Despite having played 359 times for Liverpool, this was a first for him - being brought on as a left winger rather than in his usual left-back position.
Federico Chiesa (On for Szoboszlai, 83) N/A
He was greeted by a loud rendition of his popular chant when he came on. He almost set up Salah in stoppage time with a fantastic low cross, before finding Isak.