Salah secures vital Liverpool victory to keep pressure on rivals

TRY, TRY, AND TRY AGAIN: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah scores their side's second goal of the game during the Premier League match at Anfield. Pic: Peter Byrne/PA Wire.

Premier League: Liverpool 2 Brighton 1 

 Liverpool's stepped up their Premier League title hopes with a hard-earned win over bogey team Brighton at Anfield.

They had to it the hard way though after former Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck had stunned the Kop by putting Brighton in front after only 87 seconds.

It raised the Seagulls' hopes that manager Roberto De Zerbi - linked as a possible successor to Jurgen Klopp - might stretch his unbeaten run against Liverpool to five games.

But Luis Diaz equalised before half-time and Mo Salah, starting his first League game since New Year's Day, struck his 22nd goal of the season to seal a vital victory in front of Anfield's biggest-ever League home crowd of 60,061.

They had to survive some nervy moments towards the end though before celebrating a win that put them top - for a few hours at least - and ramped up the pressure on title rivals Manchester City and Arsenal before their clash at the Etihad Stadium.

Liverpool were caught cold by Welbeck's stunner in the second minute after allowing Simon Adringa to run half the length of the pitch unchallenged.

Dominik Szoboszlai and Virgil van Dijk both tried to cut out the danger but the ball fell to Welbeck who fired home a stunning shot from the edge of the penalty area.

Liverpool were stunned and took a while to get into their stride but started to pile on the pressure with Salah seeing efforts either blocked or fly off the target.

But they got their reward with an equaliser after 27 minutes. After Brighton had partially cleared a corner, Salah headed the ball back over their defensive line and thanks to Joel Veltman's deflection it fell to Diaz who volleyed home from close range.

Liverpool, kicking towards the Kop, came out for the second half with all guns blazing.

VITAL IMPACT: Alexis Mac Allister of Liverpool celebrates. Pic: Alex Livesey, Getty Images

Former Brighton midfielder Alexis Mac Allister - who was brilliant throughout - headed just wide at the far post from Joe Gomez. 

Salah went close with a similar effort before having appeals for a penalty rejected by referee David Coote after being challenged by Pervis Estupinan.

Szoboszlai was inches wide with a long ranger and Nunez had a shot from a tight angle saved by Verbruggen. The pressure had to pay off and that man Salah put Liverpool deservedly in front after 65 minutes.

Mac Allister's clever pass found him in space in the Brighton penalty area and after a quick turn, he found the net with his trusty left foot.

Brighton refused to throw in the towel and caused the home side some anxious moments towards the end with Caoimhín Kelleher saving well from Lewis Dunk although Salah was denied a second in added time by a brilliant one-handed save by Verbruggen.

Liverpool (4-3-3): Kelleher 7; Bradley 7, Quansah 7, Van Dijk 7, Gomez 7; Mac Allister 7, Endo 8, Szoboszlai 7 (Gravenberch 90) Salah 7, Nunez 7 (Elliott 83, 6), Diaz 7 (Gakpo 88).

Unused subs: Adrian, Konate, Tsimikas, Clark, McConnell, Danns.

Goal: Diaz 27, Salah 65.

Booked: Mac Allister, Gomez.

Brighton (4-2-3-1): Verbruggen 7; Veltman 6, Van Hecke 6, Dunk 7, Estupinan 7 (Barco 90); Gross 6, Baleba 7; Lamptey 6 (Buonanotte 69, 5), Welbeck 7, Adingra 8 (Lallana 84, 5); Moder 5 (Ferguson 84, 5) 

Unused subs: Steele, Igor, Webster, Fati, Chouchane.

Goal: Welbeck 2.

Booked: Gross.

Referee: David Coote 6.