Have Liverpool passed their sternest run-in test?
HUNGRY PERFORMANCE: Liverpool's Luis Diaz celebrates scoring a goal. Pic: Peter Byrne,PA Wire.
This was always going to be one of the toughest of Liverpool's last 10 games in the Premier League title chase - and so it proved.
Brighton had only lost one of their previous eight games against Jurgen Klopp's team while Roberto De Zerbi actually boasted an unbeaten record of two wins and two draws since taking over as Seagulls boss 18 months ago.
And when Danny Welbeck gave the visitors the lead after just 87 seconds, Klopp must have thought: "here we go again."
In the end Liverpool got the win thanks to goals from Luis Diaz and Mo Salah they were made to work right to the final whistle.
At this stage of the season it is all about results rather than spectacular performances and hugely relieved Klopp summed it up succinctly wen he said: "Difficult game, good performance, great result. That's the best we have played against De Zerbi's Brighton."
The result cranked ranked up the pressure on their title rivals Manchester city and Arsenal ahead of their showdown at the Etihad but Liverpool can only concentrate on doing their job - and that's just what they did despite the shock of Welbeck's stunner.
Klopp added: "I would have loved to not be 1-0 down, I would love to have been four or five nil up. Playing wise it was really good, defending wise, yes always a struggle but there's been games against Brighton we were never close but this time we were calm.
"Brighton have incredible quality. That is the measure I have for how good we were today because I really respect them. They had chances, they took more risks all of a sudden and we got slightly tired.
“We deserved to win the game. That is what you want and then on top of that it is really cool. That is the first of the last 10 games, let's keep going. We just have to win our games and see where we end up.”
Klopp praised the quality build-up between Dominik Szoboszlai and former Brighton midfielder Alexis Mac Allister for Salah's vital 65th minute winner.
"It was an unbelievable ball from Dom," he said. "It is the creativity and the quality, seeing that. He sees Macca, his first touch is incredible and then he sees Mo. How wasteful we were at all the other moments it was good we had this genius football moment to finish the game off."
Coming into the game on the back of their deflating FA Cup defeat at Old Trafford and the two-week international break, Liverpool were caught cold by Welbeck's early goal.
They allowed the impressive Simon Adringa to run unchallenged for half the length of the pitch, with Szoboszlai and Virgil Van Dijk both making unsuccessful attempts to cut out his pass for Welbeck, who as a former Manchester United player, will have taken great delight with his first time shot into the top corner n front of the Kop.
Liverpool reacted well, piling on the pressure but missing a string of chances - with Salah, who had seven first half shots, being the biggest culprit - until Diaz equalised after 27 minutes.
He volleyed in from close range after Salah had had headed the ball over Brighton's back line with Joel Veltman's miscued attempt to clear helping the ball on to Diaz.
Liverpool kept up the momentum in the second half with MacAllister going close with a header, Szoboszlai firing just wide and Nunez seeing6 a shot saved by Bart Verbruggen.
But it was Salah, making his first league start since New Year's Day, who popped up with what turned out to be the winner.
He made amends for his earlier wastefulness by keeping his cool this time to control Mac Allister's pass and slot his 22nd goal of the season into the far corner in trademark style.
Liverpool thought they had sealed it with a third when Diaz fired in after 73 minutes but his effort was ruled out by the video assistant referee for a tight offside.
But Brighton refused to throw in the towel and gave Liverpool plenty of anxious moments towards the end.
Skipper Lewis Dunk came closest to snatching a draw for the visitors, but saw two headers saved by Republic of Ireland keeper Caoimhin Kelleher in quick succession.
Former Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana also fired wide just moments after coming on as a substitute late on.
The final whistle was greeted with as much relief as exuberant celebration by Klopp, his players and the home fans - it was Anfield's biggest ever League crowd of 60,061.
Despite the defeat, Brighton boss De Zerbi reflected on another positive performance against Liverpool - who are considering him as a possible replacement for Klopp.
"I think we played well," he said. "We played against one of the best teams in the Premier League. Especially in this moment it is tough playing against this Liverpool. They are a tough team.
“We fought in a right way, we could have scored in the last 15 minutes, we were unlucky but we can proud because we have a lot of players out injured. If we carry on playing like we did today we can secure European football again."
Kelleher 7; Bradley 7, Quansah 7, Van Dijk 7, Gomez 7; Mac Allister 8, Endo 7, Szoboszlai 7 (Gravenberch 90) Salah 7, Nunez 7 (Elliott 83, 6), Diaz 7 (Gakpo 88).
Adrian, Konate, Tsimikas, Clark, McConnell, Danns.
Booked; Mac Allister, Gomez.
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.
David Coote 6.
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