Liverpool Go Top with Comeback Win Over Brighton

Liverpool staged a spirited second-half comeback to beat Brighton 2-1 at Anfield and take the top spot in the Premier League as rivals Arsenal and Manchester City both lost. Trailing 1-0 at halftime to Ferdi Kadioglu’s well-placed strike, Liverpool responded through Cody Gakpo’s fortunate equalizer, his cross finding the net without a touch and Mohamed Salah’s superbly curled shot moments later to secure all three points.

Brighton had come to Anfield in high spirits and looked set to leap up the standings when Kadioglu’s shot from 16 yards found the back of the net, his first goal in English football. The visitors dominated the first half, silencing Anfield and nearly doubling their lead when Georginio Rutter’s close-range effort was saved by Liverpool’s keeper, Caoimhin Kelleher.

Under new manager Arne Slot, Liverpool’s resilience shone in the second half. Gakpo, the only starter from their midweek Carabao Cup win over Brighton leveled the score when his cross slipped into the net with Darwin Nunez initially claiming a touch that replays showed he missed. Minutes later, Salah took control, curling a shot into the far corner to give Liverpool a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

They continued to apply pressure, registering seven shots on target in the second half compared to just one in the first. Brighton managed by 31-year-old Fabian Hurzeler showed great promise and briefly appeared in contention to challenge for the top spots. Danny Welbeck’s clever setup allowed Kadioglu to score and Rutter had a chance to double Brighton’s lead before the break.

But as Liverpool’s intensity grew, Brighton struggled to regain momentum, managing only one shot on target in the second half. This victory puts Liverpool two points ahead of Manchester City in the Premier League standings. Despite the loss, Brighton can take pride in their impressive performance at Anfield.