Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion: Matchday blog
Liverpool sealed a return to next season's Champions League with a 4-0 win over Bright & Hove Albion at Anfield on the final day of the Premier League season.
Mohamed Salah, Dejan Lovren, Dominic Solanke and Andy Robertson struck the goals in a comfortable win for the Reds.
Mo wins the Golden Boot
Mohamed Salah finishes the campaign as the Premier League's top goalscorer with 32 strikes in the division - 44 overall with one game left to play.
Liverpool finish fourth...
Tottenham's 5-4 win over Leicester means the Reds take fourth place in the final Premier League standings.
Full Time
Reds seal top-four finish
Liverpool record a 4-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield on the final day of the Premier League finish to seal a top-four finish.
Goals from Mohamed Salah, Dejan Lovren, Dominic Solanke and Andy Robertson secured the points for the Reds, who make sure they'll be back in the Champions League next season.
Goal
GOAL! ANDY ROBERTSON!
And that's Robertson's first ever goal for Liverpool!
The full-back benefits from a poor attempted clearance from Ings' cross and whacks a half-volley into the back of the net from 10 yards out.
Substitution
Double change - Salah and Firmino make way, Woodburn and Ings are on.
Substitution
Adam Lallana is coming on for the Reds. Sadio Mane makes way.
Substitution
Duffy goes off, Goldson is on.
Newcastle are now 3-0 up over Chelsea, while Tottenham have taken the lead and it's now 4-3 against Leicester.
Newcastle have extended their lead over Chelsea to 2-0 at St James' Park, while Tottenham are being held by Leicester - 3-3 at Wembley now.
Chance!
It should be 4-0 but Firmino hooks straight at Ryan after Salah's ball found its way to him eight yards out.
Substitution
Double change for Brighton - Murray and Gross on for Locadia and Kayal.
Goal
GOAL! DOMINIC SOLANKE!
Solanke has his first goal for Liverpool as he crashes an effort into the top corner after brilliant work from Salah to set him up.
3-0 at Anfield now. Get in!
Van Dijk spins onto Wijnaldum's deflected shot and tries a half-volley; however, he can't connect properly and it's straight into the gloves of Ryan.
Firmino fires one at goal from 20 yards, which Ryan needs to push around the base of the post.
Kick-Off
We're back under way...
The first half in stats...
Half Time
So far, so good...
Goals from Mohamed Salah and Dejan Lovren have given Liverpool a two-goal lead over Brighton at the halfway stage - and the Reds are on course to seal that top-four finish as it stands.
Was Dejan trying to mimic Salah's trademark celebration there?
Goal
GOAL! DEJAN LOVREN!
Lovren thumps in a crucial second goal with his head from eight yards after Salah worked a cleared corner to Robertson, who whipped in the assisting cross.
Liverpool carve open Brighton once more... this time Firmino swipes over after Mane allowed the ball to run into his path.
Wijnaldum races onto Mane's ball forward. He shoots low... saved by Ryan.
Chance!
It should be 2-0 as Mane goes through on goal again and tries to square for Salah, but Ryan is right on top of the ball and manages to block the Egyptian's swipe.
Salah follows up and this time Brighton block on the line.
Firmino toe-pokes over after Mane's pass found him in a slither of space inside the area.
Salah curls one towards the far corner; however, Brighton get a body in the way of it.
Goal
GOAL! MOHAMED SALAH!
That's the breakthrough! That's the record! That's number 44!
Salah gives Liverpool the lead, spinning onto Solanke's pass and steering first time into the bottom corner.
It sets a new Premier League record for goals scored in a 38-game season with his 32nd strike - but more importantly, the Reds are ahead.
Newcastle have taken the lead against Chelsea at St James' Park, while Leicester are 2-1 up at Wembley over Tottenham.
Trent cuts into the area and shifts the ball onto his left foot; however, he can't get his effort on target.
Wijnaldum sends the ball back in from a half-cleared corner. Van Dijk glances just wide.
Chance!
Solanke sends Mane bounding down on goal but his shot is too close to Ryan and the 'keeper thwarts him at close range.
Salah and Firmino combine to open up Brighton before the former goes down in the box under the challenge of Duffy. Nothing given.
Knockaert looks to have controlled Lovren's ball forward with his arm on the corner of the box, but nothing is given.
Trent's cross from the right looks to have struck Stephens' hand inside the six-yard box. Play goes on and Robertson eventually whips in a dangerous ball from the left that no-one can reach.
Solanke looks to pounce on a wayward ball inside the area and challenges visiting goalkeeper Matthew Rya, but the Brighton man manages to recover.
Elsewhere, Harry Kane has scored for Tottenham at home to Leicester to level up the scoreline.
He's now two behind Mo in the race for the Golden Boot.
Henderson arrows a half-volley wide of the post from 20 yards.
Firmino pounces on the ball 20 yards out and shoots left-footed, but it crashes against Dunk and away.
The Reds win a corner after 15 seconds. Trent's delivery causes a headache for the visitors, but they clear their lines.
Kick-Off
And we're off...
Come on you Reds!
Here come the teams...
The new kit is ready for its first outing...
The Reds arrive...
Here's how both teams line-up this afternoon...
Brighton's team today...
TEAM NEWS
Dominic Solanke and Jordan Henderson start as Jürgen Klopp makes two changes to his line-up from last Sunday’s game against Chelsea, with Adam Lallana returning to the bench.
James Milner is omitted from the squad altogether as a precautionary measure - the vice-captain has a muscle issue - while Nathaniel Clyne is named among Liverpool’s substitutes.
Team in full: Karius, Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Firmino, Mane, Salah, Solanke.
Subs: Mignolet, Clyne, Klavan, Moreno, Lallana, Woodburn, Ings.
Gini on the mic
Wijnaldum handles the pre-match media duties today...
Anfield looking marvellous...
Last time versus the Seagulls...
Fancy a flutter?
Here are the latest match odds, from Bet Victor...
Liverpool - 1/5
Draw - 7/1
Brighton - 14/1
To place a bet, click here.
Last day, new kit
The Reds will wear their new 2018-19 home kit for the first time this afternoon.
Have you got your new kit yet? Click here to buy online now.
Speaking of the matchday programme...
Here's its front cover:
Words from the boss and the skipper...
"A Champions League place for next season and all that comes with it is within our grasp if we want to take it," writes Jürgen Klopp in his notes for today's edition of 'This is Anfield'.
"As much as we respect Brighton, we come into the game with confidence and with belief that we can finish our season in the best way possible."
Jordan Henderson, meanwhile, notes: "Whatever happens today and whatever happens in Kiev in a fortnight’s time, I think at full-time it will be massively important for us, as a team, to show our appreciation to the supporters for helping make this such an important campaign."
One of the main reasons Salah has pretty much swept the board in this season's individual awards is his incredible volume of goals, of course.
The Egyptian goes into the final day of the Premier League season three clear of his nearest challenger for the Golden Boot, Harry Kane...
Another one!
Mohamed Salah is going to need a bigger mantlepiece.
Liverpool's No.11 has this morning added yet another individual accolade to his collection, being named
EA Sports Premier League Player of the Season.
Congratulations (again), Mo!
Did you know...?
Liverpool head into today's game seeking to go a full league season unbeaten at home for only the second time in the last 30 years.
The feat was last achieved by Rafa Benitez's Reds in 2008-09 - that being just the 10th time in the club's history such a run had been put together.
TEAM NEWS
Who's likely to play for the Reds this afternoon, then?
Adam Lallana could feature for the first time in six weeks after Klopp described the midfielder as being 'as fit as possible' on Friday.
Sadio Mane, though, is a doubt, while Emre Can is not yet ready to return due to a back issue.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip will not play again this season, of course.
Remind yourself of everything Jürgen Klopp had to say during his pre-match press conference on Friday below...
Good morning and welcome to Liverpoolfc.com's live matchday blog.
We're in place at Anfield on what is a hugely-important final day of the Premier League season. Barring a miraculous turn of events at St James' Park, where Chelsea meet Newcastle United, the Reds know they need a point against Brighton and Hove Albion to secure a top-four finish.
Compare the respective campaigns of Liverpool and Brighton to date below, and take a look at how the table looks this morning above.