Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah secure Liverpool win at Brighton

Luis Diaz put the Reds in front inside the opening 20 minutes when he beat Robert Sanchez to Joel Matip’s pass and glanced a header into the net.

Mohamed Salah furthered the visitors’ lead with an hour played when he drilled in a second from the penalty spot.

The result narrows the gap on leaders Manchester City to three points with the same number of games played.

Team news…

Liverpool elected to make three changes from the midweek Champions League clash with Internazionale.

Diaz, Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita returned to the starting line-up, replacing Thiago Alcantara, Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota.

Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson (Milner), Fabinho, Keita (Thiago), Mane, Diaz, Salah (Jota).

Unused subs: Kelleher, Firmino, Gomez, Jones, Tsimikas, Elliott.

The action…

Liverpool got the action under way on the south coast seeking a response to the defeat to Inter in midweek by maintaining the pressure on Manchester City at the division’s summit.

However, Brighton had proved tricky opponents when the sides met at Anfield back in October, coming from two down to claim a point, and they began brightly on this occasion.

Neil Maupay had the game’s first effort, flashing a low shot a fraction wide of Alisson Becker’s right-hand post from just outside the area.

At the other end, the Reds’ first attack of note saw Salah cross for Sadio Mane, who had a side-footer touched wide by Sanchez at the front stick.

After settling into the contest, Liverpool opened the scoring with 19 minutes on the clock.

Matip manoeuvred forward into space in the inside-right channel, before hoisting a ball into the box. Diaz bravely beat Sanchez to it to head into the net, but took a clattering from the goalkeeper’s attempt to thwart him.

A VAR check deemed there had been no serious foul play from the stopper, meaning he avoided a possible red card, but the Reds were ahead.

Andy Robertson threatened to extend that advantage, but he swept over the angle of post and bar from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s centre soon after. Salah then snatched a half-volley over during the second phase of play at a corner.

The visitors were by now firmly in control, carving out a succession of half-chances as they aimed to strengthen their stronghold.

As half-time loomed, Salah breezed beyond Yves Bissouma as Liverpool countered at a Brighton corner, but the forward’s eventual side-foot shot was blocked by Sanchez.

The hosts spurned an opportunity to level inside the first 60 seconds when Leandro Trossard blazed over from Maupay’s lay off.

On 57 minutes, Liverpool went agonisingly close to a second when Salah’s shot looped up off Lewis Dunk but bounced down on the top of the crossbar before Mane sent a follow-up off target. The Egyptian then miscued on the edge of the box when Diaz rolled it into his path.

However, with a hour gone, Salah made no mistake from the penalty spot, slamming home after Bissouma had blocked a shot from Keita with his hands inside the box.

It was Liverpool’s 2,000th Premier League goal, making them only the second club to reach that landmark in the competition.

Salah was withdrawn from the action soon after having picked up a knock, with the No.11 and Keita making way for Thiago and and Jota.

Brighton were denied a consolation at the death when Alisson Becker superbly tipped over a volley from Danny Welbeck, while Diaz was foiled by Sanchez when clean through at the other end.

Alisson would also frustrate Solly March in stoppage-time as Jürgen Klopp’s side successfully maintained their pursuit of City at the top.