Liverpool back on top after Salah completes comeback win over Brighton | first division

Battered and bruised for 48 first-half minutes by Championship leaders Brighton first division After 96: Liverpool's mentality monsters are still alive. A second-half transformation, another stupendous goal from Mohamed Salah's collection and the defeat of their closest rivals created the perfect day for Arne Slot's team after a performance that was far from perfect.

Salah scored a trademark winner into the top corner of Bart Verbruggen's net, less than three minutes after Cody Gakpo canceled out Ferdi Kadioglu's first-half opener, to move ahead of Robbie Fowler into eighth place in the all-time Premier League goalscorers table. Thierry Henry is next in his sights. More importantly, Salah's 164th career Premier League goal moved Liverpool two points ahead of Manchester City after their defeat at Bournemouth and an important seven points ahead of Arsenal. No one who watched the first half will be carried away, but the way Liverpool have come back, as Slot said, “gives me a lot of confidence for the rest of the season.”

But the coach warned: “In the first half we did not act at any point in the game. We changed some tactics at half-time, but that had nothing to do with the second half. It was thanks to the players showing a different attitude and intensity. “We fought to get back into the game, but I just told them that 45 minutes in the first half will punish you somewhere.”

Brighton's slim lead at the interval flattered Liverpool greatly. Fabian Hürzeler's team was superior in all aspects. A two or three goal lead would have been a more accurate reflection of their dominance. Slow, sloppy and overly casual, Liverpool's first-half performance played into the hands of a quality opponent. Brighton's central midfield of Jack Hinshelwood and Yasin Ayari outplayed rivals Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch, as did standout Kaoru Mitoma against Trent Alexander-Arnold. However, the defender prevailed after the break.

Brighton's breakthrough epitomized their guile. Ayari passed to Kadioglu, who found Mitoma in space on the left. The Japan international rolled the ball towards Danny Welbeck and, although his movement went behind Georginio Rutter, it fell perfectly to Kadioglu, who had continued his run towards the area. The Brighton winger took his first shot over Caoimhín Kelleher and into the inside of the far post.

Rutter should have doubled the lead when Ayari played fair. The striker did well to contain Virgil van Dijk, but directed his shot straight at Kelleher. A routine but crucial salvation. Kadioglu could have got his and Brighton's second when Mitoma's cross from the byline found him unmarked at the far post, but he clipped it on the volley.

Slot's problems continued after the half-time whistle, when Ibrahima Konaté left the field with his left arm in a sling. The central defender was replaced by Joe Gómez, who made a big impact. It was not the only change that Liverpool made. The home team restarted as they had to: playing with more aggression, speed and determination to transform the match. Brighton, who had almost complete control before the break, held on long before the damn blast.

Gómez had a great chance within seconds, but headed in a free kick from Kostas Tsimikas in Verbruggen. The Brighton goalkeeper made two excellent saves as Liverpool came close to equalizing three times in as many minutes, thanks to Mac Allister and Salah either side of a flagrant miss by Van Dijk.

Brighton's goal was eventually overcome by an element of good luck. Gakpo beat a cross that narrowly missed the head of the impressive Jan Paul van Hecke and Darwin Núñez behind him, before hiding inside the far post. Slot had introduced Curtis Jones and Luis Diaz minutes earlier, switching to a midfield diamond, and his substitutions were instrumental in blowing the roof off Anfield as Liverpool attacked again.

Jones led a breakaway from the edge of the Liverpool area and exchanged passes with Diaz before releasing Salah on the right. The Egyptian did what he does best, cutting inside his marker, in this case Pervis Estupiñán, and launching an impressive and unstoppable left foot shot into the top corner. It was a way to get to the top.

Hürzeler said: “The performance was good enough to win the match easily, especially in the first half. In the second half we were not precise enough, we started to lose duels and perhaps the atmosphere also affected us. It was loud, wild, but you have to stay calm. In the second half we couldn't find solutions and Liverpool's dominance became greater.”