Full Time: Brighton 1-5 Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp might have changed it around once again, this time due to injuries to our central defenders, but that did not stop our side from demolishing Brighton even though we were playing away from home.
We were unbeaten in our last five Premier League games but this was a clinical display, even with Emre Can and Georginio Wijnaldum playing in the back three and not bombing forward to help out the attack. The goals rained in from the start as Emre Can scored off a corner before Roberto Firmino finished off a slick counter-attack with Philippe Coutinho providing the perfect ball.
That is how the first half ended and things started a little worryingly for us as the home side made Simon Mignolet work hard a couple of times. The second save was from point blank range and we shot out like a cannon as we ran the other way and finished off the attack with Firmino bagging his brace.
There was still time for Brighton to win a rather weird penalty which Glenn Murray scored but that did not stop us as Coutinho got into the act first by scoring from a free-kick and then his deflected shot making it 5-1 for us.
The performance was brilliant and will give us more confidence ahead of the crunch clash against Spartak Moscow in the Champions League. While Coutinho and Firmino were great here are the player ratings for all the Liverpool stars.
Liverpool Player Ratings
Simon Mignolet – 7/10
Surprisingly, Mignolet had a great game and made a couple of quality saves. He couldn’t really do anything about the penalty that Murray converted.
Trent Alexander-Arnold – 7/10
The youngster had a decent game this time around and even though he played in a different formation, there was no fazing the Englishman.
Dejan Lovren – 8/10
We don’t often praise Lovren enough but he was a rock at the back and helped keep the defence in line, even though we gave Brighton a couple of quality looks at goal.
Emre Can – 7.5/10
Can was immense in the game and should have scored prior to his header at the half-hour mark. The German did well in defence and hopefully, he stays at the club even after the World Cup.
Andrew Robertson – 7.5/10
One of the surprise selections, as the Scot started a game for once, and he did pretty well as he was great in attack and equally adept in defence.
Georginio Wijnaldum – 7/10
Wijnaldum might have played at the back but he did do a good job and didn’t really make a mistake.
James Milner – 7/10
Another player that did his job really well without making many mistakes, Milner was his normal self and did run his socks off for the side.
Jordan Henderson – 7.5/10
Captain Fantastic was back, well not really, but Hendo was good value in the game and was not overrun a lot by the home team. He still should give more to the attack and has to have a bigger role in matches.
Philippe Coutinho – 9/10
Coutinho was pulling the strings in the attack and got his reward with a brilliant free-kick that went under the wall before his second strike was deflected into the back of the net. A timely return to form ahead of a number of crunch games.
Mohamed Salah – 7.5/10
Salah had a couple of chances in the first-half but his link-up play with the other attackers was the reason why we got the second and he did get the assist for the third.
Roberto Firmino – 9/10
Firmino was phenomenal in the attack and was at his best as he ran his socks off. His finishing was spot on as well and that third goal we scored was absolutely mesmerising.
Substitutes
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – 6/10
The Ox was brought on in the 80th minute and did link up well with the attack on a few occasions.
Dominic Solanke – N/A
Solanke might have started in midweek but he did not have enough time to trouble the defence.
Marko Grujic – N/A
The Serbian was brought on in the 90th minute and didn’t really have a lot of time to make an impact.
