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Arne Slot's inspired changes turn the tide as Liverpool battle back to beat Brighton




Arne Slot will remember this day if Liverpool are crowned champions in May.


On an afternoon when it appeared that the Reds were going to throw away the chance to take advantage of Arsenal and Manchester City’s slip-ups,


Slot’s changes from the bench midway through the second half turned the tide against the side from the south coast.




Brighton had been brilliant up until then and full deserved their lead through Ferdi Kadioglu’s fine strike,


two goals in two minutes from Cody Gakpo and Mo Salah - after Slot had brought on Curtis Jones and Luis Diaz and switched to a 4-2-4 - to win the day at a raucous Anfield.


This was the second meeting of the two teams in four days following Liverpool's Carabao Cup victory at the Amex on Wednesday when both sides rotated heavily.



The sense that this would be a tougher test for the Reds was immediately apparent when Georginio Rutter rapped Brighton old boy Alexis Mac Allister on the ankles in the opening exchanges


a rampaging run from Darwin Nunez ended in an effort that was well saved by Bart Verbruggen.


Brighton were showing promise though, and took the lead in fine style in the 14th minute


Karou Mitoma was allowed too much space to make one of his menacing runs down the left, and when his centre was flicked by Danny Welbeck it beat the entire Liverpool defence and landed at the feet of Kadioglu


Brighton were never going to sit on their lead, and they continued to threaten Liverpool through a series of corners, before a golden chance to make it 2-0 was wasted.


Jack Hinshelwood's superb through ball sent Rutter racing away from Virgil van Dijk, but the Frenchman's shot was well saved by the outstretched leg of Kelleher.



Liverpool lost Ibrahima Konate to a shoulder injury right on half-time, but despite that the sense they couldn't possibly be as bad in the second period took over.


Mac Allister brought a sharp save from Verbruggen with a header, with the Dutch goalkeeper then racing out to smother at the feet of an onrushing Salah.


Anfield had risen to its task now, and Brighton were being pressed back by a Reds side who had woken up. Slot turned to his bench and switched formation, and how it worked.


First Gakpo,, drifted into his newfound space on the left, and his clipped cross evaded everyone before dropping into the far corner of the net.


Better still was to come for Liverpool two minutes later thanks to a brilliant breakaway which ended with Jones feeding Salah, and the Egyptian - hitherto a little off his game - bent a superb effort into the top corner to spark delirium


Brighton attempted to rally but Liverpool were able to see out the game with relative ease, on what turned into a truly great day for the manager.




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