Brighton 0 Liverpool 2: Salah scores landmark goal but hobbles off injured in bittersweet win for Reds

IF Liverpool keep their eyes on the prize like Luis Diaz did for his brave opener here, then the quadruple really could be on.

The Colombian showed a laser focus and balls of steel to nod in Joel Matip’s long pass just as 6ftf6ins Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez bore down on him.

The Spanish stopper then clattered into Diaz, smashing him in the chest with his dangerously-high leg, leaving the goalscorer in a heap.

Somehow Sanchez was not sent off but Diaz’s courage did the damage in this potential banana skin, setting Jurgen Klopp’s men on their way to an eighth straight league win.

Mo Salah’s 20th league goal – via the penalty spot – ensured the distance to table-topping Manchester City is now just three points.

That gap will be gone completely if Liverpool can win at the Etihad next month.

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With quarter-final places already booked in the FA Cup and Champions League, plus the Carabao Cup already neatly tucked inside their trophy cabinet, an unprecedented dominance of English football remains on the cards.

The talk dominating the agenda going into this fixture was over Salah’s future.

Reports suggested he had turned down Liverpool’s latest offer of fresh terms.

And with the Egyptian king’s current deal expiring at the end of next season, there are genuine doubts over whether his time is coming to an end at Anfield.

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Klopp remains hopeful that an agreement can be reached.

But the German can console himself with the fact that in Diaz, they look to have signed another potential world-beater.

Liverpool only moved for the 25-year-old in January to ward off interest from Tottenham.

So a deal for an initial £37million that was planned for the summer was pushed forward – and what a superb bit of business it looks now.

Brighton actually started this game fairly well, keen to end a run of four straight league defeats, and went close with Neal Maupay’s 25-yard effort.

But all their early optimism was checked when Diaz broke the deadlock inside 19 minutes.

Matip, fresh off winning February’s Player of the Month award, was encouraged to bring the ball forward and clipped a pass over the top.

Diaz burst past Tariq Lamptey and Joel Veltman, keeping his focus on the ball which he headed into the net, before being taken out by Sanchez.

Instead of celebrating, his team-mates rushed to check on him as he lay on the turf.

VAR then checked for a possible red card for serious foul play, yet in the end Sanchez escaped without even a yellow card.

BT Sport pundits Peter Crouch, Steve McManaman and Rio Ferdinand were stunned by the decision not to send the goalkeeper off, with the latter branding it a WWE move.

Though Tony Pulis, working for the BBC, said ref Mike Dean and Stockley Park had called it right.

Diaz eventually picked himself up and was given a cuddle by Klopp on the touchline.

Liverpool threatened a second before the break, none more so than when Salah raced past Yves Bissouma down the left before failing to beat Sanchez at his near post.

The Egyptian wanted a penalty for Bisssouma’s challenge on him but there was nothing doing – and Klopp seemed more annoyed Salah had not squared it for an open Sadio Mane.

Brighton looked well out of it but they had a golden chance to equalise seconds into the second half.

Maupay laid off for Leandro Trossard who had to hit the target, but his shot sailed over the bar.

It was a huge blow to Graham Potter, who was then dealt another one as his half-time sub Adam Lallana lasted just six minutes before being forced off with a suspected hamstring problem.

Lallana, who spent six years at Liverpool, was given a comforting arm round the shoulder by old team-mate Virgil van Dijk before heading off, downcast.

Brighton fans knew they had blown their big chance and were fortunate not to be 2-0 down when Salah’s shot looped up off Lewis Dunk and bounced off the crossbar on 57 minutes.

Three minutes later, the lead was doubled by Salah from the penalty spot.

Naby Keita had blasted a shot into the raised arm of Bissouma, who had no complaints as Dean pointed instantly to the spot.

Salah became the first Premier League player to reach 20 league strikes this season as he smashed his spot-kick down the middle.

It was also Liverpool’s 2000th Premier League goal, 115 of which belong to their magical No11.  

That was game over, though worryingly for the visitors, Salah went down injured shortly afterwards and was substituted.

Brighton had the odd moment, with sub Danny Welbeck’s header being well saved by Alisson, who also had Potter and the home fans baying for blood when they thought he had carried the ball out of his box.

But really this game was never in any doubt once Diaz had put his body on the line to progress Liverpool’s quad-chasing cause.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk