In a crucial clash on matchday 16 of the Premier League, Liverpool secured a 2-0 win against Brighton and Hove, with Hugo Ekitike shining through with a remarkable double. Ekitike opened the scoring early, netting the first goal just moments into the match. He then showcased his skills again by scoring the second goal in the 60th minute with a well-placed header, assisted by Mohamed Salah, planting the ball in the bottom right corner of Bart Verbruggen’s goal.
Ekitike had an outstanding performance, finishing the game with 2 goals, 7 attempts on target, and completing 25 successful passes.
Another key player for Liverpool was Mohamed Salah, who recorded 3 shots and managed to connect 28 passes accurately.
Midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai impressed the crowd when he executed a nutmeg, passing the ball through Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma’s legs in the 75th minute.
Liverpool’s head coach, Arne Slot, deployed a 4-5-1 tactical formation featuring Alisson in goal; Joe Gomez, Ibrahima Konaté, Virgil van Dijk, and Milos Kerkez in defense; a midfield trio of Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones, and Dominik Szoboszlai, with Alexis Mac Allister and Florian Wirtz flanking them; and Hugo Ekitike as the lone striker.
On the other hand, Brighton and Hove, managed by Fabian Hürzeler, also used a 4-5-1 arrangement with Bart Verbruggen as their goalkeeper; Mats Wieffer, Jan van Hecke, Lewis Dunk, and Ferdi Kadioglu in defense; Carlos Baleba, Jack Hinshelwood, Yankuba Minteh, Brajan Gruda, and Diego Gómez forming the midfield; and Georginio Rutter leading the attack.
The match official, Craig Pawson, ensured the order was maintained throughout the game.
Looking ahead, Liverpool will face Tottenham in their next fixture, while Brighton will host Sunderland. Following this match, Liverpool sits in sixth place with 26 points, whereas Brighton is in ninth place with 23 points.
Substitutions for Liverpool
25’ 1H – Joe Gomez replaced by Mohamed Salah
77’ 2H – Hugo Ekitike replaced by Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz by Andrew Robertson
82’ 2H – Dominik Szoboszlai replaced by Federico Chiesa
Yellow Card for Liverpool:
18’ 2H Ibrahima Konaté (Fouling an opponent to prevent advancing)
Substitutions for Brighton and Hove
63’ 2H – Brajan Gruda replaced by Kaoru Mitoma and Carlos Baleba by Yasin Ayari
81’ 2H – Georginio Rutter replaced by Danny Welbeck and Jack Hinshelwood by Charalampos Kostoulas
86’ 2H – Diego Gómez replaced by James Milner
Yellow Cards for Brighton and Hove:
48’ 1H Diego Gómez and 14’ 2H Lewis Dunk (Fouling an opponent to prevent advancing)