Liverpool 2-0 Brighton: Wirtz and Isak Inspire Reds to Anfield Victory

Liverpool hosted Brighton in the Premier League, with both sides being involved in high- scoring and thrilling games so far this campaign.

The Reds have scored 12 goals in their last three games in all competitions, while Fabian Hurzeler's Brighton outfit are the top goalscorers in the division.

So which side would outscore the other, or would all roads lead to a stalemate on Merseyside?

Andoni Iraola made four changes for this fixture, with Milos Kerkez, Florian Wirtz, Bradley Barcola and Alexander Isak all returning to the side after being rested during the midweek win against Villarreal.

Dropping to the bench were Trey Nyoni, Lewis Koumas, Kostas Tsimikas and Rio Ngumoha, despite the latter of those having a sensational individual performance in Europe just a few days ago, with Iraola confirming that Ngumoha must be ready to make an impact later in the game.

The away side was forced into an early change due to an injury to versatile wing-back Ferdi Kadioglu, with Costinha coming on in his place.

An attack from Liverpool to open the game, with Bradley Barcola winning the ball back, with top defensive work, he drove up the field and laid it off to Florian Wirtz.

The German then put a perfectly weighted ball into the box to an on-running Alexander Isak, but he couldn't get the pass under his spell, with Brighton clearing their lines.

The Seagulls would have by far the biggest and best chance of the game at the 13th minute mark.

A defence-splitting pass from Diego Gomez found Pascal Groß, who cut it back to Yasin Ayari in acres of space, but the Swedish midfielder blazed it over the bar.

But it would be Liverpool who would find the breakthrough.

It all came from hard work on the right-hand side from Ronald Araujo, who chased the ball, tackled two Brighton players, and crossed into the box.

The ball then fell kindly to Florian Wirtz, who struck the ball towards goal, and a heavy deflection directed it past Bart Verbruggen, 1-0 to the Reds and Brighton concede for the first time since mid-September.

Liverpool, brimming with confidence, continued to push forward, with Barcola pressing Brighton's backline, winning the ball back.

A cross was then spun towards Alexander Isak, who calmly finished into the back of the net, 2-0, and Anfield was bouncing.

Araujo and Jacquet were then involved in some heroic defending, with the French defender blocking a shot inside the penalty area with his face.

Then Araujo, after already blocking an initial attempt, while on the ground threw his head at the ball and helped clear the danger for the Reds.

Brighton continued to grow into the game, with Ayari having a shot from outside the box after LFC made a sequence of errors.

But fortunately for the home side, the shot struck the lower half of the post. 

At half-time, it would be 2-0 to Liverpool, with Brighton dominating the ball, but doing very little with it.

A change at the break for the away side, with Jack Hinshelwood coming on for Oliver Boscagli. For Liverpool, it was as you were.

It should have been 3-0 very early in the second half, with a counterattack led by Cody Gakpo, who had Isak and Barcola in support, but he held onto the ball too long, and Brighton would recover and dispossess the Dutchman.

The first change from Andoni Iraola was the introduction of Trey Nyoni, who came on for Florian Wirtz, who picked up a knock on his ankle.

And the 19 year old midfielder was straight into the action, making a goal saving challenge on De Cuyper in the box.

Another counterattack followed for Liverpool.

Gakpo had Isak in the box, making a run, but from the right wing, he couldn't pick out the Swedish striker, with the attack fizzling out.

Two more changes were made for the Reds, with Rio Ngumoha and Lewis Koumas coming on in place of Barcola and Isak, with fans giving Ngumoha a very warm welcome.

The second half as a whole was much less intense and high-energy than the first, with Liverpool content with their 2-0 lead, and Brighton offering very little in the way of final- third quality.

For the final five minutes of normal time, Milos Kerkez was taken off, with Kostas Tsimikas coming on to help Iraola's side get the win over the line. 

And that would be that at Anfield, a 2-0 victory against an in-form Brighton, and Andoni Iraola's first at home as Liverpool boss.