Team news

Conor Bradley came into the starting XI in place of Andy Robertson in Liverpool’s sole change from their last outing at Old Trafford.

Liverpool: Kelleher, Gomez, Endo, Van Dijk, Diaz (Gakpo, 89), Szoboszlai (Gravenberch, 90+4), Nunez (Elliott, 83), Mac Allister, Salah, Quansah, Bradley.

Unused subs: Adrian, Konate, Tsimikas, Clark, McConnell, Danns.

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First half

Welbeck’s finish – the forward crisply drove in the loose ball from just inside the area following a breakaway down the left flank – put Brighton ahead before the game had settled into any kind of rhythm.

Liverpool reacted well, although they lacked a cutting edge and visiting goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen was not required to make a save during a flurry of off-target attempts.

Salah sent a trademark curler just wide of the top corner before miscuing a volley from a lovely, clipped pass by Alexis Mac Allister, who had just seen a shot of his own clear the crossbar.

Salah then toe-poked wide after Bradley had strode forward from right-back but the Reds were not behind for much longer.

Brighton could only partially clear a corner and Salah won a header on the edge of the box, with Diaz reading the situation perfectly to profit from a deflection off a defender and hook home on the volley.

A string of half-chances came and went for Liverpool prior to the break – Salah perhaps spurning the best of them when he side-footed straight at Verbruggen after a rapid counter-attack – and the teams went in level at the interval.