Ian Rush has spent several days in hospital and is hoping to return home in time for Christmas this year

Ian Rush has spent several days in hospital and is hoping to return home in time for Christmas this year

Mohamed Salah was back in the matchday squad for Liverpool on Saturday and registered an assist for the Reds' second goal

Mohamed Salah was back in the matchday squad for Liverpool on Saturday and registered an assist for the Reds' second goal

Jamie Carragher has praised Mohamed Salah's performance against Brighton after the Liverpool supporters sent a clear message

Jamie Carragher has praised Mohamed Salah's performance against Brighton after the Liverpool supporters sent a clear message

Reaction from Hugo Ekitike after his two goals help Liverpool see off Brighton 2-0 at Anfield in the Premier League

Reaction from Hugo Ekitike after his two goals help Liverpool see off Brighton 2-0 at Anfield in the Premier League

Theo Squires with the big Liverpool talking points following the 2-0 Premier League win at home to Brighton & Hove Albion

Theo Squires with the big Liverpool talking points following the 2-0 Premier League win at home to Brighton & Hove Albion

One way or another, for better or for worse, Mohamed Salah was always likely to be a key storyline this weekend at Anfield. The Liverpool man does tend to be, but that was heightened for obvious reasons this week.

After a seven-day period in which he dominated the headlines for the wrong reasons, causing an unwanted headache for Arne Slot, Salah was brought on unexpectedly early as the Reds beat Brighton — and he played well.

Though he didn’t score, Salah set a new Premier League record for goal involvements at a single club. The Egyptian took his combined tally of goals and assists in the top flight for Liverpool to 277.

Salah now has 188 goals and 89 assists in the Premier League since joining the Reds in 2017, and he therefore moved clear of Wayne Rooney on the highest number of goal involvements for one team (he, of course, did it for Manchester United).

On the pitch, showing plenty of desire to run back and a level of unselfishness not always associated with him, Salah clearly felt that he needed to prove a point.

After such explosive comments in the mixed zone at Elland Road, he would be right. It would be a travesty if this were the final appearance that Salah makes for Liverpool, but it didn’t feel like it.

Mohamed Salah in action for Liverpool against Brighton. (Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)

The lap of honor conducted at the end felt more like a thanks for singing his song than anything else. His post on social media a couple of hours after the final whistle probably falls into the same bracket.

When he walked through the mixed zone at Anfield, he was a lot calmer this time around. Asked to stop, he politely declined with a smile: "Two weeks in a row? No, no!"

"He is a Liverpool player and when he is here, I like to use him when we need him," Slot said. "Today, he didn’t start as he did for a few games before, but in the one and a half seasons before, he started almost every game.

"He had the performance like you would want him to give. He was close to another assist; he was shocked to see Virgil [van Dijk] next to him in that long sprint; he was close to scoring when Fede [Chiesa] assisted him.

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"He was a threat, which is very important. When you play with attackers, you hope he is a threat to the other team. Hugo [Ekitike] and Florian [Wirtz] were that also."

Salah showed on the pitch what he offers Liverpool and the quality that he has. When he is performing, he remains a difference-maker, even if his spot on the team is no longer guaranteed.

Additionally, against Brighton, he made a mockery of the myth that he can’t play in this Liverpool new-look system and showed a real willingness to knuckle down and let his football do the talking. That has to be the hope when he returns from AFCON.

A win and Salah's reintegration: after a tricky few days that Slot has navigated well and emerged from in a stronger position, the Liverpool boss couldn’t really have asked for anything more.

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Arne Slot confirms Hugo Ekitike's second-half withdrawal was due to cramp after Liverpool beat Brighton 2-0

Arne Slot confirms Hugo Ekitike's second-half withdrawal was due to cramp after Liverpool beat Brighton 2-0

James Milner said it was a "special moment" to return to Anfield and play for Brighton while wearing 20 on the back of his jersey.

Milner wore the No. 6 during his first two seasons with the South Coast club, but switched to No. 20 during the summer following the tragic passing of Liverpool player Diogo Jota, who wore 20 for Liverpool.

The 39-year-old came on as a late substitute during Brighton's 2-0 loss to Liverpool on Saturday, and took to social media after the game, writing: "Disappointing result but happy to be back out on the pitch and a special moment to play at Anfield wearing the 20. A massive thank you for the incredible welcome from the Anfield crowd. YNWA."

Milner received a standing ovation as he entered the Anfield pitch wearing Jota's old number in the final few minutes of the game.

Speaking ahead of the start of the 2025-26 season, Milner explained his decision to switch squad numbers, telling Brighton media in August: "Once I heard Carlos [Baleba] was looking to change his number and 20 was available, I wanted to do it as a mark of respect and to obviously pay tribute to Diogo Jota.

"He was an amazing player, who I was fortunate to play with, and he was a great friend as well. It will be a great honour to wear his number in the Premier League this year."

Speaking about Jota after his death in July, Milner said: "Every week I love watching the guy as a player and I loved training with him but, more importantly than as a player, as a guy he was incredible. He was someone you could put in any corner of the dressing room and people loved him.

Milner and Diogo Jota were friends at Liverpool (Image: 2022 Liverpool FC)

"Me and him had so many fun days together winding each other up. He's such a stubborn guy like myself. We had so much fun together.

"He was such an amazing family man and just someone you wanted to be around. He'll be missed by everyone. He was a truly amazing player and even better guy - an unbelievable guy to be around. He'll be missed by everyone who knew him and everyone in the footballing world for sure."

Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate swapped jerseys with Milner at the end of Saturday's game, with the Frenchman taking to Instagram to share a picture of the Brighton veteran's jersey.

Milner's appearance at Anfield was his 646th in the Premier League, and he is now just seven appearances away from Gareth Barry's all-time record of 653.

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A former Liverpool defender thinks that Mohamed Salah's comments at Leeds last weekend have actually pulled the squad closer together.

The week leading up to Liverpool's win over Brighton on Saturday was dominated by talk over whether Salah would ever play for the club again following his chat with reporters in the Elland Road mixed zone.

Salah was dropped from the squad that traveled to Milan in the Champions League in midweek, but was back on the bench against Brighton. An early injury to Joe Gomez saw Salah introduced in the first half, and he played his part in securing a much-needed top-flight win – Liverpool's first at Anfield since Nov. 1.

Speaking on BBC's Final Score, former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock suggested that Salah's comments might have actually had a positive effect on the squad.

"There's a microscope on the football club," Warnock said. "There has been a lot of talk around Liverpool and the response. The actual interview has spurred Liverpool on and made them a tighter-knit group. A siege mentality in the changing room.

"Two clean sheets on the bounce — that's vitally important. It is making sure that you know you're tough to beat."

Meanwhile, Salah took to social media after the win to share footage of him being serenaded by Liverpool's supporters following the final whistle.

Salah produced one of his brightest performances of the season against the Seagulls, and after full-time he stayed out on the field for longer than any of his teammates as he applauded the thousands of supporters who had stayed behind to sing his name.

The Egyptian posted footage of that brilliant moment on social media after the game, and Liverpool fans will now hope that draws a line under a matter which has dominated the Premier League news agenda for the last week.

Salah will now jet off to link up with his Egypt teammates ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, which will see him miss the remainder of Liverpool's games in 2025.

Considering Salah's jovial mood after the game, it seems likely that he will return to the Liverpool squad for the second half of the season rather than seek an exit after the continental tournament – there was certainly no sense that he was waving good bye to Liverpool's fans for good after the final whistle.

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David Lynch assessment highlights Liverpool’s turning point

Liverpool’s 2–0 win over Brighton at Anfield carried weight beyond the scoreline, and David Lynch’s post-match commentary offered a sharp, measured breakdown of why this fixture mattered. Rather than chasing hype, his analysis focused on context, control and progression, framing the performance as a meaningful step in Liverpool’s recovery rather than a finished product.

Using Lynch’s own words as reference points, five clear key takeaways emerge from his assessment of the game, each shedding light on Liverpool’s current direction under Arne Slot.

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Key takeaways grounded in context and control 1. Match significance outweighed spectacle

“This felt like a big game for Liverpool for a number of reasons, coming off a dreadful run and still carrying a lot of uncertainty.”

Lynch was clear from the outset that this was never about entertainment value. Liverpool entered the match stabilised but unconvinced, with recent results masking lingering fragility. Brighton’s quality and preparation made this a genuine examination of progress, not a free hit. The importance lay in what Liverpool needed psychologically as much as tactically.

2. Opposition quality demanded evolution

“Brighton are a very, very good side with a lot of quality and a smart young manager, so this was always going to be difficult.”

Rather than framing the win as routine, Lynch emphasised Brighton’s calibre. This contextualised Liverpool’s approach, reinforcing why a conservative European-style game plan would not be enough at Anfield. Liverpool had to meet quality with authority, not caution.

3. Improvement mattered more than perfection

“It wasn’t perfect by any means, but perfect can’t be the enemy of good in the situation Liverpool find themselves in.”

This line captured the core of Lynch’s outlook. Liverpool are not yet in a position to chase flawless performances. Incremental gains, structure and results are the priority. The victory represented functional progress, the kind required to climb out of a damaging run and rebuild confidence.

4. Numbers required interpretation, not obedience

“I know the numbers suggest it was even, but watching the game, I genuinely felt Liverpool were the better side.”

One of the most important key takeaways was Lynch’s resistance to surface-level statistical narratives. While expected goals painted a tight contest, he argued that game state, shot quality and defensive coverage told a different story. Liverpool’s superiority showed in control and chance management rather than raw data totals.

5. Direction under Slot is becoming clearer

“Arne Slot’s job was to make small improvements, baby steps forward, and this felt like a big one.”

Lynch framed the win as evidence of momentum rather than transformation. Slot’s Liverpool are beginning to press with more cohesion, attack with greater freedom and manage games more effectively. Sitting just outside the top four after a punishing spell, Liverpool now have a platform to build on rather than merely cling to.

Perspective over proclamation

“This wasn’t about hyping up the performance – it’s just that Liverpool edged it and deserved to win.”

Lynch’s final takeaway was rooted in restraint. The performance did not demand celebration, but it did warrant recognition. Liverpool looked more like themselves, not in full flow, but with enough structure, intensity and clarity to justify optimism.

In that sense, the key takeaways extend beyond Brighton. They point to a Liverpool side rediscovering belief through control, progress through patience, and identity through small, deliberate steps forward.

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Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah faces an uncertain future at Anfield after a controversial interview last weekend caused a media storm

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah faces an uncertain future at Anfield after a controversial interview last weekend caused a media storm

Joe Gomez and Dominik Szoboszlai were forced off as Liverpool returned to winning ways in the Premier League with a 2-0 home win over Brighton & Hove Albion

Joe Gomez and Dominik Szoboszlai were forced off as Liverpool returned to winning ways in the Premier League with a 2-0 home win over Brighton & Hove Albion