Bold Arne Slot move pays off as Liverpool unlocks new option - 5 things spotted vs Brighton

Liverpool knocked Brighton out of the FA Cup with Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones among those to impress. This is what we spotted at Anfield.

Curtis Jones and Milos Kerkez combined to score the openiing goal for Liverpool against Brighton.(Image: Darren Staples / AFP via Getty Images)

ANFIELD, LIVERPOOL // Curtis Jones sent Liverpool on its way to an important victory against Brighton, with Arne Slot's side booking its place in the fifth round convincingly.

Jones broke the deadlock with a well-timed run into the penalty area, finishing well at the far post from a Milos Kerkez cross. In a first half of limited quality, he and Mohamed Salah did well down the Liverpool right.

Salah set up Dominik Szoboszlai to make it 2-0 and then smashed in a penalty to really hammer home the point. Here are the five things Liverpool.com spotted as the game unfolded, with the fifth round draw to be made on Monday.

Curtis Jones impressive

Curtis Jones won't have enjoyed the fact that he was playing right-back, but he did well in the role. Amid the Liverpool 'curse' in that position at the moment, he also avoided an injury.

Dominik Szoboszlai can play there and has done so well in the main, but Jones is another option. He was defensively sound and popped up in some good positions, including getting on the end of a cross for the opening goal.

Joe Gomez might well be fit enough to start next weekend at Nottingham Forest, but he is unfortunately no guarantee when it comes to availability. If Liverpool needs a midfielder to slot in there again, Jones has certainly made himself an option.

Curtis Jones scored the opening goal for Liverpool against Brighton in the FA Cup.(Image: Darren Staples / AFP via Getty Images)

Important win for Arne Slot

Arne Slot and Fabian Hurzeler are under pressure — the Brighton boss was booed by his own fans last weekend in a home defeat to Crystal Palace, where supporters chanted that he didn't know what he was doing.

In a way, you could see that neither side was playing some way of its peak. Both teams made changes — Brighton left Georginio Rutter, Yankuba Minteh and Kaoru Mitoma out of its starting XI — and the result was a game lacking in events.

In the second half, though, Liverpool really pressed on. Slot is not in danger of being fired and his players, all the way through the tough moments, clearly still back him. It helps, though, that Salah played so well here and his attack looked more lively.

Arne Slot looks on during Liverpool training ahead of the FA Cup tie against Brighton(Image: Getty Images)

Mohamed Salah comes to life

"In terms of performance, my only real disappointment was a familiar one — we could and definitely should have scored more goals," Arne Slot, referencing his side's win at Sunderland, wrote in the matchday program.

"This does not seem like a season in which things will be made easier for us but we can make them easier for ourselves and had our finishing been better, that would have been the case."

Salah, it seems, was reading the notes in the locker room. He played will much more verve and vigor in the first half than he has for a while, and then scored and assisted in the second. It was a really good showing, and a great sign for the remainder of the campaign.

It is not that long ago that Salah was throwing all sorts of accusations at Liverpool in the mixed zone. On this evidence, he will still have a decisive say in the next few months, wherever his long-term may lie.

Dominik Szoboszlai scored Liverpool's second against Brighton in the FA Cup.(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Rotation call pays off

It is always a tricky dilemma when it comes to resting players. Will rotation disrupt rhythm? Who needs a break the most? Ryan Gravenberch was among those who was taken out here, and Liverpool did lack him knitting things together for a spell.

Hugo Ekitike has played a lot lately too, and even though Alexander Isak was pictured stepping up his recovery from a broken leg earlier this week, the Swede is still a while off a return.

Gravenberch and Ekitike, who are pretty much guaranteed starters in most fixtures at the moment, would have made Liverpool better in this game — Federico Chiesa lacks any kind of speed or explosiveness and the midfield needed a bit more poise — but in the long-term, the moves paid off.

Given the importance of getting a win, it was bold of Slot to make as many alterations as he did. But in the end, Liverpool won comfortably and was able to give them the time off they needed.

Liverpool momentum boost

In terms of the Premier League, there was nothing directly riding on this game. But after an important — and well-earned — win at Sunderland midweek, momentum was there to be harnessed.

Liverpool has never quite got going this season in terms of stringing victories together, regardless of the competition. Could this week be the moment? In a way, it is unfortunate that there is now a week's break until the trip to Nottingham Forest.

Salah, in particular, played well here. Cody Gakpo was better than he has often been of late. Szoboszlai, once he got going, was in good form too. There is plenty left to play for this season, to perhaps the next few months start now.