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After a week of blisteringly hot takes, the reaction to Liverpool’s win over Brighton & Hove Albion was several notches cooler on Saturday.
The soccer world had been lying in wait for another explosive Mohamed Salah update over this weekend – in the end, it proved somewhat anticlimactic. The Egyptian returned to the team and played his part in a game that Liverpool always looked destined to win.
That may seem a rather facile conclusion given Liverpool conceded just shy of 2.0 expected goals — the third highest in the league this season — and had less than half of the possession. Yet it always felt that Brighton were competing more in hope than genuine expectation.
A goal after 46 seconds always helps in that regard, and certainly eased some of the jitters around Anfield given fans had waited 39 days to see their side win at home.
History is written by the winners, and while few would argue that Liverpool deserved all three points, even Arne Slot pointed out post-match it could have been a different outcome had Brighton been more clinical.
Yet Liverpool showed the sort of composure and resilience that was routinely in short supply during the season’s autumnal months. That hasn’t been the case in recent weeks, however, and with Christmas on the horizon, there has been a steady uplift from a side that has spent the majority of the campaign on the naughty list.
At times against Brighton, Liverpool had its swagger back. Certainly, that was the case in the attacking areas, with Ekitike starring, and Salah and Florian Wirtz contributing to a fluid offensive unit.
Another clean sheet helped – that’s now three in the last five – while the midfield structure is noticeably more solid. Curtis Jones’ deeper role has brought greater balance to the side, with the academy graduate setting the tone against the Seagulls.
Saturday’s game simultaneously felt like the Liverpool of last season and also the new iteration flexing its muscles. Ekitike’s masterful display underlined how the team is evolving. That’s four goals in two games for the Frenchman.
Yet his performance was about so much more than goals; he provided a focal point for Liverpool players in possession, carried a threat in transitions and linked well with team-mates.
His confidence is growing with every week. He’s not alone. Wirtz is having a greater impact on games, and a first goal surely can’t be far away. Milos Kerkez’s displays have also become less erratic, which has consequently helped the entire defensive unit look less fragile.
Then there was Salah — still the star attraction, but for how much longer?
Saturday’s more team-oriented showing dismissed any suggestion that the Egyptian winger’s immense talent has been consigned to the pages of history, along with his ability to impact games at an elite level.
Ironically, Liverpool may emerge from last week’s debacle in a stronger position. Salah’s comments, rather than divide the group, appear to have galvanized them. Based on the last two performances, no-one can question the unity and cohesiveness of this team.
That’s not to say Liverpool has overcome all its issues, but the perilously choppy waters within which the team was sailing a few weeks ago now look significantly calmer.
That will feed into a rare week in which Liverpool does not have a midweek game, affording the opportunity for the Reds to reflect and recuperate. The latter is particularly significant after Liverpool suffered two more injuries to Joe Gomez and Dominik Szoboszlai on Saturday.
Ekitike also limped off, while Kerkez and Alexis Mac Allister required on-field treatment. On each occasion, a glance at the diminished substitutes bench did not prove reassuring.
Of those concerns, Gomez will be the most pressing. Slot said he expects the defender to miss next week’s clash against Tottenham Hotspur, and a long-term problem could leave Liverpool with just two recognized center-backs.
A January addition in that position is a must.
That decision could prove crucial in determining how the final months of the season unfold. But there is now a greater belief that something tangible can be achieved at the end of what, for long spells, has felt like a hellish campaign. Five games unbeaten and the team’s gradual improvement have ensured that.
Slowly, this team is building. That may not make for a hot take, but Slot will be fine with that. He’s had enough of the drama.
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