Salah score twice as Liverpool score away for the first time in 5 games

Liverpool’s leading scorer, Mohamed Salah scored twice as they beat a gallant Brighton side 3-1, ending the Premier League champions’ recent scoring drought on the road.

Liverpool had not scored in their last five away games in all competitions since February but this strange run was quickly halted when Salah and Jordan Henderson found the net early on.

The Seagulls were punished for trying to play out from the back as Naby Keita quickly nipped in on Davy Propper and steal possession before finding Salah with a squared for Liverpool’s first goal.

Keita was the instigator again not long after, nicking the ball away from Dale Stephens in midfield and setting Roberto Firmino on a driving run towards the area before picking out Salah. The Egyptian was surrounded by defenders but spotted an unmarked Henderson, tapping the ball in for him to fire home with a low shot.

Brighton responded well as Neal Maupay forced a smothering save from Alisson with Trossard also going close.

The hosts finally got their reward on the stroke of half-time. Tariq Lamptey had looked bright down the right flank – up against fellow 19-year-old Williams – and was set away once again by a slotted Pascal Gross pass. His fizzing cross was then turned home by Trossard, who hit a wonderful volley with his first touch to beat Alisson and pull a deserved goal back for Brighton.

But Liverpool sealed all three points and got their first away win since February – with Salah’s second goal in the 76th minute. Robertson delivered a corner and the forward peeled away from his marker Lamptey to head the ball past Ryan.

Stats and facts from the match

• Liverpool have never won more matches (30) in a single league campaign (level with 1978-79 and 2018-19).
• Brighton have only won two of their 14 Premier League games in 2020 (drawn seven, lost five); no other side has won fewer in the calendar year.
• This was Liverpool’s 13th away league win this season; the joint-most the Reds have ever won on the road in a league season in their history.
• Brighton have lost back-to-back home league games for the first time since April 2019.
• After going seven hours and 47 minutes without scoring a goal away from home in all competitions, Liverpool scored twice within 127 seconds.
• Liverpool were 2-0 ahead in the eighth minute of this match, the earliest they have taken a two-goal lead in a Premier League match since May 2011 against Fulham (seven minutes).
• Salah has reached 100 goal involvements for Liverpool in the Premier League (73 goals, 27 assists in 104 appearances), becoming just the fourth player to do so for the Reds after Steven Gerrard (212), Robbie Fowler (158) and Michael Owen (148)
• Salah has been directly involved in eight goals in his six Premier League appearances against Brighton, scoring five and assisting three.
• Liverpool captain Henderson has scored more Premier League goals in 2019-20 (four) than in his previous three seasons combined before this (three).
• Brighton winger Trossard has scored in back-to-back Premier League games for the very first time; seven of his eight combined goals (five) and assists (three) in the competition have come at the Amex Stadium.