Jurgen Klopp makes Graham Porter and Brighton 'big problems' claim after victory at the Amex Stadium
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The Seagulls had fought back from two goals behind to force a draw at Anfield in October but there were no slips from Jurgen Klopp’s side this time around as they left the south coast with all three points.
Klopp said: “We knew that Brighton are a really good team and can cause really big problems. That’s what we saw from the beginning.
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“When we took the ball to the ground and started playing the extra pass and switched the sides then we were really, really strong. We scored a great goal and had other really good moments.
“In the last period I would have loved to have controlled it even more but it’s an intense period for the boys. I’m really happy with big parts of the performance and even more so with the result.”
A Luis Diaz header gave Liverpool the lead in the first half – but the forward received a heavy blow in the process as Robert Sanchez rushed off his line. However, VAR review ruled there was no red card for the goalkeeper.
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Hide AdMohamed Salah’s second half penalty doubled Liverpool’s advantage and they saw out the remainder of the game with relative ease to move to within three points of Manchester City, with a game in hand.
Liverpool recorded an eighth successive Premier League victory, a run which has seen them score 21 goals and concede just two, as they bounced back from their first home defeat in a year against Inter Milan in the Champions League.
Brighton’s poor run of form continued as they slipped to a fifth defeat in a row – and they were unable to add to their poor tally of one goal in their last five matches.
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Hide AdBrighton boss Graham Potter added: “We started really well, (the) better team, on the front foot, we had some opportunities in terms of some times to attack them and then the goal took the wind out of our sails a little bit, which you can imagine is not so surprising when we’re on the run that we are – and Liverpool are Liverpool.
“But credit to the boys, they stuck in there. A couple of little moments didn’t go our way and then there’s a penalty that is what it is. I thought we finished the game really strong, created some chances, but against a top team like Liverpool, not enough.”
On Sanchez’s challenge, Potter said: “I think it was an accidental one and the quality of the pass and the quality of the run has been too good for him.”
The Seagulls have now lost five games in a row, and Potter added: “It’s difficult because no one wants to lose, and it’s certainly not a happy camp when you’re losing football matches.
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Hide Ad“But we have to think, we’ve got 33 points, we want to try to finish the season as strongly as we can. We’re suffering at the moment but sometimes that’s the Premier League.”