Liverpool v Brighton: Hugo Ekitike scores after just 46 seconds with Mohamed Salah watching on from the bench
Liverpool got off to the dream start against Brighton this afternoon
Liverpool scored the fastest goal in the Premier League this season to gain a very early advantage against Brighton this afternoon.
Only 46 seconds had elapsed when Brighton failed to clear their lines and Joe Gomez’s header into the area was perfect for Hugo Ekitike to fire past Bart Verbruggen.
It was a dream start for Liverpool and under-pressure boss Arne Slot.
The Reds have won just one of their last five games in the league prior to today and the build-up to this game was dominated by Mohamed Salah’s outburst that followed the 3-3 draw at Leeds last weekend.
Salah was omitted from the squad for the 1-0 win at Inter Milan in midweek but was named on the bench this afternoon.
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LIVERPOOL TEAM NEWS
Slot made two changes from the side that won at San Siro, Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz coming in for Andy Robertson and Alexander Isak.
Liverpool: Alisson; Gomez, Van Dijk,Konate, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Jones; Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Ekitike
BRIGHTON TEAM NEWS
Solly March is back in training for Brighton following a long injury lay-off but does not feature.
Centre-back Adam Webster is Brighton’s only other absentee with a knee ligament injury that will keep him out for the rest of the season.
Maxim De Cuyper and Danny Welbeck drop out. Jack Hinshelwood and Brajan Gruda come in.
Brighton: Verbruggen; Wieffer, Dunk, Van Hecke, Kadioglu; Hinshelwood, Baleba, Minteh, Gomez, Gruda, Rutter
How to watch Liverpool v Brighton: TV channel, live online streams
Liverpool v Brighton kicks off at 15:00 GMT (10:00 ET / 07:00 PT) on Saturday and will not be broadcast live in the UK.
Liverpool v Brighton stats
- Liverpool have lost just one of their eight Premier League home matches against Brighton (W5 D2).
- Brighton beat Liverpool 3-2 in their last meeting in May but have never before beaten the Reds in consecutive league matches.
- Liverpool have just 23 points (W7 D2 L6) and have conceded 24 goals in the Premier League this season, the worst start by a reigning champion in both categories after 15 games since Leicester City in 2016-17 (16 points, 26 conceded).
- Brighton have kept a clean sheet in each of their last two away Premier League matches – the Seagulls have not kept three in a row since between March and July 2020.
- Liverpool have conceded 48 goals in 35 Premier League games in 2025 – only twice before have they allowed 50+ goals in a year in the competition, doing so in 2012 (51) and 2014 (52).
- Brighton are winless in their last eight Premier League matches in December (D5 L3) – manager Fabian Hürzeler has won a match in each of the other nine months in which he has taken charge with the Seagulls.