Two goals inside 21 minutes outweighed Brighton's share of the ball

Liverpool won 2-0 at Anfield with both goals in the first 21 minutes, and Brighton's possession never turned into chances good enough to matter.

Liverpool did not need long at Anfield. Pascal Groß turned the ball into his own net in the 17th minute, and four minutes later Alexander Isak finished a pass from Bradley Barcola. Two goals in the first 21 minutes gave Liverpool a lead they never had to chase, and everything after that happened with the match already tilted their way.

Brighton had 64% of the ball, against a season average of 59.9%, and they took 16 shots, ten of them from inside the box. Only one was on target, and that is where the afternoon went wrong for them. Measured by expected goals, a figure that gives each chance a value based on how often chances like it go in, their chances came to 1.39, well down on their own season average of 2.05. So they had more of the ball than usual but fewer good chances than usual.

Liverpool were the opposite. They had 36% of the ball, far below their home average of 55.7%, and took 13 shots, four of them on target. Their expected goals figure of 0.95 was also under their usual 1.29, so their chances were thinner than normal. Yet they scored twice, more than their home average of 1.3 goals a game, and the gap between chances and goals came down to one early own goal and one finish from Isak.

Liverpool also kept a clean sheet, which matters against a home record of 1.1 goals conceded a match. Most of Brighton's shots never reached the target, and Verbruggen made three saves, the work of a goalkeeper kept busy rather than one who was beaten often. Brighton conceded twice away from home, when their season average is 0.7, so the defensive numbers went against them too.

Isak had three shots, one of them on target, and it was the one that counted. That earned him a rating of 8.2, the highest mark on either side's list. Barcola's 7.4 reflected the pass that started the second goal, and on Brighton's side Vušković stood out with a 7.0 from two shots and some hard work in midfield.

Brighton picked up two yellow cards, Boscagli at 45 minutes and Costinha at 73, while Liverpool received none. Neither side was reduced to ten men. Liverpool brought on Florian Wirtz at 65 minutes and Milos Kerkez at 88, and Brighton made their last changes at 75.

The result puts Liverpool fifth on 12 points from seven matches, with nine goals scored and eight conceded at home. Brighton are third on 16 points, and their away form now reads five wins, a draw and one defeat, with 23 goals scored and five conceded.

Player of the matchA. Isak1 goal8.2

B. Barcola1 assist7.4

L. Vušković3 duels won7.0

V. van Dijk6 duels won6.9