Diaz and Salah strikes help Liverpool to sink Brighton

 Liverpool forward Luis Diaz scored in the first half before Mohamed Salah struck from the penalty spot after the hour mark as the team comfortably beat Brighton & Hove Albion 2-0 in the Premier League on Saturday.

Liverpool‘s win at Brighton’s Amex Stadium was their eighth straight victory in the competition as Juergen Klopp’s second-placed side cut the gap between themselves and league leaders Manchester City to three points.

City, who have 69 points, can restore their advantage when they travel to Crystal Palace on Monday.

“It’s always the same, you expect City to win every game when you watch them play,” Klopp told BT Sport. “The only thing we can do is as win as many games as possible. We’re ready, we don’t need to call it a title race, we just want to win games.”

Diaz put the visitors in front by heading in a lofted pass from Joel Matip, but collided with Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, who avoided a booking for his heavy challenge.

“He did what a striker had to do,” Klopp said of Diaz’s header. “I didn’t see it back but it was spectacular enough in the first moment. To get in there with his head it was really brave. A great goal.”

Salah scored from the spot in the 61st minute, following a handball by midfielder Yves Bissouma, for Liverpool‘s 2,000th Premier League goal.

It was the Egyptian international’s 20th league goal of the season but he was substituted four minutes after scoring due to an apparent foot injury.

“He thinks it’s not serious but you can see when Salah is sitting down then something is not 100% right,” Klopp added.

“I think it was the situation before when he hit the ball and got blocked — he wanted to shoot and got blocked and I think the foot got slightly over-stretched. We have to see.”

Liverpool endured some nervy moments towards the end of the match, but goalkeeper Alisson kept out efforts from substitutes Danny Welbeck and Solly March.