Liverpool drop points despite Mohamed Salah's brilliance

Brighton captain Lewis Dunk scored with a deft volley to cancel out Mohamed Salah's brace for Liverpool

By Reuters

Published: Sun 8 Oct 2023, 7:39 PM

Brighton & Hove Albion captain Lewis Dunk scored with a deft volley to cancel out Mohamed Salah's brace for Liverpool as the Seagulls came from behind to grab a 2-2 draw in the Premier League on Sunday.

The home side took the lead in the 20th minute when Simon Adingra picked the pocket of former Brighton midfielder Alexis Mac Allister and fired home, but Salah levelled in the 40th minute, ending a flowing move with a trademark left-foot finish.

The Egyptian gave his side the lead from the penalty spot in first-half stoppage time after Dominik Szoboszlai was pulled down by Pascal Gross, and Salah struck his shot to the left of keeper Bart Verbruggen.

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Substitute Ryan Gravenberch, who came on for Harvey Elliott at halftime, missed a golden chance to put Liverpool two up in the 54th minute when his close-range effort from Szoboszlai's pass cannoned back off the crossbar.

Dutchman Gravenberch, who signed for Liverpool from Bayern Munich on the last day of the transfer window, made another fine chance in the 65th minute, but his shot lacked power and was easily saved.

Brighton had their chances in the second half and they howled for a penalty in the 69th minute as Kaoru Mitoma cut in from the right and unleashed a shot which they claimed hit the arm of Virgil van Dijk, but the referee disagreed.

Brighton forced an equaliser in the 78th minute when Andy Robertson decided against trying to clear Solli March's free kick, allowing defender Dunk to volley home.

If Gravenberch's miss was bad, Joao Pedro's for Brighton in the 84th minute was arguably worse as he failed to hit the target from close range with the goal at his mercy, but the hosts held on for the draw to stay sixth in the table on 16 points, one behind third-placed Liverpool.

West Ham grab late draw with Newcastle

West Ham United held Newcastle United to a 2-2 draw in the Premier League on Sunday when Mohammed Kudus scored an 89th-minute equaliser to deny the visitors three points after Alexander Isak's quick-fire double.

Tomas Soucek had given West Ham an early lead before Isak scored twice in five minutes in the second half.

But just as Newcastle looked to have sealed the three points, substitute Kudus scored his first league goal to earn his side a draw.

West Ham are seventh in the table with 14 points from eight games, one point above Newcastle in eighth.

Villa stay fifth

Defender Pau Torres' back-post equaliser earned Aston Villa a 1-1 draw at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday that keeps Unai Emery's side fifth in the Premier League standings.

The in-form Hwang Hee-chan tapped home Pedro Neto's pull-back to edge Wolves in front, the South Korean's fifth goal of the season, in the 53rd minute.

Their advantage lasted just two minutes, however, as Torres steered a cross from Ollie Watkins into the net, on the stretch, to level things up.

Even though Mario Lemina was sent off for the visitors late on after picking up two yellow cards, Villa still had chances to win it in stoppage time, but settled for the draw, with Wolves climbing to 14th with the point.

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