Salah strike sinks Brighton and sends Liverpool top

Mohammed Salah’s 23rd-minute strike was enough to earn Liverpool a 1-0 win over a dogged Brighton and Hove Albion and give them an early top spot in the Premier League with three wins out of three.

Juergen Klopp’s side made a strong start, and Brighton’s Australian keeper Mathew Ryan did well to keep out a Roberto Firmino header before Trent Alexander-Arnold rattled the crossbar with a 15th-minute free kick.

The breakthrough came when James Milner robbed Yves Bissouma as Brighton tried to play the ball out from the back and a quick exchange of passes from Sadio Mane and Firmino ended with a clinical finish from Salah, last season’s top scorer with 32 league goals.

Brighton, who beat Manchester United last week, defended with determination, frustrating Liverpool but creating little until a Pascal Gross header in the 88th minute forced a good save out Liverpool keeper Alisson Becker.