Brighton 1, Liverpool 5: First Thoughts

Brighton 1 Murray 51’ (pen) Liverpool 5 Can 30’, Firmino 31’, 48’, Coutinho 87’, Dunk 88’ (og)

• PRE-MATCH: Well, this is an interesting set up that Klopp has announced. Robertson makes his return to the team to give Moreno a break, while injury has forced Klopp to slot Can in as a center-back. I guess we’ll see how this goes.
• This is even more experimental than I originally thought. Gini appears to be playing as one of a three-man defense alongside Dejan Lovren and Emre Can?
• Liverpool are very lucky they’re playing a defensive team like Brighton - though I suppose Klopp would have considered that when setting up this way. Still, the first time Brighton put together an attack, Liverpool nearly caved.
• Mo Salah, please save us from ourselves.
• GOAL!!! Can - 30’ - Can scores a lovely, meaty header from the first corner of the game.
• GOAL!!! Firmino - 31’ - Wow, less than a minute later, Liverpool finally engineer themselves a blistering counterattack and Firmino gets the final touch. Whoa.
• Well, that was a fun 120 seconds.
• Coutinho is thirsty for a goal. His dribbling has been impressive, but hasn’t led to much - yet.
• HALFTIME: Liverpool are flying, but they’ll need to continue with their high pressing and aggressive passing in the second half. That defense makes me nervous, and I have no desire to see Brighton with control of the ball for any length of time.
• What a save by Mignolet as Murray gets a shot on target from very close range. Yikes!
• GOAL!!! Firmino - 48’ - Another counterattacking goal from Liverpool right after that amazing save from Mignolet. Man, oh man is this team fast. It’s Salah that sets up Bobby this time.
• goal, pen. Murray - 51’ - Henderson concedes a soft foul in the penalty area that earns Brighton a penalty. Murray puts it away.
• It appears that Brighton got the memo about our defense. They’ve begun attacking more as this second wears on.
• Oof, close to our obligatory Salah goal as Firmino does an excellent job of keeping possession of the ball under pressure and getting it to Salah in a good position. Salah’s first touch lets him down and the extra second allows the defenders to to converge. He gets a tame shot off with his left foot, easily saved.
• It’s take until the 78th minute for Klopp to make his first change, and it’s Oxlade-Chamberlain on for Salah, who plays a rare game with only an assist to show for it. Emre Can stays in somehow, despite playing with a groin strain at the moment, and despite Liverpool needing to protect their lead.
• Alexander-Arnold with some important defending, makes a great block to deny Izquierdo, and then Liverpool once again almost make something of the break, but Henderson gets knocked off the ball on the byline.
• GOAL!!! Coutinho - 87’ - Coutinho gets his goal in the 87th minute on a brilliant free kick. There was no doubt that he was going to go for goal, but instead of going for the expected top right corner, he keeps it on the ground, kicks it under the wall and defeats the Brighton keeper, who can’t even see it.
• GOAL!!! Dunk og - 88’ - It’s all Coutinho again, with another counterattack that ricochets off of Dunk and into the back of the net.
• FINAL: How dare we question Klopp, he’s a genius, Gini a born center-back, etc. etc. Five goals, should have been more, and all without Mané on the pitch.

We'll be back shortly to take an in-depth look at everything that happened in today's game with the full recap. Until then, let us know your take on the ups and downs of the match in the comments, and if you haven't already, join the community on the Liverpool Offside, where we'll have full coverage and lively in-game discussion for every match this season.