Liverpool defeated visiting Brighton 2-0 at Anfield in the Premier League on Sunday, October 25, 2026. Florian Wirtz forced an opening own-goal before Alexander Isak sealed the victory in the first half, ending Brighton’s four-match winning streak despite the hosts managing just 35.6 percent possession.
Anfield witnessed a distinctly pragmatic brand of home success as Liverpool moved up to fourth place in the Premier League table. The fixture went ahead despite weather warnings and local closures across Merseyside caused by Storm Boelo.
Brighton arrived on Merseyside having scored 23 goals in their first six games of the campaign. Yet Fabian Hürzeler’s side failed to replicate the clinical attacking verve that had swept them into third place before kickoff.
The Reds to take on Brighton ✊🔴 #LIVBHA pic.twitter.com/2ZutpE2Vhc
First-Half Goals Secure Reds’ Victory
The visiting side should have struck first. Yasin Ayari squandered a golden scoring opportunity on 14 minutes, blazing high over the crossbar with Alisson Becker out of position.
Liverpool immediately punished that miss. Florian Wirtz advanced with confidence and fired a low shot that deflected heavily off Groß into his own net in the 16th minute. Bradley Barcola stripped possession from Olivier Boscagli high up the pitch four minutes later, drove forward, and picked out Alexander Isak.
77’ – Double substitution:➡️ Koumas, Ngumoha⬅️ Isak, Barcola[2-0] #LIVBHA pic.twitter.com/ghXvcK579g
It was a missed opportunity.
Fabian Hürzeler, Brighton Head Coach, via Sky Sports
Isak steered a deft, side-foot finish inside the far corner past Bart Verbruggen for his sixth league goal of the season. The strike marked the first time the forward had scored in three consecutive league appearances since January 2025.
Andoni Iraola deployed his team in a 4-2-3-1 formation featuring Alisson in goal behind defenders Ronald Araujo, Virgil van Dijk, Jérémy Jacquet, and Miloš Kerkez. Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister patrolled the central midfield, while Wirtz, Barcola, and Cody Gakpo supported Isak in the attacking line.
Three points and a clean sheet in a BIG win for @LFC against Brighton! 🔴 pic.twitter.com/c8JlpSzSnC
Brighton mirrored the setup with Bart Verbruggen between the posts. He was protected by Ferdi Kadioglu, Luka Vušković, Lewis Dunk, and Boscagli, while Groß and Ayari held the midfield behind Gómez, Andrés, Kostoulas, and Maxim De Cuyper.
The home side nearly added to their tally before the break, with Verbruggen producing sharp first-half interventions to deny both Cody Gakpo and a surging run from Araujo. At the other end, Ayari clipped the goalframe with a curling attempt, while Charalampos Kostoulas saw his effort stopped by Alisson alongside a vital defensive stop by Jacquet.
Defensive Resilence Limits Brighton Chances
With a two-goal cushion secured by the 21st minute, Andoni Iraola’s side adopted a defensive posture. Liverpool’s possession of 35.6 per cent marked their second-lowest share on record in a Premier League home victory since the 2003-04 season.
The figure was also their lowest in an Anfield league win since November 2010. Brighton dominated the ball after the interval but struggled to penetrate a disciplined Liverpool rearguard. Ayari struck the post in the first half, and Charalampos Kostoulas was denied by Alisson alongside a crucial goal-line block from Jérémy Jacquet. The visitors registered only a single shot on target during the entire ninety minutes.
Two goals to the good for @LFC 😮💨A Pascal Gross own goal puts the Reds ahead, before Alexander Isak fires in the second 🔴 pic.twitter.com/AglQOyUIoY
Hürzeler attempted to alter the momentum at halftime by introducing Jack Hinshelwood in place of Boscagli, followed later by Malick Yalcouyé and Georginio Rutter. Iraola countered by injecting fresh legs late in the contest, introducing Trey Nyoni, Rio Ngumoha, Lewis Koumas, and Kostas Tsimikas to help manage the closing stages.
| Statistic | Liverpool | Brighton |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 36% | 64% |
| Total Shots | 13 | 17 |
| Shots on Target | 4 | 1 |
| Pass Accuracy | 69% | 85% |
Early Injuries Impact Both Squads
Both managers had to deal with early disruptions. Brighton lost Ferdi Kadioglu to a hip injury in the third minute. For Liverpool, Wirtz produced an influential outing before he was withdrawn on the hour mark after sustaining an ankle knock.
Liverpool successfully protected their lead through four minutes of stoppage time to secure their first clean sheet at home in the league this season. The result leaves Brighton recovering from their second defeat of the campaign.
Cast your vote for our @carlsberg Player of the Match 🗳️ #LIVBHA ➡️ https://t.co/CP9YPwSHX5 pic.twitter.com/YReUohooob
