![\"\"](\"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/2.40582511.jpg\")
Lackluster Liverpool ground back to winning ways to reaffirm their Premier League lead with a patchy victory at Brighton.<\/p>\nLackluster Liverpool ground back to winning ways to reaffirm their Premier League lead with a patchy victory at Brighton.<\/p>\n
Mohamed Salah struck his 14th league goal of the season from the penalty spot as the off-kilter Reds stretched their top-flight advantage over Manchester City back to seven points.<\/p>\n
Liverpool failed to produce the kind of statement win to flex their title-challenge muscles following successive defeats to chief rivals City in the league, and Wolves in the FA Cup.<\/p>\n
Klopp\u2019s men labored throughout, unable to generate anything like their trademark attacking zeal \u2013 but despite that malaise, the visitors still had enough to take all three points.<\/p>\n
On this evidence Liverpool still appear to be coming to terms with losing their unbeaten league run in the 2-1 defeat at second-placed Manchester City.<\/p>\n
But no one at Anfield will begrudge the win, with City hosting Wolves on Monday night with the chance to trim Liverpool\u2019s league lead back to four points.<\/p>\n
The visitors will have been heartened too by midfielder Fabinho\u2019s assured showing as an emergency center-back, especially with Joel Matip working back to fitness.<\/p>\n
A listless Liverpool spent plenty of energy pointing, gesticulating and shifting the ball around from deep in a low-key first-half.<\/p>\n
The Reds lacked any kind of pace or potency before the break, and deserved no more than to turn around with the game still goalless.<\/p>\n
Liverpool\u2019s best chance came when Xherdan Shaqiri\u2019s header brushed the base of the post.<\/p>\n
Roberto Firmino would surely have scored had he connected with Robertson\u2019s low cross, but that proved a paltry first-half return for the league leaders.<\/p>\n
An unmarked Glenn Murray headed high over the bar in Brighton\u2019s sole chance of the half, but the regimented Seagulls would have been satisfied enough at the interval.<\/p>\n
Liverpool needed just four minutes to break the deadlock after the restart, but the opener came courtesy of clumsy home defending rather than stunning attacking play.<\/p>\n
Salah outsmarted Pascal Gross on the turn in the box, drew a cheap foul from the usually-unflappable German and then buried the cast-iron penalty.<\/p>\n
Liverpool had designs on immediate domination after Salah\u2019s cool spot-kick, but Brighton so nearly stole that thunder.<\/p>\n
Itching to make amends for conceding the penalty, Gross popped up in the other box to put in a neat strike \u2013 only for Fabinho to pull off a fine block.<\/p>\n
Jurgen Locadia\u2019s long-range drive drew a solid save from Alisson as Brighton continued to press without reward.<\/p>\n
The hosts\u2019 puff all-but extinguished, Liverpool set about glossing the score late on.<\/p>\n
But Firmino fired straight at David Button from 20 yards, Georginio Wijnaldum drove wide and both Sadio Mane and Salah fluffed fine late chances.<\/p>\n