Liverpool got the numbers they needed at Anfield on Sunday, a 2-0 win over Brighton, a fifth straight victory in all competitions, and a move up to fourth in the Premier League. The scoreline mattered on its own, but the more interesting part was who drove it. Florian Wirtz sparked the opener and Alexander Isak scored again, with Bradley Barcola heavily involved in a front line that finally looked settled.

The attack Liverpool had been waiting for

This was the version of Liverpool's new forward group supporters have wanted to see. Wirtz, Isak, Barcola and Cody Gakpo gave the home side a much cleaner attacking shape, and once the first goal went in, the match swung quickly.

In the 17th minute, Wirtz drove the move that led to the opener. Some reports treated it as his first league goal, while the official match record logged it as an own goal by Pascal Groß. Either way, Wirtz was at the heart of it.

Four minutes later, Liverpool had their second. Barcola supplied the cross and Isak finished, a simple sequence on paper but one that summed up why this setup looks more convincing. Isak is now on 6 Premier League goals in 7 appearances, and Liverpool finally have a striker finishing moves at a high rate.

Lewis Steele, quoted by dailymail.com, wrote: "Alexander Isak will take the plaudits for Liverpool’s second goal, made by Bradley Barcola as the £248million double act combined again after doing so at Brentford last week, but fellow big-money boy Florian Wirtz deserved vast praise, too."

That feels right. Isak took the goal, but Wirtz gave Liverpool the control and threat between the lines that had been missing too often earlier in the season.

Wirtz's impact, even with the credit debate

The credit for the opener is the only real dispute from Liverpool vs Brighton. Some outlets described it as Wirtz's first league goal. The verified result counts it as a Groß own goal.

The more relevant point is that Wirtz's influence was obvious regardless of the scorer column. He now has 8 Premier League appearances and 2 assists this season, and this was one of his best displays in a Liverpool shirt. SPORT1's framing of a breakthrough is understandable even if the official data lands differently.

There was also context around the opposition. Brighton came in third in the table and had won four straight league matches by an aggregate score of 15-0. Beating them is one thing. Controlling the game after two quick first-half goals says more about Liverpool's level on the day.

Liverpool's recent league form had been solid rather than spectacular, with three wins, one draw and one loss in their previous five before this result. Across all competitions, though, they have now won five in a row. This was the clearest sign yet that the new attacking core might be starting to fit together instead of just taking turns.

Fourth place, and a clearer shape

Moving into fourth after seven league matches is a decent return, but the stronger takeaway is the way Liverpool got there. They did not need a chaotic game or a late surge. They scored in the 17th and 21st minutes, protected the lead, and did it against a Brighton side that had been one of the division's form teams.

Wirtz's day did carry one note of concern when he went off in the 65th minute with an apparent right ankle injury. If that proves minor, Liverpool will come away from this with exactly what they wanted: another win, another Isak goal, and an Anfield performance that looked much closer to a finished attacking plan.

After Manchester United lost at Bournemouth FC, Liverpool ended the day in fourth place with a 2-0 home win over Brighton.

FAQ

Why did Liverpool's attack look better against Brighton?

Liverpool's front line looked far more connected in the 2-0 win over Brighton. Wirtz was heavily involved in the opener, Barcola supplied the cross for Isak's goal, and Gakpo was part of a unit that gave Liverpool the control fans had been waiting for at Anfield.

Is Alexander Isak in strong form for Liverpool in the Premier League?

Yes. Isak has 6 Premier League goals in 7 appearances and scored again against Brighton. He finished Barcola's cross for Liverpool's second goal in the 21st minute, which backed up the sense that he has settled quickly as Liverpool's main league finisher.

Did Florian Wirtz score Liverpool's first goal against Brighton?

Some reports framed the opener as Wirtz's first league goal, but the verified match data recorded it as a Pascal Groß own goal. Wirtz was still central to the move because his shot caused the deflection, so his influence on the game is not really in doubt even if the official credit is.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →