Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah were on the scoresheet as Liverpool beat Brighton 2-0 away to close the gap on Premier League leaders Manchester City to three points.
The Seagulls, who had lost their four previous games, made a bright start in the early stages with Neal Maupay and Leandro Trossard spurning chances.
Jurgen Klopp’s side eventually got going and took the lead when Diaz bravely headed in Joel Matip’s cross before being taken out by goalkeeper Robert Sanchez who was fortunate to escape a card.
Graham Potter brought on Adam Lallana at the break, who was replaced seven minutes later after a suspected hamstring injury, and they should have equalised at the start of the second half with Trossard hammering the ball over from close range.
Salah continued to be uncharacteristically wasteful in front of goal but doubled the lead from the penalty spot with aplomb after a handball from Yves Bisssouma to seal the win.
The result sees Liverpool close the gap on Man City with both teams having played the same number of games while the Seagulls remain in 13th position.
VAR took a look at the Diaz goal where he was caught by the keeper’s leg recklessly but bizarrely ruled it was okay.
It certainly merited Mike Dean to at least have a look at the on-pitch monitor and give the keeper a red or a yellow card.
There have certainly been previous instances of keepers sent off for similar incidents, Sanchez had lost control as he clattered into Diaz who fortunately escaped serious injury.
It was among a host of incidents the referee and his assistants got wrong.
