Why Liverpool fans have more to be excited about than just Mohamed Salah’s resurgence

They might not have been able to bank a win at the weekend, but Liverpool were able to bounce back to some positivity following their nightmare clash against Tottenham Hotspur. The Reds made the lengthy journey to the south coast to face Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday, seeking redemption from their last Premier League meeting.

The last time the two met in the league, high-rising Brighton stung Liverpool with a dominant 3-0 win, followed by their knockout result in the FA Cup during the same month. The Seagulls’ 2022/23 campaign saw them unpick a stream of top sides as they barrelled their way through the season, and ultimately qualified for European football for the first time in their history.

Like Liverpool, Brighton were keen to redeem their performance prior to their clash at the Amex. Roberto De Zerbi’s side were pummelled by a relentless Aston Villa, who hit them for six as they restarted last season’s battle for the European spots.

Thanks to a clutch performance from star man Mohamed Salah, the Reds were able to come away with a point. Lewis Dunk’s late equaliser will have been a blow but after failing to score against Brighton at the Amex last season, it’s not a result Jurgen Klopp can sniff at, especially as they remain tight with the pack at the top of the Premier League table.

Of course, Salah stole the plaudits with his brace — first finishing off a beautifully-worked team goal to cancel out Simon Adingra’s opener, and then converting from the spot after Dominik Szoboszlai earned a penalty. However, the highly sought after Egyptian wasn’t the only positive both Klopp and the fans can take as they look ahead to the Merseyside derby after the international break.

Liverpool’s main headache for some time now has been their engine room, that much has been common knowledge. Heading into the summer transfer window, the Reds had one priority on their list, and that was to completely transform their midfield. That much certainly happened, perhaps in more ways than expected.

True to their word, Liverpool kicked off their window by tapping into Brighton’s squad and signing Alexis Mac Allister fresh off the back of his World Cup triumph. It was a refreshing journey as well, to see a rumour go the full distance and actually come to fruition. Their link with Ryan Gravenberch was another that did the full rounds and back again before his arrival at Anfield on Deadline Day. Sandwiched in between the two was the near miss of Roméo Lavia, but it’s easier to pretend the Reds signed everyone they pursued and had no hiccups along the way. It certainly sounds better, anyway.

Along with Szoboszlai — who could be Liverpool’s signing of the season so far — and Wataru Endō, the Merseyside outfit were able to plug the gaps left by the midfield exodus. After the release of James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keïta, Liverpool saw the back of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho, who both departed for Saudi Arabia. After these exits, the Reds were down to just four senior midfielders on the books, and three were below the age of 23.

It was the height of concern but after the strong summer recruitment, things are slowly slotting into place and a new dawn seems to be rising at Anfield. Liverpool have not had an influential, creative leader in the engine room since Philippe Coutinho — Georginio Wijnaldum argubaly came close with his power shifts — but glimmers of promise are already breaking through after just a handful of games.

Peeling away the layers of the Brighton result, there was a lot to feel positive about within Liverpool’s midfield. The Reds have been crying out for midfielders who aren’t afraid to drive their way into the box and push for a goal, which is exactly how Szoboszlai won his team’s penalty. The Hungarian is shaping up to be a real handful for opposition sides and Brighton did well to deal with his flair at the weekend. According to FotMob, the 22-year-old created four chances, more than any other player on the pitch, as well as one big goalscoring opportunity.

Moving onto Mac Allister, who is already stamping his versatility as one of his key assets. The ex-Brighton star joined the club and the vision seemed to be that he would become the main creative man, having notched 12 goals and three assists across all competitions last season. However, Mac Allister has been performing as more of a defensive operator lately and overall, he’s done his job well.

Against Brighton, the 24-year-old was the most accurate passer on the pitch and contributed six interceptions, as well as 13 defensive actions and 10 recoveries. He was involved in a mix up which led to former side’s first goal, but Mac Allister has acknowledged his mistake and is eager to improve and learn, while insisting he is enjoying playing as a No.6.

Endō was brought in to hopefully replace Fabinho but with the way things have been going so far, Mac Allister could be the man for the job.

Then, there was Gravenberch — the one who almost got away. The promising young Dutchman started to slip off the radar after his move to Bayern Munich from Ajax but Liverpool looks like his chance to get back on the map. In three starts across the Europa League and Carabao Cup, the 21-year-old has as many goal-scoring contributions to his name. Against Brighton, Gravenberch came off the bench and got stuck into the action, cracking the woodwork in a big chance to put Liverpool ahead.

While the midfielder really should have put away the clear cut chance, he is showing all the right signs of becoming a true force to be reckoned with. At just 21, Gravenberch has a lot of time to become the polished product, similar to Szoboszlai. Patience is key after such a big transition period and this new start involving the three new engine room operators is something every Liverpool fan should be excited about. All good things take time, so who knows what this trio will achieve after their first season together?