Liverpool’s right-sided triangle was synonymous with their 2019-20 Premier League title win.

Mohamed Salah coming inside from the wing, Trent Alexander-Arnold pushing on from full-back and Jordan Henderson rotating wide to cover — Liverpool won 21 of the 22 league games the trio started together.

Among the 21 was a 2-1 defeat of visitors Brighton & Hove Albion in November 2019.



Without natural width on that side, Gomez moved into midfield, offering an extra option for central progression, but this left Luis Diaz isolated on the left wing and channelled Liverpool’s attack down the right — especially as Gomez’s right-footedness suited passes to that side.

Liverpool return to form with fine win at Fulham	Thrashings and drama - the best Merseyside derbies of the 21st century	Thrashings and drama - the best Merseyside derbies of the 21st century

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The passes that define how Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City are playing

Salah looked to play inside, which created space for Bradley to push on into.

Brighton’s left-back, Pervis Estupinan, and left-winger, Simon Adingra, duly struggled against Liverpool’s rotations.

In settled possession, Estupinan would sometimes position himself close to the advanced Bradley, which would pull him outside the vertical line of the ball and open a lane for Mac Allister to slide through passes for Salah — if Adingra switched off, Salah had a free run.

Because Brighton were not as aggressively man-for-man as in other games, there were occasions when Estupinan and Adingra would fail to hand Bradley/Salah over as they rotated, leaving them unmarked.

Here is how the shape primarily looked, with Endo located between Liverpool’s centre-backs, Virgil van Dijk and Quansah.

His 12 shots yesterday were the most he has ever had in a Premier League match, and half of them came inside its first 20 minutes.

Mac Allister’s progressive passing was a feature of the afternoon — he played 22 such passes, the most by anyone on the pitch and over a quarter of Liverpool’s team total (81).

Thirteen of his 58 completions (12 out of 25 when isolated to only forward passes) were to Salah.

The defence-splitting pass from the half-space became Liverpool’s primary route to goal.

Here, Endo is further forward and Liverpool are building up with their centre-backs.

Tellingly, for all their attacks down that side, Liverpool only attempted five crosses from the right, their fewest in a Premier League game since four against Brighton in the reverse fixture in October.

Incisive passing instead of crossing is how Liverpool won the game.

Bradley and Salah are playing on the last line here, so Dominik Szoboszlai provides the width, positioned behind Adingra to receive Van Dijk’s pass.

Szoboszlai dribbles forward, then fizzes a pass across to the unmarked Mac Allister — Brighton’s defence have dropped into the box, and Bradley acts as a screen to pass behind.

Salah, initially marked out the game by Pascal Gross, comes alive as defender Jan Paul van Hecke is deep at the back post, playing him onside.
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