Arne Slot has done a remarkable job in stamping authority on his new team given he has been operating in the shadows of his legendary predecessor. This victory, though, had all the hallmarks of a Jurgen Klopp classic.

To use the old phrase coined by Klopp, this was the Mentality Monsters 2.0, as the Reds showed resilience in abundance to fight back from a goal down – and stinking first-half performance – to beat a spirited Brighton team and return to the Premier League summit.

It all felt a bit like the late 2010s and Klopp’s great team who won a sixth European Cup and first-ever Premier League for Liverpool. Mohamed Salah curling goals into the top corner, the midfield pressing like relentless dogs let off a leash and Joe Gomez imperious at the back.

Slot had namechecked two teams on Friday as sides he used to rush home to watch or study their tactics: Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona and, *checks notes*, Brighton. Funnily enough, Brighton played like prime Barcelona for 45 minutes and strangled Liverpool to near-submission.

Fabian Hurzeler’s scintillating Seagulls led through Ferdi Kadioglu’s first-half strike and then took turns to miss gilt-edged chances to make it two, before Cody Gakpo’s attempted cross evaded everyone — red or blue shirt — to equalise before Salah won it three minutes later.

Liverpool came from a goal down to beat Brighton and go top of the Premier League table

Arne Slot has done a remarkable job in stamping his authority but this win had all the hallmarks of a Jurgen Klopp classic

Ferdi Kadioglu hit a peach of a first-time effort into the far corner to give Brighton the lead

Cody Gakpo’s attempted cross evaded everyone, red or blue shirt, and sailed in

The first half was best summed up when Trent Alexander-Arnold lost the ball on the edge of his own penalty area and Alexis Mac Allister needed to take one for the team to foul Welbeck. If he did not pull him down, the in-form Englishman was through on goal all of Liverpool’s own doing.

Whatever Slot said at half-time worked, though, as his troops came out for the second half like a completely new team. Suddenly, they were passing with more intent and creating chances left, right and centre. The Anfield crowd responded and started to roar their team on.

Gomez, who has never scored for Liverpool in more than 250 games, came on for injured Ibrahima Konate at the break and nearly scored with his first touch, before Mac Allister and Virgil van Dijk fluffed chances. Bart Verbruggen twice denied Salah from close range.

But Liverpool soon turned the game on its head with goals in minutes 69 and 72. First, Gakpo tried to find Darwin Nunez with an inswinging cross that ended up in the back of the net before Salah scored a trademark goal after a rapid counter-attack led by Curtis Jones.

Mohamed Salah cut in from the right and curled into the top corner to put Liverpool ahead

The Egyptian is now eighth on the all-time Premier League scorers chart, leaping past former Liverpool great Robbie Fowler