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Celebrated his 300th win with Liverpool. Jürgen Klopp

Photo: Paul Ellis / AFP

Jürgen Klopp and Liverpool FC have at least temporarily jumped to the top of the English Premier League. The outgoing team manager easily won 2-1 (1-1) with the Reds against Brighton & Hove Albion and pushed past Arsenal FC.

The Gunners around national player Kai Havertz will face third-placed Manchester City in the top duel between title rivals this evening. After 29 games, Liverpool are at the top of the league with 67 points. Arsenal and City follow with 64 and 63 points before the direct duel.

The victory over Brighton was Klopp's third hundredth in 478 competitive games. After the season, the 56-year-old will leave the club after nine years. The second championship title is supposed to be our farewell. Liverpool is also still playing for victory in the Europa League.

Liverpool turn an early deficit

Luis Diaz (27th minute) and Mohamed Salah (65th) scored for the hosts at Anfield Stadium. Coach Jürgen Klopp's team, which had to do without injured strikers Diogo Jota and Darwin Núñez as well as goalkeeper Alisson, had previously gotten off to a false start. Danny Welbeck (2nd) had put Klopp's possible successor Roberto De Zerbi's team in the lead.

Liverpool responded angrily to the visitors' goal, with national player Pascal Groß playing through. Salah and Co. repeatedly attacked the Seagulls' defense at high speed. The defensive block didn't last long, Diaz got away from Brighton and poked the ball into the goal. After the break, the Reds increased the pressure and Klopp pushed his team further, with success.

Liverpool, with former Bundesliga professionals Dominik Szoboszlai (RB Leipzig) and Wataru Endo (VfB Stuttgart) in the starting line-up, was the better team overall and put the guests under pressure with constant attacks. However, the Reds were too imprecise in front of the goal and missed good chances. Salah alone fired around a dozen shots on goal. A supposed further goal by Luis Diaz did not count due to an offside position. So the Klopp team had to tremble until the final whistle.

ast/dpa/sid