EPL: Liverpool 4-0 Brighton

Mohamed Salah's 32nd goal of the season

Liverpool secured fourth place in the Premier League with a thrilling 4-0 victory over Brighton at Anfield on the final day of the season.

Mohamed Salah's 32nd goal of the season - a record in a 38-game Premier League season - got the dominant Reds going on 26 minutes before Dejan Lovren doubled their lead five minutes before half-time.

Brighton offered little by way of a response and Dominic Solanke's stunning first goal for Liverpool and a maiden strike from Andy Robertson added further gloss to the impressive performance.

 

In a straight shootout with Chelsea for the final Champions League qualification spot, Liverpool entered their final league game of the season simply needing to avoid defeat to finish in the top four, but a tense and frustrating first half unfolded.

After Solanke failed to punish Shane Duffy after he under hit a back pass, Liverpool were denied two penalties as the Brighton centre-back's handball and challenge on Salah in the area went unpunished by referee Kevin Friend.

Sadio Mane failed to convert Liverpool's first clear opening on 19 minutes before Virgil van Dijk glanced a header wide shortly after.

 

But 26 minutes of frustration finally came to an end when Solanke poked the ball through to Salah and he fired his record-breaking goal beyond Mat Ryan.

After Roberto Firmino fired over, Salah should have had a second on the half hour but Ryan thwarted him after Mane's selfless square pass and Duffy blocked his follow-up off the line.

 

Ryan prevented Georginio Wijnaldum from added a second but his defences were soon breached again as Lovren rose high to head Robertson's cross home.

Solanke clincally finished a scintillating counter involving Salah and Firmino to finally break his Liverpool duck on 53 minutes before Robertson made it two first-time scorers for the afternoon as he rifled a shot home after Lewis Dunk failed to clear Danny Ings' cross.