Six things seen in Liverpool vs Brighton as Roberto Firmino shines amid missed Joël Matip moment

Liverpool returned to Premier League action with what was always a difficult test. They welcomed high-flying Brighton into Anfield. Roberto Firmino and Alisson were both at their best, and managed to claw Jürgen Klopp’s side in front, but ultimately the same old problems meant the three points proved elusive.

Klopp will be worried that his team came from 2-0 down. This could have been worse and Liverpool cannot ignore the underlying problems. A win in the rematch would have set the tone for the intense World Cup run. However, it would have been a great match. The exact impact of failing the to see it through remains to be seen.

Inspired by the Brazilian pair of Alisson and Firmino, there were also some underrated moments for Joël Matip. Luis Díaz, too, continued to cement his star player status. Liverpool was not satisfied with this.

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Here are six things Liverpool.com noticed as the game progressed.

Firmino show

Although it took a while before Liverpool had something to cheer about, it was worth it. Roberto Firmino was not only back among the goals, but he was also back to something that was close to his best.

Someone had to step up after Liverpool’s horror start, and Firmino was the man to do it. He was the first and second scorers, and he was close to those who saw Adam Webster transform it into his net under pressure, completing an amazing turnaround.

Firmino was particularly impressive in the equalizer. Firmino created the opportunity with his trademark deft touch. He looked completely in control while others around him struggled to keep the ball in their hands, before guiding it past the goalkeeper.

Sitting on the bench, Darwin Núñez must have been wondering how he will break into the team. Firmino will not be able to do it if he continues this way.

Díaz turns the tide

Coming on at 2-1 and watching the score-line flip always has to go down as ‘job done’ for a substitute. So it was for Díaz, even though he did not get on the score-sheet himself — and even if the lead did not hold.

He was energetic from the moment he arrived on the pitch, despite his apparent fatigue from international duty. Brighton’s defence suddenly began to look pressurised — pressure that eventually told when the Colombian was able to set up Firmino for his excellently-taken equaliser.

Klopp will have to rotate a lot over the coming weeks, but Díaz is as close as it gets to undroppable. According to form, the manager would need to let go of Mohamed Salah before the January signing by Porto took place.

Trossard inaccessible

Leandro Trossard has had a fantastic start to the season. He is a big reason for Brighton’s position in the Premier League table. But the way he carved open Liverpool’s defence, scoring twice within the first 20 minutes and ultimately completing his hattrick, underlined just how deep the issues run for Klopp’s team.

Every sharp piece of attacking play seems to be enough to unlock the door. One-versus-one opportunities are more common than you might think. Trossard was always going be a threat, but he was made like Lionel Messi.

Although his sharp finishes on his left foot may be validly compared to those of Harvey Elliott, there are huge questions about how he was able to waltz down the same corridor on the right-hand side twice and score almost carbon-copy goals. One thing is certain: Harvey Elliott wasn't the problem on that flank in the last few weeks.

Alisson impressive

Liverpool haven’t necessarily conceded a massive volume of chances this season, but opponents are being presented with far too many big opportunities. Alisson cannot be expected to keep them all out — but he usually gives it a good go.

He couldn’t prevent Brighton taking an early lead, the worst possible start for Liverpool, but he made sure the visitors weren’t out of sight within 15 minutes. For a while, two big saves kept the deficit at bay but the pressure eventually grew again. Even though there were only two goals, it could easily have been four or even five. The goalkeeper left Liverpool with a plan. He even came within touching distance of repelling the visitors' third goal.

Klopp has always been a high-risk player to a certain extent. In the past, Klopp's series of Alisson saves was the sum of his workload during a match. Generally enough to win a fairly routine match. Even with the excitement of the comeback it is evident that Liverpool still has a lot to fix.

Matip’s latest adventures

By now, Liverpool fans must have thought they had seen it all with Joël Matip. The centre-back has never been averse to a foray forward — but his latest antics might just be new territory.

Matip was leading the press within the first minute of the contest. Matip was not the one setting the tone for the rest. He was the one who charged down the goalkeeper.

It might have been a fan favorite goal on another day. Fábio Carvalho nicked the ball off Robert Sánchez a little later, exposing his vulnerability. Unfortunately, that wasn’t to be, but the effort endeared Matip to the Kop that little bit more; it was a moment of levity in a half that often made brutal viewing.

He was not done. Matip’s unorthodox volleyed backheel in Liverpool’s own box started the move that ultimately led to the equaliser; as well as further cementing his richly-deserved fan favourite status among those who did not miss it, the moment of invention helped create what should have been a decisive turning point in the match.

The early goals problem

It doesn't take a rocket scientist for to realize that Liverpool is losing the battle to concede first. However, they almost won this game. The team received a stark reminder against Brighton.

Brighton is a progressive outfit that is not in the traditional top six. They play good football and attack when they can. But before even half an hour had been played, Pervis Estupiñán was in the book for time-wasting.

He is not to be blamed. His team is facing a lot of odds. Liverpool should win comfortably, both in footballing and financial terms. So when any opponent takes a lead, they can be expected to run down the clock, making the task considerably harder for Klopp’s men.

This habit of shipping the first goal has to end sharpish, or Liverpool simply won’t come close to achieving their goals this season. Even though every game can be a comeback it is not possible to win every one.