Iraola saw reliable Liverpool, compliments for Dutch trio

Liverpool secured their fourth win in five matches against Brighton, with manager Iraola praising the team's collective performance and resilience.

Liverpool defeated Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday to extend their winning run to four matches, a significant turnaround from Iraola's difficult start as manager. The Reds began with draws and a heavy home loss to Manchester City, but have now built momentum.

Iraola told Sky Sports after the match: "I'm very happy. We needed this home win and to celebrate it with the supporters. We started very aggressively, which was crucial because we've conceded early recently. Against a confident team like Brighton, it was vital to start well and score first. The players are delivering good performances, helping each other and playing as a real collective. There's a team you can trust."

Florian Wirtz was substituted after an hour with a minor ankle twist but the injury does not appear serious. Wirtz himself said: "We need to investigate further, but I don't expect it to last long." The German forward, signed for €125 million from Bayer Leverkusen last summer, has faced criticism but has now scored once and provided three assists in his last four games.

Dutch trio Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo all started. Van Dijk received a 7 from the BBC, with the broadcaster noting he was "back to his old self" after a relatively weak Champions League display. Gravenberch and Gakpo also earned 7s for solid contributions.