Liverpool's 2-0 win over Brighton brought a mixed night for Florian Wirtz, who thought he had scored his first league goal of the season before later limping off with a suspected right ankle sprain.
The Germany midfielder was denied in the 17th minute when his effort was credited as an own goal to Pascal Gross, before Alexander Isak doubled Liverpool's lead in the 21st minute. But the focus shifted in the second half when Wirtz picked up an injury after a challenge on Ayari outside the penalty area in the 59th minute.
Wirtz injury overshadows a winning result
Wirtz was replaced in the 65th minute, leaving Liverpool to assess a fitness issue that arrives at an awkward moment even after another positive result. He had also scored in Liverpool's 4-3 midweek win over Villarreal in the Champions League, so this was not simply a case of a player missing out on a goal. It was a setback in a match where he had already been involved at both ends of the emotional spectrum.
For Liverpool, the immediate situation remains straightforward: they won the game and protected the points. For Wirtz, though, the picture is less clear. He left the pitch with his return date still uncertain, and that is the part of the story that will matter most to Liverpool in the days ahead.
