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An entertaining first half couldn’t separate the two much-changed sides but a flurry of second-half strikes ultimately saw Liverpool come out on top.
Cody Gakpo bagged an excellent brace and Luis Diaz also scored as Liverpool held off a late Brighton fightback following goals from Simon Adingra and Tariq Lamptey.
The two sides will lock horns again this Saturday as the Seagulls travel to Anfield in the Premier League.
Both sides made sweeping changes to their starting lineups following weekend draws in the Premier League and it was Brighton who forged the first significant opening of the evening. Vitezslav Jaros was tested on his first start for the Reds and did well to smother Lamptey’s close-range effort in the 13th minute.
Liverpool dominated the ball for much of the opening stages but had to wait until the half-hour mark for their first high-quality chance. A slick move saw Dominik Szoboszlai’s low strike rebuffed by Jason Steele and Diaz was unable to convert his headed rebound after missing the target from ten yards.
Liverpool were quick to slice through Brighton when the opportunity arose and came close to sneaking a lead before the half-time whistle. A marauding run form Andy Robertson eventually culminated in the Scotsman firing a shot at Steele’s near-post, but the Brighton goalkeeper matched the effort with a strong right boot.
It took the Reds less than a minute to break the deadlock after the break and it was an absolute stunner from Gakpo that handed them the advantage. The Dutchman latched on to Tyler Morton’s pass before cutting inside and driving a spectacular shot into the top corner from an acute angle.
Brighton almost produced an equaliser just three minutes later. Lamptey burst down the right flank and found Adingra in the penalty …
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