Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Brighton was a result built on two very different performances. The first half showcased the directness, aggression and attacking threat that Andoni Iraola wants from his team. The second tested their ability to withstand pressure when they could no longer dictate the terms of the game.

Both mattered. Liverpool raced into a two-goal lead through a Pascal Groß own goal and Alexander Isak’s finish, then defended it through a demanding second half. They moved up to fourth in the Premier League table and made it four consecutive victories in all competitions.

Yet the most revealing statistic was not the scoreline. Liverpool finished with just 35.6 per cent possession, their second-lowest share in a Premier League home victory since records began in 2003-04, according to Opta. Brighton had 17 attempts but managed only one shot on target.

That combination told the story. Liverpool did not need to dominate possession to win, but they did need to make their best moments count — and then defend their penalty area with discipline.

Iraola had emphasised the importance of starting aggressively before the match. Liverpool’s opening spell showed why.

The hosts pressed Brighton high, looked to disrupt their attempts to play out and attacked quickly when possession changed hands. They were not interested in allowing the visitors to settle into a comfortable rhythm.

Cody Gakpo tested Bart Verbruggen early, while Brighton also created a significant opportunity of their own. Yasin Ayari failed to convert a cut-back from Groß, firing over when well placed. It was a costly miss: Liverpool punished Brighton soon afterwards.

Ronald Araujo’s work in the build-up to the opener was important. After his cross was only partially cleared, Florian Wirtz collected the loose ball and shot, with the effort deflecting off Groß and into the net.

The goal was officially recorded as an own goal, but Liverpool’s pressure helped create the situation. Araujo had competed to keep the attack alive, Wirtz reacted quickly to the clearance and Brighton were unable to regain their defensive shape.

The second goal arrived through a similarly direct sequence. Bradley Barcola blocked Olivier Boscagli’s attempted clearance, chased the loose ball and beat his opponent before delivering into the box. Isak was ready to finish.

It was an effective demonstration of Iraola’s attacking principles: pressure the opposition, win the individual contest and move forward before the defence can reorganise.

Liverpool’s early advantage was not simply a consequence of having better forwards. Their intensity helped put Brighton under pressure in areas where mistakes could be punished.

The concern was what happened after Liverpool had established their lead.

Brighton continued to find possession, and Liverpool struggled to sustain the same level of pressure. The visitors began committing more players forward, forcing the home side to defend for longer periods and making it increasingly difficult to escape their own half.

There were warning signs even before the interval. Ayari struck the post after Liverpool surrendered possession following a goal-kick, while Alisson Becker had to save from Charalampos Kostoulas. Another effort was blocked after the rebound fell to Gómez.

These moments mattered because they showed that Liverpool’s defensive problems had not disappeared simply because they had scored twice. Brighton were capable of finding openings, particularly when Liverpool gave the ball away cheaply.

The second half brought more of the same. Liverpool had space to exploit when Brighton pushed forward, but their execution in the final third was inconsistent. Attacks that might have offered relief instead broke down, leaving the visitors able to come again.

That is the challenge for Iraola. A side built around aggressive pressing and quick transitions will not control every game through possession, nor should it necessarily try to. But it must recognise when to press, when to keep the ball and when a more measured spell of possession would help take the sting out of a contest.

Liverpool did not always manage that against Brighton. Their inability to retain the ball meant the defensive workload increased, and the match remained uncomfortable for longer than it might have done.

Liverpool deserve credit for how they responded to that pressure.

Jeremy Jacquet produced an important block in the first half, while Araujo also intervened as Brighton looked to reduce the deficit. After the interval, Trey Nyoni made a vital challenge to deny Maxim De Cuyper as the full-back advanced into a dangerous position.

Alisson was required to make an important near-post save from Kostoulas, too. Liverpool were not flawless, but their defenders and goalkeeper repeatedly found ways to prevent Brighton from turning territorial pressure into a goal.

The visitors’ finishing also helped. Ayari’s missed opportunity and his later effort against the post were significant, while Brighton managed only one attempt on target despite registering 17 shots.

That should not diminish Liverpool’s work. Limiting a team that arrived on a four-match league winning run to one shot on target was a meaningful achievement. But it also highlights the difference between defending successfully and controlling a game.

Liverpool did the former. There were periods when they struggled to do the latter.

The clean sheet was valuable, particularly after a midweek victory over Villarreal in which Liverpool had conceded three goals. The lesson is not that the team must abandon its attacking ambition, but that the aggression which helped secure the lead needs to be matched by greater composure when opponents respond.

The most encouraging aspect of the performance was that Liverpool showed they could win in different ways within the same match.

Their opening spell was forceful and decisive. Barcola’s directness created the second goal, Isak continued his scoring run and Wirtz was involved in the move that produced the opener. At the other end, Liverpool made the blocks, clearances and saves required to preserve their advantage.

Iraola described the start as the key, pointing to the need to be aggressive, recover possession and win duels. His assessment reflected the importance of Liverpool imposing themselves rather than allowing the opposition to dictate the opening exchanges.

But the second half offered a counterpoint. Liverpool’s attacking threat faded, their possession became harder to sustain and Brighton found ways to push them back. Against a side with greater accuracy in front of goal, that loss of control could have proved more costly.

There is a balance for Iraola to find. Liverpool do not need to monopolise the ball to make his approach work, but they need to be more effective at using possession to manage the rhythm of matches once they have taken the lead.

The result remains significant. Brighton had been in excellent form, Liverpool recorded a fourth consecutive win in all competitions and the team showed the resilience to protect a two-goal advantage.

The next step is to make that resilience less of a necessity. Liverpool’s best football against Brighton came when they played with purpose and aggression; the task now is to sustain that threat without allowing the game to become a prolonged exercise in defending their own box.