Mohamed Salah shows old electricity has not left him yet on return from exile in Liverpool's 2-0 win over Brighton - but Hugo Ekitike is the main man with brace to thrill Anfield

He said he was bringing his mother for a look around the place where he has traced the track of so many wonderful years and when he stood apart from others during the warmup, gazing wistfully around in a valedictory way, you sensed he was conveying another of those messages he lands so well.

But Anfield has a way of altering the course of events, shaping its own history, giving more back to those it loves most. And so it was that a first half injury to a wing-back gave Mo Salah his stage back and an hour in which to suggest that he’s not quite done with Anfield yet.

What ensued after his arrival for Joe Gomez, four minutes before the half-hour mark, was by no means the Salah vintage. Nothing to be remembered in its own right, long after he’s gone. He raced the length of the pitch like the wind, to be on hand to receive a ball Federico Chiesa was advancing with in injury time, but instead struck the Italian’s slightly overhit pass over the bar. His own pass on another counter-attacking thrust at the death was desperately poor.

In a sign of how quickly the balance shifts and the world moves on in football, the 33-year-old’s stage was actually stolen by one of those who are being asked to pick up the mantle now: Hugo Ekitike, who scored twice and was a relentless, irrepressible, unpredictable presence – destined to discover what Salah has found here. But this was no less a reaffirmation of the vows and evidence that Salah will surely be here to help Liverpool put their current travails away.

There was a reason why the name of James Milner – on Brighton ’s bench – got the biggest cheer of all those read out, all afternoon, both before the match and when he arrived late on. It’s the presence of a genuine captain’s mentality – leadership – which Liverpool have missed. One former leader of this club recently yearned for what both Milner and Jordan Henderson long gone, once brought.

But when it came to Anfield volume, the response to the stadium announcer’s ‘Mo Salah’, as he listed Liverpool’s own substitutes was not far behind. Those here wanted to put the past week behind and tried not to read too much into that wistful look on Salah’s face as he gazed around the place which has given him eight and a half such beautiful football years.

Mohamed Salah made his Liverpool return in their 2-0 victory over Brighton at Anfield

Salah was not his vintage self on his return and blazed over in second half stoppage time

Salah had his thunder stolen by Hugo Ekitike, with the forward scoring twice for the hosts

Liverpool began very well without him, their goal inside 46 seconds a product of some of the old heavy metal football from Curtis Jones, chivvying and chasing Brighton out of possession from the off, as much as for Ekitike’s ice cold finish. Gomez, first to Yankuba Minteh’s terribly shanked clearance, headed it down to Ekitike, who let it bounce and struck it home on the volley.

But Liverpool’s defensive failings stalked this place, for all the signs of promise, such as the back heeled tee-up by Fabian Wirtz which Ekitike couldn’t convert and the combination between the same two from which the Frenchman volleyed wide. This was a side transparently vulnerable to moments attacking class, like Minteh’s ball, perpendicular to their defence, which sent Diego Gomez through on vigilant Allisson in the first half. And the pass Mats Wieffer ran treacherously across their six-yard box early in the second. Gomez could not connect. Brighton were enterprising and had their moments.

That new contract Salah wanted for last season gave him such motivation that every goal celebration appeared choreographed to say, ‘I am worth it,’ and when he arrived so early, to a low chorus of his ‘running down the wing’ chorus, you wondered whether the events of the past week might have a similar effect here, turning Slot into a master of reverse psychologist.

It didn’t take long to establish how much. He crackled with the electricity of one wanting to be at the front and centre; thirsting for the venom which he has put down somewhere and been unable to locate.

kitike gave Liverpool the perfect start by firing the hosts ahead in the opening minute

Salah was introduced as a substitute in the first half after Joe Gomez was forced off injured

Salah's introduction came after he had held talks with Liverpool boss Arne Slot on Friday

Diego Gomez passed up two big chances to bring Brighton back level at Anfield

Ekitike sealed Liverpool's victory by heading in from a Salah corner on the hour mark

Salah applauded fans at full-time as he prepares to head off to the African Cup of Nations

There was an early pass to Wirtz, whose onward flick to Ekitike couldn’t bring a shot on target, and a gorgeous one-two with Dominic Szoboszlai. But above all that, the energy. There was the old velocity, on a Liverpool counter attack around the hour mark, before a pass of fractional imprecision which did not roll in front of Ekitike and allow him to capitalise. When Ekitike traced a ball to Alexis MacAllister a few moments later, Salah seized it and struck a shot at a saveable height for Bart Verbruggen. And then came the trademark arced Salah corner from which Ekitike, criminally unmarked, rose to head home and seal the contest.

Ekitike was the main man in that moment, as Salah tried without success to speak to him beneath the din. The chemistry with Alexander Isak, who arrived for Ekitike, was not the same. Salah’s pass for Isak on the counter was placed too far ahead of him, though the game was over by then and.

At the end of it all, a Christmas song about ‘love and understanding’ rung round this place and Salah laughed at the sheer, ludicrous unpredictability of it all. When the players went to salute the Kop, he lingered a little longer in the warmth of that moment of mutual respect, listening as their anthem about him rang out all over again.