Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike bagged a double to secure a 2-0 Premier League victory over Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday while talisman Mohamed Salah, whose future at the Merseyside team is uncertain, recorded a landmark assist on an emotional afternoon.
Arne Slot's men climbed provisionally to sixth in the table on 26 points after 16 matches, seven behind leaders Arsenal, while Brighton are now three points off Liverpool in ninth.
Close-season signing Ekitike fired the hosts into a first-minute lead 47 seconds in -- the quickest goal in the league this season -- after Yankuba Minteh's dreadful attempted clearance.
Joe Gomez headed the ball back in and it dropped perfectly for Ekitike, whose shot on the turn beat goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen.
Salah, whose future was plunged into doubt following his scathing criticism of Slot and the club a week ago, came on to a standing ovation and loud applause as a 26th-minute substitute after an injury to Gomez.
The 33-year-old, who leaves for the Africa Cup of Nations on Monday, was heavily involved from the moment he stepped on the pitch and got an assist in the 60th minute when his pinpoint corner to the back post found Ekitike who headed home Liverpool's first league goal from a corner this season.
With the assist, Salah claimed the outright record for the most goal involvements for a single team in Premier League history with 277, passing Wayne Rooney's 276 with Manchester United.
It was Salah's name the fans sang after the goal, which came seconds after the Egyptian played a ball to Ekitike on a three-on-two counter, with the French striker's shot palmed over the bar by Verbruggen.
A moment of glory looked written for Salah in injury time, but he fired over the bar from 10 yards out following a counter led by Federico Chiesa.
Salah looked emotional as he applauded the fans after the final whistle.
Liverpool's much-needed victory marked back-to-back wins after they beat Inter Milan 1-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Chelsea return to top four with 2-0 home win over Everton
Chelsea beat Everton 2-0 to return to the Premier League top four as well-worked first-half goals from talisman Cole Palmer and France fullback Malo Gusto stemmed a run of four games in all competitions without a victory.
Palmer, back in action this month after missing most of the season through injury, drilled the ball between goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and the near post after Gusto's pinpoint pass.
Gusto switched from provider to scorer in the 46th minute when he poked a Pedro Neto cross home after the Portuguese winger outpaced marker Vitalii Mykolenko.
"It was important for us to come back, with a clean sheet it was even better," Gusto told Sky Sports.
The right-back said he trusted Palmer to score from his pass. "He knows I like to pass the ball to him, it was a great run for him and he scored, so I'm happy for him and me too."
The result lifted Chelsea to 28 points, five behind leaders Arsenal, who host bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers later on Saturday, and two ahead of Crystal Palace who welcome second-place Manchester City on Sunday. Everton fell to eighth on 24.
The visitors, who had won four of their previous five games, looked bright at the start and matched Chelsea for intent and work rate but they failed to take their chances, with Jack Grealish, James Tarkowski and Idrissa Gueye going close.
Iliman Ndiaye hit the post in the 87th minute but by then the game had run away from Everton, although coach David Moyes remained an animated presence in front of the dugout.
For Chelsea it was a welcome three points after they drew with Arsenal and Bournemouth and lost to Leeds United in the Premier League, as well as going down 2-1 against Atalanta in the Champions League on Wednesday.
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