Written by David Lynch, Liverpool expert:

It has been going somewhat under the radar that Andoni Iraola's Liverpool had started to come to the boil of late.

Despite impressive victories over Bournemouth, Brentford and Villarreal making it seven wins in nine, analysis of the performances tended to focus on the "unconvincing" aspects rather than the positives.

However, those who have been watching this team more closely - namely, Liverpool fans - have seen a defence starting to keep clean sheets, a midfield finding its balance, and an attack beginning to click across recent games.

And all that was really left was for all of that to come together in a performance that would signal to the wider public the return of Liverpool as a force.

In the past, Brighton would be an unlikely opponent against which to make such a statement, but this is the new Premier League where the Seagulls contend for Champions League football and Manchester United languish in the bottom half.

And so this was a hugely significant success for the Reds that was only enhanced by exactly how it was earned.

Liverpool 2-0 Brighton: Can the Reds start thinking about a Premier League title?

Alexander Isak's sixth goal in seven Premier League appearances meant he continued to mark his long overdue arrival as a Liverpool player.

And though Florian Wirtz saw a strike of his own later reclassified as an own goal, he put in yet another influential showing that suggested he is ready to shake off the expensive flop tag.

Throw in the fact that, as a collective, the Reds looked simultaneously stable and threatening throughout, and you wonder whether they might be able to start looking up the table toward a title race in the weeks ahead.

Of course, a test of whether that might be possible awaits next week when the champions Arsenal travel to Anfield.

But there is now likely to be a greater belief in Liverpool's ability to stop Mikel Arteta's men than even a few days ago thanks to this important and deserved win over Brighton.