Danny Welbeck scored twice to give Brighton a deserved win over Liverpool at the Amex Stadium, a result that leaves Arne Slot’s side staring at a potentially damaging gap in the race for a top-four finish.
Liverpool’s afternoon began badly before it had barely started. Hugo Ekitike limped off after just eight minutes following an accidental collision with James Milner, forcing Curtis Jones into an early introduction.
Brighton made the most of the disruption. On 14 minutes, Ferdi Kadioglu’s diagonal ball to the far post was nodded back across the area by Diego Gomez, and Welbeck was on hand to head his 11th league goal of the season into the net.
Liverpool responded through an unlikely source. Mamardashvili’s long kick was headed backwards by Lewis Dunk without realising Milos Kerkez had anticipated the situation and raced in behind.
The Liverpool left-back lifted the bouncing ball coolly over Verbruggen to level on 30 minutes.
Welbeck puts Brighton back in front
The second half followed a familiar pattern. Brighton came out with intent and restored their lead on 56 minutes through the simplest of finishes.
Yankuba Minteh’s deep cross found Jack Hinshelwood at the far post, whose cushioned touch put the ball perfectly into the path of Welbeck, who tucked home from close range. A VAR check for offside caused a brief delay before the goal was confirmed.
Liverpool pushed for an equaliser in the closing stages but found Brighton well organised. Gakpo tested Verbruggen from inside the box and Jones came close from a tight angle, but the home side defended well.
Kaoru Mitoma and Carlos Baleba were introduced to fresh legs, and Brighton looked the more likely to score a third late on, Mamardashvili making a sharp save to deny Minteh one-on-one.
Welbeck was substituted to a warm ovation with ten minutes remaining, his 12th league goal of the season confirming his status as the leading English scorer in the Premier League this season.
His absence from Thomas Tuchel’s England squad, announced earlier in the week, was not lost on the home support.
The result leaves Liverpool’s Champions League qualification in serious jeopardy, with the Reds having now lost ten Premier League games this season for the first time since 2015-16.
An FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester City and a Champions League last-eight tie against PSG await after the international break – but first, Slot must address why his side continue to look so vulnerable.
