Liverpool suffered a 2-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium on Saturday, with Danny Welbeck scoring twice to secure all three points for the hosts.
The result compounds pressure on head coach Arne Slot after another underwhelming performance.
Early setback disrupts Liverpool
The visitors’ problems began early when Hugo Ekitike was forced off inside seven minutes following a challenge from James Milner.
The disruption appeared to unsettle Liverpool, who struggled to find rhythm in possession.
Brighton capitalised soon after, opening the scoring in the 16th minute. Welbeck rose unmarked at the back post to head home from a pinpoint delivery by Diego Gomez, exposing gaps in Liverpool’s defense.
Despite the early setback, Liverpool responded through Milos Kerkez. The full-back reacted quickest to a defensive error from Lewis Dunk, who misjudged a header back to goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen. Kerkez capitalised, lifting a finish to level the score.
Defensive lapses prove costly
Brighton maintained pressure after the break and regained the lead through Welbeck. The forward tapped in from close range after Jack Hinshelwood broke in behind Liverpool’s defence and squared the ball across goal. The move raised brief offside appeals, but the goal stood.
Liverpool’s defensive pairing, including Virgil van Dijk, struggled to contain Brighton’s movement, with repeated lapses allowing the hosts to create clear opportunities.
The visitors pushed forward in search of an equaliser late on but lacked cutting edge in the final third. Brighton, meanwhile, continued to threaten, with Liverpool requiring a goal-line clearance from Curtis Jones to prevent further damage.
The defeat leaves Liverpool with growing concerns over consistency