Brighton dominant against listless Liverpool

Brighton & Hove Albion recorded a famous victory at home to a Liverpool side who lacked any kind of cutting edge.

The Seagulls were on top from the very start of the game, smothering the opposition and winning the ball back quickly whenever they lost it.

Kaoru Mitoma was the biggest threat for Brighton going forward with the Japanese winger causing problems for Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ibrahima Konaté.

Brighton were awarded a penalty shortly before half-time when Alexis Mac Allister fed Solly March in behind the Liverpool defence. March went around Allison and was brought down with the referee pointing to the spot but VAR intervened to show that March had been in an offside position.

Roberto de Zerbi might have been worried that despite being on top for the entire half, Brighton hadn’t managed to convert that pressure into goals.

That changed early into the second half. The goal began with Joel Matip giving the ball away with Brighton quick to get forward and March getting the finishing touches.

Just a few minutes later it was 2-0. This time Evan Ferguson set up March who lifted the ball superbly past Allison.

That double salvo looked to shock Liverpool and it was about 75 minutes into the game before they started to gain some momentum. 

However, Brighton wrapped up the points late on when substitute Danny Welbeck found space from a throw-in, lifted the ball over Joe Gomez and then neatly finished for 3-0.

Perhaps the best way to sum up the game was that Liverpool ended the game with 38% possession and only won a corner in the 90th minute. 

Alarm bells must be ringing for Jürgen Klopp with his side looking like a shadow of their former selves just months after being in with a chance of a historic quadruple. Brighton meanwhile will be thinking that European football is a real possibility.

xG: Brighton & Hove Albion (2.00) 3-0 (0.96) Liverpool

FT: ANOTHER SPECIAL WIN! 🤯

[3-0] 📲 https://t.co/S3j1TIeLz3 // #BHAFC 🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/uUs3gMigXb

— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) January 14, 2023