Danny Welbeck scored a timely double as Brighton dealt Liverpool a further blow in their pursuit of a top-five Premier League finish.
Aiming to build on Wednesday's big win over Galatasaray and banish their inconsistency, Arne Slot’s side instead fell to another damaging defeat - having lost top scorer Hugo Ekitike to what appeared to be a dead leg within just eight minutes of kick-off.
Welbeck punished sloppy Liverpool defending to give Brighton the lead shortly after - although the visitors were handed a route back into the game when Milos Kerkez capitalised on Lewis Dunk’s error to level.
But Welbeck restored Brighton’s lead after the restart with his 12th goal of the season, putting the veteran striker clear as the top-scoring Englishman in the Premier League after being snubbed from Thomas Tuchel’s latest squad.
Brighton were fully deserving of their victory after an energetic performance but Liverpool are now without a win in three in the Premier League. Slot, however, dismissed any concerns that Ekitike’s injury was serious.
“I think [Ekitike] having to go off after one or two minutes, not being able to help the team anymore with something that is just a bit of bad luck,” Slot told TNT Sports.
“It's not like he's out for three months, at least that's not what I assume, but it's bad enough not to be able to continue. That's a big blow for him. It was in the end also a blow for us.”
Follow all of the latest from the Amex Stadium with our live blog below:
Brighton vs Liverpool LIVE
- FULL TIME! Brighton deal Liverpool another blow to their top-five hopes in Premier League
- Danny Welbeck’s timely double fires excellent Brighton to fourth win in five matches
- 'It's a big blow for us': Arne Slot issues Hugo Ekitike injury update
- 56' GOAL! Welbeck adds his second for 12th of the season [BRI 2-1 LIV]
- 30' GOAL! Milos Kerkez capitalises on Lewis Dunk mistake to equalise [BRI 1-1 LIV]
- 15' GOAL! Danny Welbeck punishes sloppy Liverpool mistakes [BRI 1-0 LIV]
- 7' INJURY! Hugo Ekitike forced off in latest Liverpool injury blow [BRI 0-0 LIV]
Liverpool lose Hugo Ekitike to early injury after James Milner challenge
22:54 , Jamie BraidwoodLiverpool striker Hugo Ekitike was forced off just seven minutes into the Premier League trip to Brighton to deal Arne Slot another injury blow after losing Mohamed Salah and goalkeeper Alisson this week.
Salah, who was forced off late on in the 4-0 win over Galatasaray on Wednesday, faces a race to be fit for the FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester City following the international break, while Liverpool are hopeful that Alexander Isak could return for the Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain.
More here:
Liverpool lose Hugo Ekitike to early injury after James Milner challenge
Welbeck adds his second for 12th of the season
21:54 , Jamie BraidwoodWelbeck doubled his tally in the 56th minute.
Yankuba Minteh's inviting cross from the left was turned back across the six-yard box by Jack Hinshelwood for the unmarked Welbeck to tap home and then leapfrog Dunk in celebration after a tense VAR review.
Milos Kerkez capitalises on Lewis Dunk mistake to equalise
20:54 , Jamie BraidwoodBrighton were even more generous for Liverpool's 30th-minute leveller.
Mamardashvili's long ball forward presented little danger, but Seagulls skipper Dunk headed the ball backwards without looking, allowing Liverpool left-back Kerkez to nip in and instinctively lob stranded keeper Bart Verbruggen.
Danny Welbeck punishes sloppy Liverpool mistakes
19:54 , Jamie BraidwoodThe visitors contributed to their own undoing as Brighton snatched a 14th-minute opener.
Ibrahima Konate gifted Albion a throw-in deep in Liverpool territory by miscontrolling a pass from Mamardashvili and, following Ferdi Kadioglu's deep cross from the left, Diego Gomez nodded back across goal for former Manchester United forward Welbeck to head home and then taunt the travelling fans.
The worrying trend that could cost Liverpool in Champions League race
18:54 , Jamie BraidwoodArne Slot accepted that Liverpool have dropped too many points in the Premier League after playing in the Champions League as they suffered another blow to their hopes of finishing in the top-five with defeat at Brighton.
Danny Welbeck’s double earned Brighton a deserved victory over Slot’s side, who became the first reigning Premier League champions to lose 10 games in a season since Chelsea in 2017-18.
The Reds have lost five games of their 10 games immediately after playing in Europe this season, winning four and drawing one, as they failed to back up Wednesday’s big win over Galatasaray to reach the quarter-finals.
Already without Mohamed Salah and goalkeeper Alisson to injuries, Liverpool lost Hugo Ekitike to a dead leg following a heavy collision with James Milner in the opening five minutes and they were outworked by an energetic Brighton team who were fully deserving of their fourth win in five games.
The worrying trend that could cost Liverpool in Champions League race
Arne Slot bemoans Liverpool injuries but says Hugo Ekitike knock not serious
17:54 , Jamie Braidwood“What went wrong started off with the lead up to this game. As so many times has happened this season, when we played a very good game (against Galatasaray) and we thought we could bring that level to the next game, or even better, we had Mo Salah injured, we had Alisson injured and, after two minutes, Hugo Ekitike out.
“That has happened to us so many times this season and what happened to us a lot this season is that the first chance of the other team immediately went in. But in the second half Brighton were the better team and deserved to win.”
Arne Slot on Liverpool's defeat: 'Brighton were the better team'
16:54 , Jamie BraidwoodArne Slot, speaking to TNT Sports, does not shy away from the face that Brighton were the better side against Liverpool today.
“It is clear that we have lost a lot of points after playing in Europe. I have tried to explain a lot of times already why this is but today we also have to give credit to Brighton. In the second half, they were the better team on the pitch.
“There is always pressure at Liverpool. On me, on the players. That is completely normal. We have qualified for the quarter finals of the FA Cup and the Champions League but in the league we need to make sure that in the end, we qualify for the Champions League.
“As much as I dislike us losing here today, Brighton away has always been a difficult one and will always be a difficult one as long as they keep bringing in so many good players.
“But there are other games where we should have picked up more points, like last week against Tottenham. That is far more unacceptable than this. But even away at Brighton, a club like Liverpool should be able to get a result."
Steven Gerrard on the pressure facing Arne Slot
16:34 , Jamie Braidwood“Beating Man City in the FA Cup is the only thing he can control now. He can’t change anything about today.
“I think he'd be really disappointed in the overall performance. I think he acknowledged the fact that they were going to suffer at times today through what they had to put in midweek.
“They just couldn't match Brighton's intensity and energy levels throughout the 90 minutes today. In the second half, Brighton came out and really went through the gears. They lifted it to a level and Liverpool just couldn't live with them.
“It was a big, big blow losing Ekitike early doors. It made them a bit toothless.”
Danny Welbeck talks Brighton performance, and World Cup call-up?
16:14 , Jamie Braidwood“I think first and foremost it was a great team performance, it was a gritty 11 and we knew we had to put in the hard yards and for everybody to stick together because they've got some amazing quality on the pitch and the individual players that they can hurt you in any instant. It was a great performance, a massive three points for us today.
“I like to focus on the positive side. For my name to be mentioned in [the England conversation] is nice. I like to focus on that part of the game and me, I can only control what I can control. I don't like to waste energy on something that I can't, I have no sort of bearing on. So yeah, I focus on me.”
Could Liverpool's dismal record after Champions League cost them top five?
15:54 , Jamie BraidwoodLiverpool have won just four of the 10 Premier League games they have played immediately after the Champions League, also losing four and drawing the other two.
After the international break, they will host Fulham and go away to Everton immediately after the first and second legs of their Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain.
Steven Gerrard: 'Lack of changes from Arne Slot backfired today'
15:34 , Jamie BraidwoodSteven Gerrard, on TNT Sports, questions the lack of changes from Arne Slot after Brighton outworked and outran Liverpool following their big win over Galatasaray in midweek .
“We've seen it quite a few times this season now where they put in a lot of effort and they perform really well in the Champions League,” Gerrard says. “There’s all the emotion and all the energy and the intensity they have to put in to win those or get a result.
“It's having a big effect on them at the weekend. They haven't got the options in the squad or on the bench to make numerous changes, to bring that energy and that quality into the team to perform at the same level they do in midweek.
“Liverpool made a couple of changes that were forced on them, but the manager wanted to keep the team rather than make changes for energy, and it backfired today.”
'It's a big blow for us': Arne Slot issues Hugo Ekitike injury update
15:24 , Jamie BraidwoodArne Slot, speaking to TNT Sports, says that losing Hugo Ekitike after just seven minutes was a “big blow” - but it does not sound as if it’s anything more serious than a dead leg.
”I think the players, the fans, we all know that there's only eight games to go to qualify for Champions League and then every game that you have to miss is something you're upset about
“I think him having to go off after one or two minutes, not being able to help the team anymore with something that is just a bit of bad luck.
“Because it's not like he's out for three months, at least that's not what I assume, but it's bad enough not to be able to continue. That's a big blow for him. It was in the end also a blow for us.”
Steven Gerrard: 'You could feel that this performance was coming'
15:07 , Jamie BraidwoodSteven Gerrard, on TNT Sports, addresses Liverpool’s inconsistency this season and struggles to back up their Champions League form in the Premier League.
“The performance wasn’t good enough, but you can almost feel that this performance and this result was coming, even before the ball was kicked,” Gerrard says.
“Liverpool get a couple of injuries to key players like Salah, Allison, on the back of midweek, the manager speaking about maybe the lack of energy they might have, and then you look at Brighton's plans to come and try and play a game with that intensity and that speed, that energy.
“Brighton deserved the win overall, and a big opportunity missed for Liverpool.”
'Brighton put Liverpool under massive pressure'
14:54 , Jamie BraidwoodSteven Gerrard, on TNT Sports, praises Brighton’s performance and says the Seagulls were fully deserving of their victory.
“I thought they were excellent. In the second half they came out firing with energy and intensity. They had Liverpool under massive pressure and they thoroughly deserved the three points today.
“Pre-game it's a massive blow to lose Salah, he gets his goal in midweek and he would have had confidence. Then the injury to Ekitike early on is a massive blow. Liverpool lost a lot of pace and they lacked a cutting edge.”
Liverpool hit double figures for Premier League defeats
14:51 , Jamie BraidwoodLiverpool, last season’s champions, have now lost 10 Premier League games this campaign.
It’s the most defeats they’ve had in a campaign since 2015/16, and there are still seven games to go.
FULL TIME! Brighton 2-1 Liverpool
14:46 , Jamie BraidwoodDanny Welbeck gets hugs and claps on the back from his team-mates. What an afternoon for the striker.
For Brighton, too: they are up to 8th in the Premier League, just two points behind Brentford. A late charge for Europe is on?
Curtis Jones appears to wave an apology to the Liverpool. This was another false dawn for Arne Slot’s side.
FULL TIME! Brighton 2-1 Liverpool
14:44 , Jamie BraidwoodAn excellent win for Brighton! Their fourth in five in the Premier League, inspired by Danny Welbeck’s double! Fabian Hurzeler’s side will celebrate this into the night.
But where to begin with Liverpool... that was woeful. It started badly with Hugo Ekitike’s injury, and got much, much worse.
They could be leapfrogged by Chelsea into fifth if the Blues get something at Everton later. Awful performance from Slot’s side.
Brighton 2-1 Liverpool
14:41 , Jamie Braidwood90+4 mins: Suddenly Brighton are short and Ngumoha leads the break! Wieffer takes the yellow card with a cynical foul. Free-kick out on the left for Liverpool to salvage something.
Oh dear, oh dear. Szoboszlai hits a tame effort straight at Verbruggen. That was neither a shot or a cross. Sums up their afternoon!
Brighton 2-1 Liverpool
14:39 , Jamie Braidwood90+2 mins: Brighton have control of the game and are happy to wind down time in Liverpool’s half.
Brighton 2-1 Liverpool
14:37 , Jamie Braidwood90 mins: Brighton continue to push for the third. The defending from Liverpool is desperate.
But there will be six more minutes to play.
Brighton 2-1 Liverpool
14:34 , Jamie Braidwood87 mins: OFF THE LINE! Liverpool scramble away again, and it’s Jones on the line to clear after Ayari had turned goalwards from the corner. This really could have been three, four or five.
Brighton 2-1 Liverpool
14:33 , Jamie Braidwood86 mins: A sight of goal for Gakpo as he cuts inside, but Verbruggen gets across well! That’s as close as Liverpool have come this second half.
Brighton 2-1 Liverpool
14:32 , Jamie Braidwood85 mins: Granted, it’s been tough for Liverpool losing Mohamed Salah, Alisson and Hugo Ekitike to injury. But after the win over Galatasaray on Wednesday, you expected more than this.
Brighton have been all over the them.
Brighton 2-1 Liverpool
14:29 , Jamie Braidwood82 mins: A standing ovation for Danny Welbeck as he is replaced. Are you watching Thomas Tuchel?
Brighton 2-1 Liverpool
14:25 , Jamie Braidwood78 mins: That should be the game! Mitoma breezes past Jones and puts it on a plate for Hinshelwood, but he can’t convert!
Chiesa, who is on, then leads the breakaway, but can’t work a sight of goal. Robertson is also on for Liverpool.
Kerkez and Konate are off - Gravenberch has gone to centre-back. Szoboszlai is then booked. Liverpool look a mess.
Brighton 2-1 Liverpool
14:24 , Jamie Braidwood77 mins: It’s been quite the afternoon for Minteh, who has destroyed Liverpool while also perhaps being fortunate to remain on the pitch.
Kaoru Mitoma is a fine replacement, though.
Brighton 2-1 Liverpool
14:20 , Jamie Braidwood73 mins: Konate is having one of those days. He’s almost caught in the box by Welbeck and tumbles to the turf with the forward as Mamardashvili collects the loose pass.
Brighton 2-1 Liverpool
14:19 , Jamie Braidwood71 mins: Liverpool are hanging on. A right scramble in the box just doesn’t fall Brighton’s way. But they are suffocating Liverpool at the moment, it’s intense, energetic - everything the visitors are missing.
Brighton 2-1 Liverpool
14:15 , Jamie Braidwood68 mins: HUGE SAVE! Minteh races clear into the box and forces a big stop from Mamardashvili. The pace from Minteh was frightening but he blasted the finish straight at the goalkeeper.
Brighton 2-1 Liverpool
14:11 , Jamie Braidwood64 mins; SAVE! Lovely effort from Jones, stepping inside onto his left foot and curling low. Verbruggen is equal to it, putting it behind for a corner.
Verbruggen flaps at the punch but Brighton survive.
Brighton 2-1 Liverpool
14:10 , Jamie Braidwood62 mins: Gomez whacks the free-kick, looking to bend it inside the far post. Mamardashvili saves.
Rio Ngumoha is being readied, and the 17-year-old is brought on for Frimpong, spared any further torment from Minteh.
Jones goes to right back.
Brighton 2-1 Liverpool
14:08 , Jamie Braidwood60 mins: Minteh is DESTROYING Liverpool’s right side. He’s drawn bookings from Konate and now Frimpong, who goes in the book for hauling down the winger.
GOAL STANDS! Brighton 2-1 Liverpool (WELBECK 56')
14:04 , Jamie BraidwoodWelbeck has his second! That’s 12 for the season! Incredible.
Brighton retake the lead. Liverpool fall behind.
GOAL! Brighton 2-1 Liverpool (WELBECK 56')
14:03 , Jamie BraidwoodIt’s THAT MAN again! The only question is if Welbeck is onside...
It’s a stunning ball in from Minteh from the left. It picks out Hinshelwood, who knocks it across to Welbeck to finish. But it’s very tight. Lines are being drawn.
KICK-OFF! Brighton 1-1 Liverpool
13:53 , Jamie BraidwoodYakuba Minteh appeared to escape a yellow card for diving after going down in the box despite no contact from Jeremie Frimpong. Having already seen a yellow card, Liverpool boss Arne Slot was demanding that Minteh be shown a second.
But the Brighton winger remains on the pitch as the second half gets underway.
ICYMI: Liverpool lose Hugo Ekitike to early injury after James Milner challenge
13:45 , Jamie BraidwoodLiverpool striker Hugo Ekitike was forced off just seven minutes into the Premier League trip to Brighton to deal Arne Slot another injury blow after losing Mohamed Salah and goalkeeper Alisson this week.
Ekitike suffered what appeared to be a dead leg following a late challenge from the Brighton veteran, and Liverpool great, James Milner, inside the opening few minutes of the Premier League clash on the south coast.
Ekitike was left banging the turf in pain but was able to hobble to the sidelines. After despite a brief attempt to play on, Ekitike went down again and was replaced by Curtis Jones before heading straight down the tunnel.
The France international has been called up for the friendlies against Brazil and Colombia next week, but could be a doubt depending on the severity of the injury. Salah and Alisson have withdrawn from Egypt and Brazil’s squads, respectively, after both missing the trip to Brighton.
HALF TIME! Brighton 1-1 Liverpool
13:36 , Jamie BraidwoodDiego Gomez picks up a late booking after clattering into the back of Alexis Mac Allister. It’s been a physical half, this.
And we’re all square after Kerkez capitalised on Dunk’s mistake to haul Liverpool level. Welbeck headed Brighton in front after punishing sloppy play from Liverpool.
Brighton 1-1 Liverpool
13:32 , Jamie Braidwood45+1 mins: Into five mins of added time... Brighton are roasting Liverpool down the left and Minteh’s cross has to be palmed away by Mamardashvili. Brighton are finishing the first half on top.
Brighton 1-1 Liverpool
13:30 , Jamie Braidwood44 mins: Brighton are living dangerously! Szoboszlai almost nicks to intercept a ball across the face. Konate is then booked for hauling down Minteh when he was on the break.
GOAL! Brighton 1-1 Liverpool (KERKEZ 30')
13:15 , Jamie BraidwoodLIVERPOOL ARE LEVEL! It’s a horrible mistake from Lewis Dunk, but brilliantly read by Milos Kerkez!
A long diagonal ball forward looks for Kerkez but Dunk tries to head back towards goal. The left-back, though, continues the run and ghosts in before lobbing Verbruggen!
It’s wonderfully done by Kerkez. Not sure what he was doing there, though. Neither was Dunk!
Brighton 1-0 Liverpool
13:13 , Jamie Braidwood27 mins: Minteh, who has been booked, looks a little worried after catching Frimpong as he challenges for a high ball. But there wasn’t too much in it and the winger gets away with it. He’s on thin ice now!
Brighton 1-0 Liverpool
13:08 , Jamie Braidwood21 mins: SAVE! A clever ball in from Szoboszlai finds Mac Allister. The header is downward and strong but Verbruggen gets down well to push behind.
GOAL! Brighton 1-0 Liverpool (WELBECK 15')
13:00 , Jamie BraidwoodAND LIVERPOOL ARE PUNISHED! Welbeck heads in at the back post!
That’s so, so sloppy from Liverpool. The errors piled up and straight from the throw-in conceded by Konate, Brighton score.
Welbeck is in the right place to head in at the back post. The veteran moves clear of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and is the top-scoring English player in the Premier League this season, with 12.
And still no England call-up!
Brighton 0-0 Liverpool
12:59 , Jamie Braidwood13 mins: This has been a far from fluid start from Liverpool... Ibrahima Konate has just carelessly kicked the ball out of play.
Brighton 0-0 Liverpool
12:53 , Jamie Braidwood8 mins: EKITIKE IS COMING OFF! Another blow for Liverpool after losing Mohamed Salah in midweek. Ekitike is OFF and is replaced by Curtis Jones. The Frenchman goes straight down the tunnel.
Brighton 0-0 Liverpool
12:49 , Jamie Braidwood4 mins: Ekitike is left banging the turf. It’s an accidental collision with Milner, who was late. But it’s the impact of leg-on-leg. Ekitike, though, is in some pain.
Curtis Jones is warming up and Ekitike is forced to hobble to the sideline. Is a change coming?
Brighton 0-0 Liverpool
12:48 , Jamie Braidwood2 mins: James Milner, back facing his former club today, catches Dominik Szoboszlai with a stray arm. Hugo Ekitike stays down, too, after a late challenge from Milner.
The 40-year-old is not holding back against his former club!
KICK-OFF! Brighton 0-0 Liverpool
12:46 , Jamie BraidwoodUnderway in the sun on the south coast. Liverpool boot the ball straight out of play from kick-off, which is a choice.
