Liverpool's hopes of securing Champions League football for next season were raised after Brighton's surprise 5-1 defeat by Everton on Monday afternoon.
Roberto De Zerbi's side were expected to comfortably come out on top, having beaten Manchester United and earned a comprehensive 6-0 victory over Wolves in their previous two matches, but were blown away by the Blues in emphatic fashion to dent their top-four dreams.
The Seagulls had the opportunity to move to within two points of Manchester United had they won their two games in hand, posing serious competition to Liverpool's hopes of qualifying for Europe's elite competition. Defeat, however, has now left the Reds in a stronger position by boasting a seven-point advantage over Brighton despite playing two games more.
