EPL Round-up: Liverpool stunned by Brighton’s win at Anfield

It is proving difficult for Jurgen Klopp and his Liverpool team as they strive to defend their EPL crown.

On Wednesday, the Reds were shocked 1-0 by Brighton, who followed up their impressive 1-0 win over Spurs last Sunday with another brilliant display against another top six EPL team.

The only goal of the match came in the second half and it was scrappy, though Steven Alzate did not care a bit as his first ever EPL goal ensured that Brighton & Hove Albion beat Liverpool for the first time in the Premier League era.

The last time the Seagulls celebrated a victory over the 19-time league winners was in 1982.

Jurgen Klopp thought they were back to their best, after successive 3-1 wins over Tottenham and West Ham, but the Graham Potter-managed side had other ideas.

After a 68-match unbeaten run at Anfield, that stretched to April 2017. Klopp’s side has now suffered back-to-back defeats at Anfield to 17th-placed Burnley and 15th-placed Brighton.

The Reds, without Sadio Mane, started brightly, and they were the first to threaten the Brighton goal, but Mohamed Salah could only direct his effort over Robert Sanchez, in goal for Brighton. Salah was off to the races again before the 10-minute mark, but Adam Webster was equal to the task.

Neal Maupay should have scored on 25 minutes, but he dawdled on his shot and it was blocked, but Liverpool should have been warned. Maupay had another chance on the stroke of halftime, but he could not direct his header on target.

Eleven minutes into the second half, Brighton deservedly went in front. A great diagonal cross by Solly March was met at the far post by Burns, who directed it back into the middle of the box.

And between Alzate and Leandro Trossard, the ball went high and away from Caoimhin Kelleher’s reach. The young Irish goalkeeper started the match in place of Alisson Becker.

Kelleher kept Liverpool in the game on 75 minutes from a Paschal Gross effort. He made another save in the 81st minute as Brighton threatened a second goal.

Liverpool had four added-on minutes to save themselves but they could not and ended the game with just one shot on target while Brighton, with 37 per cent of ball possession, ended with four attempts on target.

“We played against a really good opposition, for us this week looked too tough, we were not fresh, we didn’t look mentally fresh. If you are mentally not fresh, your legs normally sort your problems, but tonight they didn’t.”

It is now an alarming time, and Klopp needs solutions quickly just as he prepares his team for salvation when they host Manchester City on Sunday, having fallen seven points behind their rivals, who have a game in hand.