Liverpool were the same as ever again as their defensive weaknesses saw a three-goal comeback collapse with Brighton securing a 3-3 draw at Anfield.
Liverpool 3-3 Brighton
Premier League (7), AnfieldOctober 1, 2022
Goals
Trossard 4′Trossard 17′Firmino 33′ (assist – Salah)Firmino 54′ (assist – Diaz)Webster OG 63′ (assist – Alexander-Arnold)Trossard 83′
For all the talk of corners converted, it was another slow start for Liverpool as they fell a goal behind in four minutes at Anfield.
Returning Jordan Henderson was caught outside the box following a Trent Alexander-Arnold clearance, and Leandro Trossard eventually found room to finish low past Alisson.
Worryingly, the Reds needed Alisson at his best to keep the score down, with the Brazilian producing good saves to deny a header from Danny Welbeck and another from Trossard.
He couldn’t do anything for the Belgian’s second in the 17th minute, with a more absyme defensive work that allowed Trossard to make a great effort from the same place as the first.
At the other end, when Liverpool finally got into the game, a brilliant save from Robert Sánchez denied Mohamed Salah after the ball somehow bounced off him in the box.
A brilliant finish from Roberto Firmino brought it back to 2-1, following a VAR review, bringing Anfield back to life after a deflated start.
HT: Liverpool 1-2 Brighton
Jurgen Klopp had seen enough at halftime as he made quick action to replace the ineffective Fabio Carvalho with Luis Diaz, the teenager who had struggled on the left flank.
That gave Liverpool immediate impetus, with Diaz’s pace and cunning creating his second of the afternoon, coming one-on-one with Joel Veltman at half-time and meeting Firmino for another serene finish to make it 2-2.
Then it was three, with Alexander-Arnold’s trademark dead ball causing trouble for a lackluster Sanchez in the box and coming in on the shoulder of Brighton defender Adam Webster.
Another impressive save from Alisson prevented Welbeck from heading in a leveller, with Liverpool still far from their defensive best while Alexander-Arnold continues to show signs of mental fatigue.
It showed late, when Kaoru Mitoma’s cross went past Virgil van Dijk and Trossard converted his hat-trick despite the goalkeeper’s effort.
A deserved draw for Brighton, perhaps, with a late roll of the dice when Darwin Núñez replaced Thiago without announcing the expected result, the spoils shared at Anfield.
TIA Man of the Match: Alisson
Referee: Andy Madley
Liverpool: Alison; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Tsimikas (Milner 59′); Fabinho, Henderson (Elliott 59′), Thiago (Núñez 89′); Salah, Carvalho (DÃaz 46′), Firmino (Jota 75′)
Unused Subs: Adrian, Gomez, Phillips, Arthur
Brighton: Sanchez; Veltman, Webster, Dunk, Estupinan (Lallana 75′); Gross (Mitoma 65′), Caicedo, Mac Allister; March, Trossard, Welbeck
Unused Subs: Steele, Lamptey, Colwill, Sarmiento, Enciso, Undav, Gilmour
Next game: Rangers (H) – Champions League – Tuesday 4th October, 8pm (BST)
