Brighton 3–2 Liverpool: Player Ratings As Seagulls Complete Comeback Against Champions

Sports Illustrated FC

·19 Mei 2025

Brighton 3–2 Liverpool: Player Ratings As Seagulls Complete Comeback Against Champions

Brighton & Hove Albion equalised twice before snatching a deserved 3–2 victory at home to Liverpool in a thrilling edition of Monday night football.

Arne Slot freely admitted that it has been harder to motivate his Liverpool players following the confirmation of their Premier League title. Yet, the visitors looked pretty inspired as they speared through Brighton inside the opening 10 minutes.

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Harvey Elliott finished off a dizzying sequence on Liverpool’s right-hand side. After Mohamed Salah slipped Conor Bradley down the byline, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s highly billed replacement rolled a simple cutback for his teammate to sweep past Bart Verbruggen.

Brighton, however, would not be hapless bystanders. As manager Fabian Hürzeler warned prematch, it was his side’s “responsibility” to “play a high intensity game”. The Seagulls duly delivered, constructing their own beguiling skein of one-touch passing to tee up Yasin Ayari shortly after the half-hour mark.

The hosts continued to prod and probe at the freshly crowned champions, with Carlos Baleba particularly enjoying his various forward thrusts through the middle of the pitch. Yet it would be Liverpool, against the run of play, who earned a halftime lead through Dominik Szoboszlai.

Taking advantage of space generated by a short free kick, Szoboszlai turned down calls of a cross from his pleading teammates and simply thumped the ball into the far corner. There was a whiff of nonchalance about the feat of technical grace which seemed to catch the entire stadium by surprise. Arne Slot was left with his hands on his gleaming scalp.

Salah was presented with a golden opportunity to widen Liverpool’s advantage within 10 minutes of the restart, yet somehow conspired to spoon wide from six yards out with an open goal gaping. The Premier League’s leading scorer fluffed his lines again from even closer range, although it took a meaty paw from Verbruggen on that occasion.

When presented with this rare burst of profligacy, Brighton pounced. Danny Welbeck wreaked havoc once again between the lines, forcing an excellent save from Alisson which was parried straight to Kaoru Mitoma, who acrobatically volleyed the hosts level on 69 minutes. The Japan international tormented every red shirt unfortunate enough to step into his bandy-legged path following his introduction in the 65th minute. Jack Hinshelwood needed 45 seconds to leave his mark on proceedings.

The Sussex-born midfielder did well to get a touch of the ball before ghosting in at the back post in the 84th minute, burying a low delivery from fellow substitute Matt O’Riley, to seal a memorable victory.

While Liverpool’s place atop the table remains assured, Brighton cemented their spot in eighth which could still yet offer the reward of Conference League qualification next season.