Brighton and Hove Albion 2-1 Liverpool - Fabian Hurzeler's side give huge boost to European football ambitions as Reds blow chance to go top four

Brighton and Hove Albion recorded a superb 2-1 victory against Liverpool to give their hopes of playing European football next season a huge boost, while Arne Slot's side fail to climb into the Premier League top four.

It wasn’t an ideal start to the match for Arne Slot’s side, with their top scorer Hugo Ekitike substituted off due to injury with just eight minutes on the clock.

Just five minutes later, Danny Welbeck headed his side into the lead with what was Brighton’s first shot of the match. Diego Gomez was able to brilliantly head the ball back across goal for Welbeck, who was on hand to nod home from close range.

Liverpool responded well to going behind, applying pressure on the Brighton defence and winning a succession of corners, all without creating too much in the way of clear-cut chances.

That was until a Lewis Dunk error gave Liverpool a route back into the match. The ball was sent forward from the back, Dunk then headed the ball backwards looking for Bart Verbruggen, but Milos Kerkez anticipated the situation well, running in behind to intercept the ball before lifting it over the Brighton goalkeeper.

Brighton started the second half well, with both Mats Wieffer and Ferdi Kadioglu going close, but it was Welbeck, the top scoring Englishman in the Premier League this season, who restored Brighton’s lead. Yankuba Minteh sent in a superb cross from the left-hand side to Jack Hinshelwood, who fired it back across for Welbeck, who tapped home from close range.

In the final 10 minutes, it was Brighton who looked the more likely to grab another goal and in the 87th minute they went inches from scoring a third. Yasin Ayari fired a good effort on goal from close range, but Curtis Jones was on hand to clear it off the line.

It is a superb result for Brighton, who climb from 12th to eighth in the Premier League and give a serious boost to their ambitions of playing European football next season. For Liverpool, this afternoon is another disappointing result in what has been a disappointing Premier League campaign, with the Reds blowing a chance to leapfrog Aston Villa into fourth place.

 

Brighton's Yankuba Minteh spoke to TNT Sports' Jules Breach at full-time.

Brighton and Hove Albion 2-1 Liverpool

Fabian Hurzeler's side run out 2-1 winners at the Amex thanks to a brace from Danny Welbeck. It's a win that takes them into eighth in the Premier League and is a huge boost to their European ambitions.

There will be a minimum of six minutes added on at the end of this one.

Joel Veltman is on for Diego Gomez.

Federico Chiesa is booked.

Brighton so close to a third! Yasin Ayari fires a shot on goal from close range but Curtis Jones was on hand to clear the effort off the line and keep his side in with a chance of still claiming a result.

Gakpo fires a good effort on goal but Verbruggen is equal to it and makes a good save.

Lewis Dunk is booked.

Georginio Rutter and Yasin Ayari for Danny Welbeck and Jack Hinshelwood.

Dominik Szoboszlai is booked for a foul on Karou Mitoma.

Mitoma does brilliantly down the left-hand side, firing in a ball to Hinshelwood but he fails to make contact and the chance goes begging.

Andy Robertson and Federico Chiesa are on for Ibrahima Konate and Milos Kerkez.

Karou Mitoma and Carlos Baleba are on for Yankuba Minteh and James Milner.

Danny Welbeck goes down under a challenge from Konate but the referee says nothing doing.

Yankuba Minteh does well down the left-hand side to win the corner for his side.

Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler is booked.

Alexis Mac Allister does well to find space in the box before powering a header wide of the target.