Solly March doubles up as superb Brighton sink sorry Liverpool

After flying so high last season, Liverpool are experiencing some crashing lows. Defeat to an inspired, superb Brighton may be the lowest yet. This was a mournful performance from Jürgen Klopp’s team, one of submission to a team who have moved into a different gear under Roberto de Zerbi. That their first two goals came from Solly March, who joined the club when a League One outfit, served to remind of how far they have come.

Moisés Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister, together in midfield for the first time since 13 November, were dominant. Mac Allister, wearing his World Cup medal, had received a pre-match standing ovation. Both South Americans have been lately linked with moves to Liverpool, where Klopp had opted for the midfield old guard of Jordan Henderson, Thiago and Fabinho. A previous area of great strength has become one of serious concern.

For Brighton, regeneration appears rather easier. Leandro Trossard had been banished, presumably having played his last game for the club after a fallout with De Zerbi. Carrying on regardless without the talented Belgian, replaced by teenager Evan Ferguson, a purebred striker rather than false No 9, is the latest demonstration that no individual is bigger than Brighton’s collective spirit. As Graham Potter languishes at Chelsea, his former club prosper.

It made for an uncomfortable Premier League debut for Cody Gakpo, the latest recruit to a Liverpool forward line wracked with injuries. He started at centre-forward, having made his reputation at PSV when coming in from the flanks but needs must. The presence of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the left of the trio spoke to a casualty list to which Darwin Núñez was the latest addition.

Brighton began with the vigour they maintained throughout, former Red Adam Lallana to the fore. It took a Trent Alexander-Arnold intervention to deflect a March shot away from danger, and Alisson needed to make a clean catch when Mac Allister was first to the resultant corner.

Danny Welbeck celebrates Brighton’s third. Photograph: Nigel Keene/ProSports/REX/Shutterstock

As his midfield were overrun, unable to cut off the supply lines to the flanks, Brighton by far the better exponents of the pressing game that helped make his name, Klopp glowered on the touchline. On Liverpool’s right side, Kaoru Mitoma’s acceleration caused repeated problems. Joël Matip was booked for careering across the Japanese player’s path before, from Levi Colwill’s pass, Mitoma sliced wide after blazing beyond Alexander-Arnold. It took until the 26th minute for Liverpool to shoot on Brighton’s goal; Klopp raged as Mohamed Salah clanked his effort into the stand. That was about as good as it got.

Had Mitoma’s finishing not been so hurried then Brighton might have been out of sight by the break. Fortune was also on Liverpool side when March was pulled down by Alisson for a Brighton penalty, a fate Klopp looked to have accepted, only for VAR to declare March had been offside. March, granted the freedom of Liverpool’s left side, then set up Ferguson, only for the youngster to shoot weakly.

That Liverpool entered the half-time tunnel level counted as victory in itself. No problem for Brighton, they began the second half as they ended the first but this time found a cutting edge. Matip’s pass was intercepted by Mac Allister before Mitoma was released to set up March to score.

The second was not much longer in coming. Ferguson received the ball with his head up, and March ran on between Ibrahima Konaté and Matip to score in almost one movement. Klopp made a 69th minute quadruple substitution that included the removal of Fabinho, Henderson, Matip and Oxlade-Chamberlain, as younger legs in the form of Harvey Elliott and Ben Doak came on, Naby Keïta and Joe Gomez joining them.

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With Lallana and Ferguson taken off, Brighton became more circumspect in trying to hold on to a lead that would take them above Liverpool in the table, the away contingent griping as their fallen heroes scrapped for way back in.

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There were jeers when Elliott scuffed a shot wide but at least some attacking impetus had at last been found. The greater threat still lay with Brighton on the counter. Danny Welbeck, on as a substitute and given time and space to juggle the ball in the opposition penalty box, gleefully scored the third to further confirm that Liverpool’s problems run deep and that Brighton are having the time of their lives.