Brighton’s Jack Hinshelwood secured a dramatic 3-2 victory against Liverpool on Monday, leaving the Premier League champions without a win since clinching the title.
Arne Slot’s side took the lead through Harvey Elliott’s early goal, but Yasin Ayari equalised for Brighton at the Amex Stadium. Dominik Szoboszlai restored Liverpool’s advantage just before half-time, yet Brighton staged a late comeback, with Kaoru Mitoma leveling the score before Hinshelwood netted the winner with his first touch after coming off the bench.
Following their title-clinching victory over Tottenham on April 27, Liverpool has garnered only one point from three matches. The Reds have suffered defeats against Brighton and Chelsea and squandered a two-goal lead in a draw with Arsenal. They are set to receive the Premier League trophy during the season finale against FA Cup winners Crystal Palace at Anfield on Sunday, followed by an open-top bus parade through the city.
Slot acknowledged the challenge of motivating the champions for their final matches of the season, a concern validated by their lackluster performance against Brighton.
After a celebratory trip to Dubai, Slot’s players returned to training on Friday, while Liverpool’s manager was seen enjoying a break in Ibiza. Slot humorously referenced his social media presence when asked about his focus on the Brighton match.
Before kick-off, Liverpool received a guard of honour from Brighton’s players and initially appeared to respond to doubts about their focus. Trent Alexander-Arnold, expected to move to Real Madrid at the end of the season, was benched for the second consecutive game, with Conor Bradley starting at right-back.
Bradley contributed to Liverpool’s ninth-minute opener, where Mohamed Salah assisted Elliott for a close-range finish, marking the first time Liverpool scored in every away game of a league season.
Ayari equalised for Brighton in the 32nd minute with a low finish past Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker. Liverpool regained the lead just before half-time when Szoboszlai scored with a swerving strike, although his celebration suggested it might have been an accidental cross.
Brighton came close to scoring again early in the second half, with Alisson making crucial saves. Salah, marking his 300th Premier League appearance as captain, missed a significant opportunity by flicking a cross wide from close range.
Brighton equalised in the 69th minute when Mitoma scored from a rebound after Alisson saved a shot from Danny Welbeck. Hinshelwood completed Brighton’s comeback in the 85th minute, scoring from a cross by Matt O’Riley.
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