Brighton’s Jack Hinshelwood sealed a dramatic 3-2 victory towards Liverpool on Monday to depart the Premier League champions with no win since clinching the title.
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Arne Slot’s facet took the lead via Harvey Elliott’s early opener earlier than Yasin Ayari equalised on the Amex Stadium.
Dominik Szoboszlai restored Liverpool’s benefit simply earlier than the interval, however Brighton staged a late fightback as Kaoru Mitoma levelled earlier than Hinshelwood got here off the bench to web along with his first contact.
Liverpool have taken only one level from their three matches following the title-clinching rout of Tottenham on April 27.
The Reds have misplaced at Brighton and Chelsea and squandered a two-goal lead in a draw with Arsenal since their record-equalling twentieth English crown was confirmed
They will now look ahead to receiving the Premier League trophy in Sunday’s season finale towards FA cup winners Crystal Palace at Anfield earlier than an open-top bus parade via the town 24 hours later.
Slot had admitted that motivating the champions for the ultimate two matches of the season was a tough process and his fears had been confirmed by this sloppy show.
Slot’s gamers had a celebratory journey to Dubai this week and solely returned to coaching on Friday, whereas the Reds boss was seen partying in Ibiza for a number of days, as they soaked in a title victory secured in April.
“Did you see me on social media!” Slot stated with fun in reply to a query about how targeted he had been on the Brighton recreation.
After being given a guard of honour by Brighton’s gamers earlier than kick-off, Liverpool initially confirmed indicators of rebuking the doubters who claimed their minds had been elswhere.
Forward of his widely-expected transfer to Actual Madrid when his contract expires within the close-season, Trent Alexander-Arnold was left on the bench for a second successive recreation.
Conor Bradley featured at right-back as an alternative and confirmed why he’s a contender to exchange Alexander-Arnold along with his position in Liverpool’s ninth minute opener.
When Mohamed Salah rolled a cross to Bradley, he shifted gears with a dynamic burst into the Brighton space earlier than clipping a exact cross in the direction of Elliott, who slotted dwelling from close-range.
The objective meant Liverpool had scored in each away recreation of a league season for the primary time of their historical past.
Bradley’s attacking runs had greater than a contact of Alexander-Arnold about them, however his ending wasn’t as much as scratch when he took Federico Chiesa’s cross and fired broad from 10 yards.
Ayari grabbed Brighton’s eye-catching equaliser within the thirty second minute.
The Sweden midfielder eluded Bradley and drilled a fantastic low end previous Alisson Becker from the sting of the world after Brajan Gruda’s lofted cross prised open the Liverpool defence.
Liverpool regained the lead on the stroke of half-time when Szoboszlai caught out Brighton keeper Bart Verbruggen with a swerving strike from broad on the fitting flank that whistled into the highest nook.
Szoboszlai’s bemused grin as he celebrated instructed the midfielder’s effort might need been a miscued cross quite than a shot.
Brighton went shut twice in the beginning of the second half as Alisson clawed away Danny Welbeck’s free-kick and saved out Gruda’s 20-yard blast.
Salah was captaining Liverpool for the primary time within the Premier League to mark his three hundredth look within the competitors.
However the Egypt ahead missed an open objective when he flicked Cody Gakpo’s cross broad from 5 yards.
It was a pricey mistake from Salah as Brighton equalised within the 69th minute.
Welbeck’s shot was pushed out by Alisson and Japan winger Mitoma hammered within the rebound.
Hinshelwood accomplished Brighton’s thrilling comeback within the eighty fifth minute, the substitute slotting dwelling from Matt O’Riley’s cross.
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