Brighton staged an impressive comeback twice, ultimately clinching a thrilling 3-2 win over Premier League champions Liverpool, boosting their chances for European competition next season.
Knowing that a victory could elevate them into eighth place—and potentially secure a European spot—Brighton faced Liverpool tenaciously. They rallied after falling behind twice, with substitute Jack Hinshelwood scoring late to ignite celebrations at the Amex Stadium.
This match gave some of Liverpool’s lesser-used players a chance to prove themselves under manager Arne Slot. Conor Bradley, standing in for Trent Alexander-Arnold, burst through Brighton’s defenses, providing a cross for Harvey Elliott to score a simple tap-in, giving Liverpool an early advantage.
In contrast, Brighton’s defense faltered briefly, missing key player Virgil van Dijk. However, the home side quickly retaliated, threatening every time they advanced. Danny Welbeck missed a close-range header, but Yasin Ayari leveled the score following a well-executed team move.
Liverpool faced an impressive 11 shots in the first half—the most they’d faced in the opening 45 minutes of a Premier League game this season. Yet, they managed to regain the lead right before halftime, with Dominik Szoboszlai’s unexpected shot sneaking past goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen. Whether it was an intentional cross or not remained a topic of debate.
Brighton kept pressing after the break despite Liverpool having some chances to extend their lead. Mohamed Salah, in his 300th Premier League match, missed an open goal. Substitute Kaoru Mitoma equalized after a rebound in the 69th minute, marking Brighton’s second comeback. Although Hinshelwood’s initial effort seemed offside, replays confirmed it was a valid goal, leading to ecstatic celebrations.
Brighton’s European Qualification Hopes
With this win, Brighton rose to eighth, three points ahead of Brentford, as they gear up for their final season match against Tottenham. Their path to European qualification now hinges on Chelsea winning the Conference League final and potentially finishing seventh.
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