BRIGHTON & HOVE, England — It’s a rarity for top Premier League teams to secure all three points when visiting Brighton & Hove Albion, especially after falling behind. However, Jurgen Klopp’s new-look Liverpool team came close to avenging their 3-0 loss at the Amex Stadium last season. Despite initially going a goal down, Liverpool managed to equalize and take the lead, only to be pegged back for a 2-2 draw.
Liverpool has had a habit of conceding the first goal in their past five away fixtures, and this match was no exception. They appeared to lack urgency in the early stages of the game. However, after Simon Adingra scored for Brighton in the 20th minute, Liverpool transformed into a different team. Mohamed Salah’s two goals had the visitors ahead at halftime, but Brighton captain Lewis Dunk salvaged a point for his side.
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A good team often mirrors its manager’s qualities. Klopp, despite an unremarkable professional playing career in Germany, has ascended to the elite level of the Premier League. His ability to bounce back from setbacks and maintain an attacking mentality has influenced his Liverpool team. This influence was evident in their performance against Brighton.
In a similar vein, Brighton’s head coach Roberto De Zerbi has left his mark on the team’s intricate passing and intense pressing style. Brighton plays with little margin for error, which can be dazzling when it works but devastating when it fails, as evidenced by their 6-1 loss to Aston Villa last weekend.
Throughout the first half, it felt as if Liverpool was waiting for an opportunity to unravel Brighton’s game plan. However, unlike their loss to Villa, Brighton managed to salvage a point against Liverpool.
In recent years, Brighton has proven to be a difficult opponent for Klopp’s Liverpool. Out of their previous six Premier League encounters, Liverpool has only secured one win, drawing three and losing two. When asked about the fairness of the draw, Klopp admitted, “I think, unfortunately, yes… It’s a really good team and it’s difficult to defend against them all the time.” The intensity of the match was a testament to both teams, who had recently played in the Europa League. The combination of European exertions and warm weather made the game slow to start.
The game sprung to life when Adingra intercepted Virgil van Dijk’s pass in midfield, taking advantage of goalkeeper Alisson’s positioning to score for Brighton. This sparked Liverpool’s momentum as they searched for vulnerabilities in Brighton’s defense. Dunk’s attempt to intercept Luis Díaz ended up benefiting Liverpool, allowing Salah to score the equalizer.
Salah doubled his tally moments later after Pascal Gross fouled Dominik Szoboszlai in the box, resulting in a penalty. Brighton was fortunate to avoid a red card as the challenge denied Szoboszlai a clear goal-scoring opportunity. In a twist of fate following their VAR controversy in the previous week, Liverpool benefited from the absence of VAR when a cross deflected off Van Dijk’s arm. The decision frustrated Brighton fans, who chanted “We want a replay” in reference to Klopp’s comments on VAR.
In the end, Brighton managed to level the score through Dunk’s redirection of Solly March’s free kick. This result serves as a reminder that Brighton should not be underestimated, regardless of their poor results or player exits. Although Liverpool’s away form has hindered their progress, they have already faced challenging fixtures against Newcastle United, Tottenham, and Brighton this season.
De Zerbi’s team is still adjusting to the demands of Thursday-Sunday football and is currently navigating a tough run of fixtures. Despite this, Brighton finds themselves in a European spot at the second international break of the season, a testament to De Zerbi’s remarkable coaching.
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