Liverpool suffered a 2-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League at Amex Stadium on Saturday, thanks to Danny Welbeck’s brace.
The hosts drew the first blood in the 14th minute, as Ferdi Kadioglu picked out Valentin Gomez at the far post, whose header set up Welbeck for a simple finish.
Liverpool could’ve responded immediately via Cody Gakpo, but he didn’t get his shot away quickly enough.
Gomez squandered a glorious opportunity to double the Seagulls’ lead after he met Yankuba Minteh’s cross, but he headed well over the bar.
Alexis Mac Allister went close to drawing Liverpool level after he met Dominik Szoboszlai’s cross, but Verbruggen kept out his header. Szoboszlai then sent a free kick wide.
Milos Kerkez equalised on the half-hour mark after he pounced on a defensive error from Lewis Dunk to chip Verbruggen.
Kadioglu tried his luck from a distance after the break, but Giorgi Mamardashvili denied him. Mats Wieffer headed wide from the resulting corner.
Brighton retook the lead in the 56th minute after Jack Hinshelwood squared Minteh’s pass at the back post for Welbeck to finish beyond Mamardashvili.
Curtis Jones thought he had equalised for the Reds, but Verbruggen parried away his curling effort.
Minteh had the chance to double Brighton’s lead, but Mamardashvili kept his strike out.
Hinshelwood miscued an effort from close range before Verbruggen denied Gakpo and Szoboszlai to seal the victory for the Seagulls.
The victory strengthens Brighton’s push for a European place, while Liverpool wasted the chance to move into the top four.
