Roberto De Zerbi praised his Brighton predecessor Graham Potter for bequeathing him a great team and said: “I tried not to damage it.”
The mission statement was the only modest aspect of the Italian Premier League debut as Brighton became the latest team to exploit Liverpool’s defensive vulnerabilities.
Leandro Trossard launched the De Zerbi era in style with the first hat-trick by an away player at Anfield since Andrey Arshavin scored four for Arsenal in 2009. Liverpool fought back from two goals down to go ahead with a double from Roberto Firmino and an unfortunate own goal. by Adam Webster, but victory would have flattered Jürgen Klopp’s side. “I wasn’t 100% convinced we wouldn’t concede 3-2,” the Liverpool manager admitted. Trossard proved him right seven minutes from time.
It was the least the visitors deserved and the fifth time Liverpool had dropped points in seven league games this season. Klopp was visibly deflated by his inconsistency.
De Zerbi wanted brave football and that’s exactly what he got. The confident visitors were ready to play through Liverpool’s press inside their own penalty area and thread inch-perfect passes through the middle of the pitch, and as a result tore the home defense apart repeatedly. But for a brilliant save from Alisson and a poor header from Danny Welbeck they would have been four goals ahead in the opening 18 minutes and crossing before Firmino changed the complexion of the game. Klopp admitted Liverpool were surprised by Brighton’s formation and approach. They took an age to react.
The breakthrough came early and after a weak Trent Alexander-Arnold clearance. Having issued a staunch defense of the Liverpool right-back after he was sacked by England manager Gareth Southgate, Klopp could have done with a convincing response from a talent he described as “world class”. It didn’t come, with Alexander-Arnold missing for both of Brighton’s goals and almost a third in the first half.
After the defender met a Solly March cross in the Liverpool box, the excellent Moisés Caicedo beat Jordan Henderson on the second ball and found Alexis Mac Allister. His touch was deflected by Welbeck to Trossard, who slipped easily from Alexander-Arnold and drove into the far corner.
Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino fires in his second goal against Brighton. Photo: Peter Powell/EPA
Liverpool’s defense was broken in the early stages. Another March center picked out Welbeck unmarked in the center of the Liverpool goal. Six meters out, and with Alisson exposed, the centre-forward headed straight for the Brazilian international when he should have done better.
Alisson saved the home side after a sloppy mistake by Thiago Alcântara, which allowed the goalkeeper’s shot to slip under the feet of Pascal Gross. Suddenly, Welbeck was free in the box. His touch fell to Trossard whose shot was destined for the bottom corner until Alisson stretched out a leg to save with his right foot. It was a vital intervention, although Liverpool’s afternoon would deteriorate before the rescue act began.
Brighton deservedly doubled their lead when Alexander-Arnold flicked a long ball past Welbeck. Pervis Estupiñán sent the forward down the left and squared March, who released Trossard with a lovely first touch. From a similar position to his first goal, the Belgian striker swept another strong finish past Alisson.
When Virgil van Dijk prevented Welbeck from heading in another flowing Brighton move, Liverpool suffered badly, struggling to contain the visitors’ adventure or keep possession long enough to threaten a reply. But the comeback began courtesy of a much-needed VAR intervention.
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Firmino’s strike was initially ruled out for offside by referee Andrew Madley after a flag from his assistant as Mohamed Salah latched onto Henderson’s chip and turned the ball into the path of the Brazilian striker. VAR, however, ruled that Webster had played Salah when the captain’s ball sailed over and, after lengthy deliberation, Madley overturned his decision to the unbridled joy and relief of Klopp.
The Liverpool manager brought on Luis Diaz for Fábio Carvalho at half-time and the switch paid off as the Colombian winger helped set up the equaliser. After a Brighton break, Henderson sprayed a good ball to Thiago, who put Diaz through in a one-on-one against Joël Veltman. He crossed to Firmino, who got away from Lewis Dunk before beating Robert Sanchez with a brilliant finish.
Liverpool overturned their two-goal deficit in strange fashion when the Brighton keeper made a mess of trying to head home an Alexander-Arnold corner. The ball went past Sanchez’s fist and hit the hapless Webster before bouncing over the line.
Alisson can’t prevent Leandro Trossard from scoring Brighton’s third goal. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters
The comeback was underway but was built on suspect foundations with Liverpool’s defense continually vulnerable to Brighton’s tests. Kaoru Mitoma put in a spirited display as a second-half substitute. His cross from the byline should have been cut out by Van Dijk, but it went past the defender in Trossard at the back post. The hat-trick was sealed with a powerful shot that Alisson could only push into the roof of the net. The only damage De Zerbi did was at Liverpool.