Premier League champions Liverpool rocked by Brighton’s late fightback

LONDON – Liverpool manager Arne Slot was slightly annoyed that his side lost to Brighton & Hove Albion on May 19, but not that it mattered much considering that it was an inconsequential match with the league title already sealed.

Brighton’s Jack Hinshelwood clinched a dramatic 3-2 victory at home to leave the Premier League champions without a win since claiming the EPL title.

Slot’s side took the lead through Harvey Elliott’s early opener before Yasin Ayari equalised at the Amex Stadium.

Dominik Szoboszlai restored Liverpool’s advantage just before the interval, but the Seagulls staged a late fightback as Kaoru Mitoma levelled before Hinshelwood came off the bench to net with his first touch.

Liverpool have taken just one point from their three matches following the title-clinching rout of Tottenham on April 27.

The Reds have lost at Brighton and Chelsea and squandered a two-goal lead in a home draw with Arsenal since their record-equalling 20th English crown was confirmed.

They can now look forward to receiving the Premier League trophy in the May 25 season finale against FA Cup winners Crystal Palace at Anfield, before an open-top bus parade through the city 24 hours later.

“Great game of football but not the result we wanted,” said Slot.

“If you don’t score the third goal then it’s hard to win at this level, especially away from home. We cannot miss chances like we did if you want to win.

“I know these players already for 10 months, so it’s not the first time I’m judging them, but it’s nice to see Harvey score a goal and have an assist.

“Federico Chiesa had some nice moments as well, considering how long he’s not been playing.”

The Dutchman had admitted that motivating the champions for the final two matches of the season was a tricky task and his fears were confirmed by the sloppy display.

Slot’s players had a celebratory trip to Dubai last week and returned to training only on May 16, while the Reds boss was seen partying in Ibiza for several days.

“Did you see me on social media!” Slot said with a laugh in reply to a question about how focused he had been on the Brighton game.

Ahead of his widely expected move to Real Madrid when his contract expires in the close-season, Trent Alexander-Arnold was left on the bench for a second successive game.

Conor Bradley featured at right-back instead and showed why he is a contender to replace Alexander-Arnold with his role in Liverpool’s ninth-minute opener.

When Mohamed Salah rolled a pass to Bradley, he shifted gears with a dynamic burst into the Brighton area before clipping a precise pass towards Elliott, who slotted home from close range.

The goal meant Liverpool had scored in every away game of a league season for the first time in history.

Bradley’s attacking runs had more than a touch of Alexander-Arnold about them, but his finishing was not up to scratch when he took Chiesa’s pass and fired wide from 10 metres.

Mitoma, meanwhile, became the first Japanese player to score 10 goals in a Premier League season.

Introduced in the 65th minute with Brighton trailing 2-1, Mitoma got them level within four minutes by stylishly burying the ball on the bounce with his left foot after Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson denied Danny Welbeck’s initial effort.

“It was our last home game (of the season) and we needed a win,” Mitoma said a day before his 28th birthday. “I was aiming higher (in terms of the number of goals). This is a minimum.”

He is the fourth Japanese player to reach double figures in goals in the top European leagues this season.

Reims’ Keito Nakamura bagged 11 in the French Ligue 1, Holstein Kiel’s Shuto Machino netted as many in the Bundesliga and Freiburg’s Ritsu Doan also had 10 in Germany.

Brighton are battling for eighth place and a chance of playing European football next season if Chelsea win the Conference League. AFP, REUTERS