Amex Stadium, May 19, 2025
Premier League champions Liverpool suffered a late heartbreak on the South Coast as Brighton & Hove Albion mounted a spirited 3-2 comeback victory in front of a roaring home crowd. With nothing on the line for Liverpool but pride, it was Brighton who showed more hunger — and possibly more to fight for — as they kept their European dream alive.
📝 Match Overview
Liverpool started strong, showing flashes of their title-winning form. Harvey Elliott opened the scoring in the 9th minute after a clever assist from Conor Bradley, who replaced a benched Trent Alexander-Arnold amid murmurs of unrest from sections of the fanbase.
Brighton, however, refused to lie down. Yasin Ayari pulled them level in the 32nd minute, capitalizing on a rare lapse in Liverpool’s defensive structure.
The Reds regained the lead shortly after the break through Dominik Szoboszlai, who rifled home a low drive past Jason Steele. But Brighton’s bench proved to be the difference-maker.
🔄 Substitutes Turn the Tide
Brighton boss Fabian Hürzeler brought on Kaoru Mitoma and Jack Hinshelwood, and both changes paid off spectacularly.
Mitoma leveled the match once again in the 69th minute with a solo effort that left Liverpool defenders flat-footed.
Then, in the 87th minute, Hinshelwood scored what turned out to be the winner — his very first touch of the game — after a tight VAR review confirmed the goal.
📊 Implications for Both Sides
- Liverpool, despite having already sealed the Premier League crown, have now gone three games without a win. Manager Arne Slot may be forced to reassess rotation strategies as the focus shifts to next season.
- Brighton, on the other hand, climb to 8th place and are still in the hunt for a Europa Conference League spot. They now face a crucial final game against Tottenham, which could define their season.
🗣️ Post-Match Reactions
Liverpool fans were left frustrated by their team’s inability to manage the game, especially after leading twice. Meanwhile, Brighton supporters were ecstatic, singing long after the final whistle as their European hopes remain alive.
Hürzeler praised the team’s mentality:
“We knew we needed something special today, and the boys delivered. This is the Brighton we want to see every week.”
📷 Match Highlights
- 🎯 Harvey Elliott opens the scoring (9’)
- ⚖️ Ayari’s equalizer (32’)
- 🚀 Szoboszlai’s strike puts Liverpool back ahead (53’)
- ⚡ Mitoma equalizes again (69’)
- 🎯 Hinshelwood nets the winner (87’)
