Brighton 2-1 Liverpool: Welbeck double dents Slot´s top-four hopes

Liverpool’s Champions League aspirations took another hit as Danny Welbeck’s brace helped Brighton to a 2-1 victory over the Premier League champions on Saturday.

Welbeck netted either side of Milos Kerkez’s first-half finish, with the Brighton striker’s 56th-minute winner compounding Liverpool to a 10th league defeat of the season.

Arriving without the injured Alisson and Mohamed Salah, Liverpool were forced into an early change after Hugo Ekitike was involved in a coming together with James Milner.

Brighton then took the lead in the 14th minute through Welbeck, who rose above Ibrahima Konate to nod into the net, with the attack coming after Giorgi Mamardashvili’s pass was miscontrolled by Liverpool’s number five.

However, another defensive lapse in concentration hauled Liverpool level 16 minutes later. Mamardashvili’s long punt forward was headed back by Lewis Dunk, but Kerkez was on hand to steal in and loop the ball over Bart Verbruggen.

But Fabian Hurzeler’s side started the second half strongly and were rewarded when Yankuba Minteh’s deep cross was steered back across goal by Jack Hinshelwood for Welbeck to tap into the net.

Minteh was then denied one-on-one by Mamardashvilli before Yasin Ayari saw his shot cleared off the line as Brighton comfortably held on against Liverpool’s blunt attack.

THREE MORE POINTS FOR THE ALBION! pic.twitter.com/0YrJ3kTqOS

— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) March 21, 2026

Data Debrief: Liverpool hit new low

After their midweek win over Galatasaray, confidence was high in Liverpool’s ranks, but their shortcomings in the Premier League were on show once again as their wilting title defence reached another new low on the south coast.

Liverpool have now lost 10 Premier League games in a season for the first time since 2015-16 (also 10), while it’s the seventh time the reigning champions in a top-flight season have lost 10+ games, and the first since Chelsea in 2017-18 (10).

Arne Slot’s side have also conceded 42 goals in the Premier League in 2025-26, already more than in each of their last two campaigns (41 in 2023-24 and 2024-25), last conceding more in 2022-23 (47).

But Brighton, who have now won four of their last five Premier League games (L1), were deserving victors here, having registered an expected goals (xG) total of 2.3 from their 16 shots compared to Liverpool’s 1.03 from their 10 attempts.