Reds not in title race ´at this moment´ – Robertson sounds warning after Brighton loss

Andy Robertson said Liverpool are not in the Premier League title race “at this moment” after they suffered a surprise 1-0 home defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion.

Steven Alzate’s first Premier League goal in the second half further eased the in-form Seagulls’ relegation fears on Wednesday.

Brighton’s first win over Liverpool since January 1984 left the champions seven points behind leaders Manchester City, who also have a game in hand ahead of their trip to Anfield on Sunday.

The lacklustre Reds had only one shot on target and have failed to score in three consecutive home league games for the first time since October 1984, when Joe Fagan was in charge.

Jurgen Klopp’s side have also suffered back-to-back home defeats, having also been beaten 1-0 by Burnley, after going 68 unbeaten at Anfield in the Premier League.

Left-back Robertson admitted well-drilled Brighton deserved all three points and knows Liverpool must respond when they face City this weekend.

1984 – Liverpool have failed to score in three consecutive home league games for the first time since October 1984, with the Reds’ goalless run at Anfield currently standing at 348 minutes. Bereft. pic.twitter.com/10UTHWSqfa

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 3, 2021

He told BT Sport: “The better team won. Brighton were better at pretty much everything. They pressed us, won the ball back and created chances.

“First half was okay, it was a nothing game and you got the sense that one goal was going to be enough to win it. In the last three games at home we have been really disappointing and we have to get back to it, we are a long way off it.

“Brighton played four centre-backs and they were all outstanding but we have been disappointing. We are not finding the way to win.”

Robertson added: “We were hugely disappointing all over the park. You have to give the team credit for playing well. They created chances, pressed us – did everything we wanted to do.

“We didn’t really do anything of note. With a long record of going unbeaten we’ve lost two. When you don’t show up you don’t get results.

“We prepare for every game different. It’s just not clicking. We need to find a way to get results, especially at home. You can do everything in training.

“Any game against Man City is a big one. At this moment, we’re not in the title race. We are seven points behind them and they have a game in hand.

“I’m sure they’d say the same if they were potentially 10 points behind. We need to get back to the Liverpool everyone knows. We’re still a good team. We don’t turn into a bad team overnight.”