- Brighton Stun Liverpool with Late Winner.
- Hinshelwood’s First Touch Seals 3-2 Win.
- Brighton’s European Hopes Still Alive.
Brighton & Hove Albion staged a sensational late comeback to defeat newly-crowned Premier League champions Liverpool 3-2 at the Amex Stadium on Monday night.
That said, Arne Slot’s side are still searching for their first win since clinching the title.
The defeat marks a third straight match without victory for Liverpool, who now turn their attention to the final-day trophy celebration at Anfield and a city-wide parade 24 hours later.
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But Brighton had other plans, fighting from behind twice and securing all three points in dramatic fashion thanks to Jack Hinshelwood’s late strike.
Electric Start and End-to-End First Half
Liverpool wasted no time asserting their dominance, with Harvey Elliott opening the scoring in the 9th minute.
The young midfielder latched onto a precise cutback from Conor Bradley, whose energetic burst down the right mirrored shades of a young Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The goal not only gave the Reds the lead but also set a historic milestone—Liverpool have now scored in every away game of a league season for the first time in their illustrious history.
Brighton responded in style.
Yasin Ayari’s 32nd-minute equaliser, a crisp low drive from the edge of the box, punished a disjointed Liverpool backline after a lofted ball from Brajan Gruda carved them open.
Just before the half-time whistle, Dominik Szoboszlai restored Liverpool’s lead with a swerving strike from the right flank that deceived Brighton keeper Bart Verbruggen.
The Hungarian’s wry smile during the celebration hinted at a possible mishit cross, but it counted all the same.
Brighton’s Second-Half Surge
If Liverpool expected to coast through the second half, Brighton had other ideas.
Inspired by a tactical reshuffle from head coach Fabian Hürzeler, the Seagulls turned up the heat.
Mohamed Salah, captaining Liverpool on his 300th Premier League appearance, squandered a golden opportunity to extend the lead, flicking wide from close range after a Cody Gakpo cross.
The miss would prove costly.
In the 69th minute, Kaoru Mitoma—introduced off the bench slammed home a rebound after Danny Welbeck’s effort was parried by Alisson Becker.
The equaliser injected life into the home crowd and belief into Brighton’s ranks.
Then came the moment of magic. With just five minutes remaining, substitute Jack Hinshelwood connected with a pinpoint cross from fellow sub Matt O’Riley to nod in the winner.
It was Hinshelwood’s first touch of the game, and it sparked wild celebrations as Brighton leapfrogged to eighth in the table.
Slot’s Sloppy Send-Off?
Liverpool boss Arne Slot admitted before the match that motivating a title-winning squad for the final fixtures was proving difficult.
And his side’s flat performance appeared to confirm those concerns.
The Reds returned to training only on Friday following a celebratory team trip to Dubai, while Slot himself was seen enjoying time off in Ibiza. “Did you see me on social media!” he joked when asked about his focus ahead of the Brighton clash.
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Despite a guard of honour from the hosts and early signs of intensity, Liverpool’s defensive lapses and lack of sharpness under pressure suggested their minds were already on Sunday’s trophy lift.
Slot opted to bench Trent Alexander-Arnold again amid rumors of a potential summer move to Real Madrid.
His replacement, Conor Bradley, impressed going forward but showed his inexperience defensively, most notably during Brighton’s first goal.
Brighton’s European Dream Still Alive
The win keeps Brighton’s hopes of qualifying for European football alive.
Now sitting eighth, the Seagulls must beat Tottenham on Sunday and rely on a series of favorable results: Chelsea must lose to Nottingham Forest, and Enzo Maresca’s side must then win the UEFA Conference League final against Real Betis on May 28.
Should those dominoes fall into place, Brighton will return to continental competition next season, having already enjoyed a run to the Europa League Round of 16 earlier this campaign.
Brighton’s Bench the Game Changer
Manager Fabian Hürzeler’s second-half substitutions proved decisive.
Mitoma and Hinshelwood, both introduced in the final 30 minutes, made instant impacts with a goal apiece.
Remarkably, Hinshelwood’s winner came just 78 seconds after he entered the pitch, making it the fourth fastest goal by a substitute in the Premier League this season.
Adding to the occasion, Hinshelwood was joined on the pitch by his 17-year-old cousin Henry Howell, who became Brighton’s youngest-ever Premier League player.
Looking Ahead
Liverpool will conclude their season against Crystal Palace on Sunday, where they will officially lift their record-equalling 20th English league title at Anfield.
An open-top bus parade is set for Monday to celebrate the club’s first title triumph since the Jurgen Klopp era.
For Brighton, all eyes now turn to North London.
Victory over Spurs and a bit of luck elsewhere could see their fairytale European journey continue next season.
Final Score: Brighton 3-2 Liverpool
Goals:
Harvey Elliott (9′)
Yasin Ayari (32′)
Dominik Szoboszlai (45′)
Kaoru Mitoma (69′)
Jack Hinshelwood (85′)
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