Danny Welbeck scored a goal in each half as Brighton beat Liverpool 2-1, dealing a major blow to the Reds’ push for a Champions League spot next season. Liverpool were missing both goalkeeper Alisson Becker and forward Mohamed Salah, and suffered a further injury blow early in the game when topscorer Hugo Ekitike hobbled off with an apparent dead leg. Welbeck’s 11th and 12th Premier League goals of the season gave Brighton a fourth win in five matches, keeping alive their own hopes of European football next season.
Liverpool’s defeat leaves them fifth in the Premier League, two points behind Aston Villa and one ahead of Chelsea, with the top five almost certain to qualify for the Champions League next season. Manager Arne Slot admitted his side have struggled after European matches, having dispatched Galatasaray 4-0 in the Champions League midweek.
