Brighton 2-1 Liverpool: ‘If Reds play like that at PSG it could be 10-0’
When Liverpool came Brighton Last May the away team were in full-time party mode, whistling their way through the defeat while singing and celebrating with inflatable balloons.
By then Arne Slot’s team had won the Premier League title and a trip to the south coast was another excuse to have fun. And rightly so.
Ten months later Liverpool tasted defeat once again against Fabian Hurzeler’s side but this time the away side was half empty when the Slot went to the fans.
Their latest defeat was their 10th defeat in the league this season and the seventh time the reigning Premier League champions have lost 10 or more games during their title defence.
Since starting the season with a rapid-fire five wins, Slot’s team won just nine of their next 26 league games. With this form, Liverpool do not look like a team that has a chance of qualifying for the Champions League.
The Premier League is almost certain to get an extra place in the Champions League, with Liverpool currently sitting in fifth place, but they have a game against sixth-placed Chelsea to play later on Saturday.
A lot had gone into the preparations in the 62 hours Liverpool had to prepare between beating Galatasaray at Anfield in the Champions League and traveling to Brighton.
Liverpool’s situation worsened with Alisson and Mohamed Salah both sidelined with injuries, while striker Hugo Ekiike was sent off early.
“What went wrong started leading up to this game,” Slot said.
“We played a very good game, as we have many times this season. [against Galatasaray] We thought we could bring that level to the next game, or even better, we injured Mo Salah, injured Alisson and two minutes later Hugo Ekitike came off.
“It’s happened to us many times this season and the thing that has happened to us the most this season is that the other team’s first chance comes right away.
“But in the second half Brighton were the better team and deserved to win.”
Slot was the first to say his side deserved to lose here, and it wouldn’t have surprised him. Following their Champions League appearance, Liverpool have lost five of their 10 Premier League matches this season.
Questions about fitness need to be asked and despite spending £450 million in the summer, Liverpool do not have enough squad depth.
“If you won the league last season and spent £450 million it is completely logical that expectations are high and those expectations are high for the pundits, the media, for me and for the fans,” Slot said.
“As a club, we also look at the situation this season and the challenges we face and then we can be a little more realistic.” [about] Why did the season go? Why did it go?
“But no matter how many excuses I make, it’s still not good enough; it’s not good enough for the situation we’re in right now.”
