Liverpool’s inconsistencies this season reared their ugly head once more on Saturday lunchtime, as the Reds succumbed to their dire tenth Premier League defeat of the season already, at Brighton and Hove Albion.
Heading into this match, Arne Slot and Co’s fire looked to have been relit with a lethal attacking performance against Galatasaray, as four goals were thumped home in the Champions League.
Liverpool might well want to savour all the action they’re getting at the moment in Europe’s illustrious competition, as this latest misfire in the Premier League – with Danny Welbeck scoring a double in a 2-1 defeat – means they could fall short of the top-four positions.
The reigning Premier League champions are now six points behind arch rivals Manchester United, who are sat in third, just to pile on the misery.
Here are ReadLiverpool’s full-time player ratings, as Liverpool’s mammoth journey to Brighton ended in a 2-1 loss.
Giorgi Mamardashvili – 4
Thrown into the deep end of the starting XI, with Alisson back in the Anfield treatment room, Mamardashvili would endure an unconvincing afternoon against Fabian Hurzeler’s rampant hosts.
The lax defenders didn’t help the Georgian stopper out, but he was stationary for both of Welbeck’s goals, as the veteran centre-forward ran riot at the Amex.
Jeremie Frimpong – 5
Frimpong would only line up for 63 minutes of action before Slot hauled him off during what was a largely shaky game for the ex-Bayer Leverkusen full-back.
He failed to really get going in the attacking areas, with zero shots registered at Bart Verbruggen’s goal, while also only managing to win one tackle all match long.
Ibrahima Konate – 5
Konate was slightly more assured in a backline that went from looking rock-solid against Galatasaray to leaky on the South Coast on Saturday.
He didn’t walk away from the match with a clean sheet, but his pride wasn’t dented too much, considering the French colossus won five combined tackles and duels come the full-time whistle.
Virgil Van Dijk – 4
On the contrary, Van Dijk would have trudged off the end, down in the dumps about his torrid afternoon.
Winning just one duel and averaging a below-par 67% pass accuracy, the Dutchman was way below his usual lofty standards.
Milos Kerkez – 6
Kerkez would have some credit in his bank, as the reality of Liverpool’s loss sank in at the final whistle.
Indeed, he got the Reds on level terms, after all, when instinctively getting the better of Verbruggen in the even first half.
That effort meant very little in the grand scheme of things, though, with Kerkez’s lack of bite defensively also sticking out, considering he won zero duels from five attempted.
Ryan Gravenberch – 7
Gravenberch was one of Liverpool’s standout performers when assessing the 2-1 defeat in detail.
While he didn’t get on the scoresheet like the Hungarian, he did grittily win four ground duels for his troubles, as well as constantly looking to push his team up the field, when the match was against them.
Alexis Mac Allister – 6
It was an unhappy trip back to his old stomping ground for Mac Allister, as the ex-Brighton midfielder ended up not returning to the Amex victorious.
Three shots were registered at the home side’s goal from the Argentine, but his frustrations boiled over when he was handed a yellow card, as Liverpool now travels back to Anfield empty-handed.
Florian Wirtz – 6
Liverpool fans packed into the Amex on Saturday lunchtime might well have wanted just that little bit more from Wirtz, after he dictated play at points against Galatasaray.
Back in the bread and butter of Premier League action, however, he wasn’t quite so impactful, with two key passes amassed not leading to an assist being collected.
Dominik Szoboszlai – 7
Szoboszlai very rarely puts in a middle-of-the-road performance for Slot’s men these days, and even as Liverpool came unstuck at the Amex, it was another memorable showing from the midfield dynamo.
He could well have closed down the cross with a bit more vigour that resulted in Welbeck slamming home the match-winner, but he was central to a lot of the promising attacks Liverpool fashioned throughout.
Cody Gakpo – 4
It’s just a shame that all the creativity on show from the likes of Wirtz and Szoboszlai didn’t result in Gakpo firing home a crucial strike at the Amex.
Gakpo’s showing was flat, and it was clear that he has gone nearly a month now without a goal, as he mustered up only one weak first-half effort.
Hugo Ekitike – 4
Ekitike will remain stuck on his 4/10 half-time rating, considering he would watch on from the sidelines from the eighth minute onwards.
With Gakpo unable to trouble the Seagulls’ defence, Slot will be desperately hoping he can have Alexander Isak back at his disposal soon, and that Ekitike isn’t sidelined for a significant period of time.
Substitutes
Curtis Jones – 5
Jones was basically handed a full match in place of Ekitike, without really troubling the rigid Seagulls defence.
Zero key passes were amassed, and only one tame shot was registered, as the Englishman didn’t bang down the door for more starting opportunities
Rio Nguhoma – 7
Nguhoma’s directness late on was just what the doctor ordered for Liverpool, during a match that saw the Reds’ attackers regularly fail to strike fear into the Brighton backline.
Mustering up three successful dribbles during a short but sweet cameo, Slot will be thinking long and hard over the international break as to whether the 17-year-old should be starting more games.
Andy Robertson – 6
Alongside Nguhoma, Robertson was also handed a late run-out when coming on for Kerkez.
Registering two clearances to ensure Liverpool didn’t go on to concede an ego-crushing third, the Scotsman failed to inject the same energy into the contest that the teenager effortlessly managed to do.
Federico Chiesa – 5
Lastly, Chiesa – again – offered very little in the latter stages of the contest.
Slot regularly chucks the ex-Juventus attacker on late into games as a final desperate roll of the dice, and it didn’t work at the Amex, with only five touches of the ball amassed.
