A L B I O N R E P O R T - ( 15 )
14 JANUARY 2023 -
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 3 ( Solly March 2 - 46 mins, 53 mins,
Danny Welbeck 1 - 81 mins )
LIVERPOOL 0 -
PREMIER LEAGUE -at the AMERICAN EXPRESS COMMUNITY STADIUM, .
For their first home fixture of 2023, the Albion entertained Liverpool at the Amex in the Premier League, the match being broadcast over the airwaves on BBC Radio Sussex Sport and BBC Radio 5 Live.
Prior to kick-off Liverpool occupied seventh spot in the Premier, with 28 points from 17 games, whilst the Albion were in eighth position, with 27 points from 17 games.
Last time out on the 7 January the Albion had won 5-1 at Middlesbrough in the Third Round of the FA Cup and for the visit of Liverpool Head Coach Roberto De Zerbi made three changes to his starting line-up from the Middlesbrough game, with Robert Sanchez, Lewis Dunk and Alexis Mac Allister coming in for Jason Steele, Tariq Lamptey and Jan Paul Van Hecke.
Missing from the Albion line-up was Leandro Trossard - for disciplinary reasons.
In their previous outing Liverpool had drawn 2-2 at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Third Round of the FA Cup on the 7 January and for the visit to the Amex, Manager Jurgen Klopp made one change to his starting line-up from that game, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain replacing the injured Darwin Nunez.
In the reverse fixture earlier this season on the 1 October 2022 at Anfield the teams fought out a 3-3 thriller, with Leandro Trossard netting a hat-trick (4m,17m & 83m) for the Seagulls. Liverpool's goals came from Roberto Firmino 2 (33m & 54m) and Adam Webster, own goal (63m). It was Roberto De Zerbi's first game in charge of the Albion.
Last season Albion and Liverpool drew 2-2 at Anfield on the 30 October 2021, with Seagulls goals coming from Enock Mwepu (41m) and Leandro Trossard (65m) after Liverpool had taken an early two-goal lead through Jordan Henderson (4m) and Sadio Mane (24m).
Later that season on the 12 March 2022, Liverpool won 2-0 at the Amex, with their goals being scored by Luis Diaz (19m) and Mohamed Salah, penalty (61m).
Prior to kick-off Albion's Argentine World Cup 2022 winner Alexis Mac Allister
took the field to thunderous applause from the supporters in recognition of his efforts in helping his country win the World Cup in Qatar at the end of 2022.
Albion were looking for their first home league win over Liverpool in 61 years, the visitor's having won ten of their last eleven league visits to the South Coast.
The Seagulls were fast out of the blocks and came close to taking an early lead through efforts by Solly March, Alexis Mac Allister and Kaoru Mitoma. The visitor's were having difficulty in coping with Albion's attacking play and yellow cards were dished out to Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joel Matip and Jordan Henderson by Referee Darren England.
On 42 minutes the Seagulls were awarded a penalty after March had been fouled in the box but VAR overturned the award after March was found to be offside prior to the incident.
A good first-half by the Seagulls and all that was missing was a couple of goals.
Half-time 0-0.
The Seagulls made an excellent start to the second-half as within a minute Adam Lallana had collected Matip's misplaced pass, fed Mitoma, who raced down the left before crossing the ball to the far post where March swept the ball home to put the Albion deservedly ahead. 1-0. Better was to follow on 53 minutes when Evan Ferguson's brilliant through-ball sent March clear and he ran on to smash a fine shot past Alisson in the Liverpool goal. It was March's first brace for the Seagulls. 2-0.
Liverpool simply couldn't live with the Albion and their Manager Jurgen Klopp looked a forelorn figure on the sidelines. The Albion continued to dominate and shots by Lallana and Mitoma went close to increasing their lead. At the other end Albion keeper Robert Sanchez made an excellent save to keep out a Cody Gakpo volley.
Much to the delight of their fans the Albion clinched the three points on 81 minutes when fine approach play involving Pascal Gross and March sent substitute Danny Welbeck away on the right and he flicked the ball over defender Joe Gomez before smashing the ball past keeper Alisson for a superb goal. 3-0. Before the close Welbeck had another effort saved by Alisson.
A 5-star performance by the Albion and they left the field to a standing ovation from their supporters.
Final-score 3-0.
Albion had 16 shots at goal, with 9 on target and won 7 corners, free-kicks conceded - 8.
Liverpool had 6 shots at goal, with 2 on target and won 1 corner, free-kicks conceded - 15.
TO SUM UP - A superb performance by the Seagulls and a thoroughly deserved victory against their illustrious opponents. The whole team was excellent and it was great to see Solly March amongst the goals and playing so well. Hopefully the team will continue in this vein of form.
Albion line-up (4-2-3-1):- Robert Sanchez; Pascal Gross, Lewis Dunk (Capt) (Adam Webster 90+1), Levi Colwill, Pervis Estupinan; Moises Caicedo, Alexis Mac Allister (Jeremy Sarmiento 83); Solly March, Adam Lallana (Joel Veltman 66), Kaoru Mitoma (Tariq Lamptey 90); Evan Ferguson (Danny Welbeck 66). Subs not used: Jason Steele (G/K), Jan Paul Van Hecke, Billy Gilmour, Deniz Undav.
Liverpool line-up (4-3-3):- Alisson Becker; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joel Matip (Joe Gomez 69), Ibrahima Konate, Andrew Robertson;Jordan Henderson (Capt) (Harvey Elliott 69), Fabinho (Naby Keita 68), Thiago Alcantara; Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Ben Doak 69).
Subs not used: Caoimhin Kelleher (G/K), James Milner, Curtis Jones, Kostas Tsimikas, Fabio Carvalho.
Referee: Darren England (South Yorkshire). VAR Official: Neil Swarbrick.
Yellow Cards: Albion: 1 - Lewis Dunk.
Liverpool: 3 - Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joel Matip, Jordan Henderson.
Possession: Albion - 62%. Liverpool - 38%.
BBC Sport Player of the Match: Danny Welbeck (Albion).
Attendance: 31645.
FORTHCOMING FIXTURES:
21 JANUARY 2023 - LEICESTER CITY - away - Premier League
- kick-off 15.00.
29 JANUARY 2023 - LIVERPOOL - home - FA Cup Fourth Round
- kick-off 13.30. "Live" on ITV1.