A L B I O N G A Z E T T E - ( xxxvi )
21 MARCH 2026
BRIGHTON & ALBION 2 LIVERPOOL 1
PREMIER LEAGUE
at the AMERICAN EXPRESS STADIUM, FALMER.
Looking to continue their mini-revival, the Albion welcomed last season's Champions Liverpool to the Amex for a Premier League fixture, the game being televised "live" on TNT Sports 1 and broadcast over the airwaves on Talksport and BBC Radio Sussex Sport.
Albion's last game saw them win 1-0 at Sunderland in the Premier on the 14 March and for Liverpool's visit the Albion named an unchanged starting line-up from the Sunderland game. It was only the third time Head Coach Fabian Hurzeler had named an unchanged line-up during his time with the Albion.
In their previous outing Liverpool had thumped Galatasaray 4-0 at home in a UEFA Champions League Round of16 Second Leg game on the 18 March, going through 4-1 on aggregate. For their visit to the Amex, Head Coach Arne Slot had to make two enforced changes to his starting line-up from the Galatasaray game, with Giorgi Mamardashvili and Cody Gakpo coming in for the injured pair Alisson Becker and Mohamed Salah.
In the reverse fixture earlier this season at Anfield on the 13 December 2025 Liverpool beat the Albion 2-0, with the goals coming from Hugo Ekitike 2 (1m & 60m). The teams also met at Anfield in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup on the 14 February 2026 when Liverpool emerged victorious by a 3-0 score-line, with the scorers being Curtis Jones (42m), Dominik Szoboszlai (56m) and Mohamed Salah (68m, penalty).
The teams met three times last season. On the 30 October 2024, at the Amex in the Fourth Round of the Carabao Cup it finished 3-2 to Liverpool, with their goals being scored by Cody Gakpo 2 (46m & 63m) and Luis Diaz (85m), whilst Albion's goals came from Simon Adingra (81m) and Tariq Lamptey (90m). On the 2 November 2024 in the Premier at Anfield Liverpool won 2-1, with Cody Gakpo (69m) and Mohamed Salah (72m) netting their goals after Ferdi Kadioglu (14m) had put the Seagulls ahead. In the return fixture at the Amex on the 19 May 2025, the Albion won 3-2, with Yasin Ayari (32m), Kaoru Mitoma (69m) and Jack Hinshelwood (85m) scoring for the Albion and Harvey Elliott (9m) and Dominik Szoboszlai (45+1m) replying for Liverpool.
The visitors were unfortunate to lose leading goalscorer Hugo Ekitike to injury on 8 minutes, Curtis Jones substituting . On 14 minutes the Albion took the lead following some slack defensive play between Liverpool's keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili and defender Ibrahima Konate, from the resultant throw-in Ferdi Kadioglu floated a cross to the far post where Diego Gomez headed the ball back across goal where the evergreen Danny Welbeck headed the ball home from close-range. 1-0.
Albion keeper Bart Verbruggen was then called into action when deflecting a header from former Albion favourite Alexis Mac Allister away for a corner. The Reds equalised on 30 minutes when Lewis Dunk's back header was anticipated by the alert Milos Kerkez who lobbed the ball over Verbruggen and into the net to level matters. 1-1.
Keeper Mamardashvili then made a fine intervention when tipping away Yankuba Minteh's centre intended for Welbeck.
Half-time 1-1.
First action of the second-half saw Kadioglu's shot from 20 yards out palmed away for a corner by Mamardashvili and then Jan Paul Van Hecke's header cleared the bar, when he should have done better. On 56 minutes the Seagulls regained the lead when the lively Minteh fired a cross to the far post where the lurking Jack Hinshelwood was on hand to pass the ball across the face of the goal to Welbeck, who tapped the ball home. It was Welbeck's 12th goal in the Premier this season, his best ever haul. 2-1.
Although they were in the lead the Albion continued to play on the front foot and keeper Mamardashvili made a superb save when tipping away a free-kick from Gomez and at the other end Verbruggen did well to keep out an effort from Jones. Minteh's shot then forced Mamardashvili into making a good save before Hinshelwood failed to convert a great chance from close-in. The last action of an interesting game saw Mamardashvili make another fine save when keeping out substitute Yasin Ayari's goal-bound effort.
The Albion left the field to a rousing ovation from their fans.
Final-score 2-1
Match stats:
Albion had 16 attempts at goal, with 7 on target and won 4 corners, free-kicks conceded - 11.
LIverpool had 12 attempts at goal, with 5 on target and won 8 corners, free-kicks conceded - 11.
APPRAISAL - An excellent win for the Albion, their fourth in five Premier League outings. A brace for 35 year-old Danny Welbeck, taking him to 12 goals in the Premier so far this season, his best ever return.
The fourth and final international break of the season now takes place and the players return to a trip to Burnley on the 11 April 2026.
Albion line-up (4-2-3-1):- Bart VERBRUGGEN; Mats WIEFFER, Jan Paul VAN HECKE, Lewis DUNK (Capt), Ferdi KADIOGLU; James MILNER (Carlos BALEBA 76), Pascal GROSS; Diego GOMEZ (Joel VELTMAN 90+1), Jack HINSHELWOOD (Yasin AYARI 83), Yankuba MINTEH (Kaoru MITOMA 76); Danny WELBECK (Georginio RUTTER 83).
Subs not used: Jason STEELE (G/K), Olivier BOSCAGLI, Maxim DE CUYPER. Charalampos KOSTOULAS.
Liverpool line-up (4-1-2-1-2):- Giorgi MAMARDASHVILI; Jeremie FRIMPONG (Rio NGUMOHA 63), Ibrahima KONATE (Federico CHIESA 77), Virgil VAN DIJK (Capt), Milos KERKEZ (Andrew ROBERTSON 76); Ryan GRAVENBERCH; Dominik SZOBOSZLAI, Florian WIRTZ; Alexis MAC ALLISTER; Cody GAKPO, Hugo EKITIKE (Curtis JONES 8).
Subs not used: Freddie WOODMAN (G/K), Joe GOMEZ, Kieran MORRISON, Treymaurice NYONI, Calvin RAMSAY.
Referee: Darren England (Doncaster).
Fourth Official: Tim Robinson.
VAR Official: James Bell.
Yellow Cards:
Albion: 6 - Mats Wieffer, Lewis Dunk, Diego Gomez, Yankuba Minteh, Danny Welbeck, Fabian Hurzeler.
Liverpool: 5 - Jeremie Frimpong, Ibrahima Konate, Federico Chiesa, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister.
Possession: Albion - 47%. Liverpool - 53%.
BBC Sport Player of the Match: Danny Welbeck (Albion).
Attendance: 31680.
NEXT GAME:
11 APRIL 2026 - BURNLEY - AWAY - PREMIER LEAGUE - KICK-OFF 15.00.
Jack Kaye.
25 March 2026. .