Liverpool booked their place in the fifth round of the FA Cup last night, with an impressive 3-0 victory over fellow Premier League outfit Brighton & Hove Albion.
Curtis Jones opened the scoring at Anfield after bursting in at the back post and getting ahead of Ferdi Kadioglu and tapping from Milos Kerkez’s inch-perfect cross.
Dominik Szoboszlai managed to get on the scoresheet for the second successive game, after latching onto a perfectly weighted through ball from Mohamed Salah, before firing into the top corner.
szoboszlai-liverpool
The latter managed to put a gloss on the display late on, subsequently tucking home from the penalty spot after being brought down himself by German midfielder Pascal Gross.
It certainly was an evening to remember for the Reds in their attempts to end the season with a trophy, as multiple starters once again managed to catch the eye.
Liverpool’s star performers against Brighton
As previously mentioned, Szoboszlai once again managed to find the back of the net for Liverpool, but it was his underlying stats that caught the eye.
The Hungarian international managed to complete 98% of the passes he attempted, subsequently only misplacing one of the 48 passes he made on Merseyside.
szoboszlai-liverpool (2)
He also managed to win 100% of his aerial battles, whilst making four ball recoveries, which highlighted his excellent presence at the base of Arne Slot’s midfield.
He wasn’t alone in impressing at Anfield last night, with his midfield partner Alexis Mac Allister also catching the eye with his own tallies against the Seagulls.
The Argentine won 11 duels against Fabian Hurzeler’s men - the most of any player on the pitch - subsequently producing a performance to remember against his former employers.
The 27-year-old also made eight tackles and 10 ball recoveries, which reaffirms his excellent ability to break up the play at the heart of the side alongside Szoboszlai.
The Liverpool player who needs to be dropped after Brighton
After winning a game by three goals, there’s very little to complain about for the supporters - especially when moving one step closer to securing another piece of silverware.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot celebrates after the match
Last night’s display against Brighton was a well-rounded display and one that saw the Reds restrict the visitors to just three shots on target throughout the 90 minutes.
However, there will still be concerns over numerous areas of the display for Slot, with Jones filling in an unnatural right-back role, amid the recent injury crisis at Anfield.
The 25-year-old did manage to get on the scoresheet, but he was rarely tested by the opposition throughout, who could see issues arise in future matches.
The performance of Federico Chiesa will also be a concern to the manager, with the Italian unable to take advantage of a rare start within the Liverpool first-team.
chiesa-liverpool
He started the game operating as a central striker for the Reds, also an unnatural position, and it was evident throughout, given his lack of impact on Merseyside.
The 28-year-old featured for 77 minutes, but could only manage a total of 15 touches of the ball, with Alisson’s tally of 49 over three times higher than the attacker.
Chiesa could only complete eight passes in the process of his display, whilst failing to register a single shot on target - showcasing his lack of attacking quality.
The former Juventus man was also just as ineffective without the ball, subsequently losing 100% of the duels he entered and committing three fouls.
Liverpool player ratings v Brighton
Player
Alisson
Curtis Jones
Ibrahima Konate
Virgil van Dijk
Milos Kerkez
Dominik Szoboszlai
Alexis Mac Allister
Mohamed Salah
Florian Wirtz
Cody Gakpo
Federico Chiesa
As a result of his lack of impact against the Seagulls, the makeshift striker was handed a measly 4/10 match rating, with the attacker arguably the side’s worst performer.
Given his performance, there’s no doubt Slot will take him out of the starting eleven ahead of the Reds’ next outing against Nottingham Forest next weekend.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot celebrates after the match
There’s little denying the Italian always puts 100% effort in every time he puts on the club’s shirt, but ultimately, he’s not at the level required for success in 2026.
The club’s huge spending spree in the summer has no doubt pushed him further down the pecking order, with the manager needing to drop him from his starting eleven.
Gakpo-Liverpool Related
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Liverpool are gearing up for another summer of significant change in the transfer window.