Hinshelwood scores late winner as Brighton edge Liverpool
Brighton's Jack Hinshelwood scores his side's winning goal against Liverpool. Pic: John Walton/PA Wire.
Premier League: Brighton 3 Liverpool 2
Arne Slot admitted it was harder to motivate his Liverpool players now they have secured the title and so it proved as Jack Hinshelwood’s late winning goal ensured Brighton clinched the win they needed to maintain their slender hopes of qualifying for Europe.
Not that Liverpool looked as though they were on the beach, despite Slot having taken time out in Ibiza last week and some of his players have visited Dubai. They twice led through Harvey Elliott and then Dominik Szoboszlai but Brighton equalised with goals from Yasin Ayari and Kaoru Mitoma before Hinshelwood’s late effort.
Unsurprisingly, Slot opted to utilise his squad, making four changes to the side that started the 2-2 draw against Arsenal eight days previously while the departing Trent Alexander-Arnold was again restricted to a place on the bench. Elliott was among the new faces brought in to fill the advanced roll in midfield with Szoboszlai dropping back to operate alongside Ryan Gravenberch in front of the back four.
The Liverpool manager also handed Federico Chiesa the chance to make an impact at the end of a frustrating debut season for the Italian following his arrival from Juventus last Summer. The Italy international had been limited to just five substitute appearances before the trip to the Amex Stadium and Slot last week appeared to suggest the player’s future might lie elsewhere last week before insisting he had misspoken. Finally handed a first league start, Chiesa was given the chance to show he could provide an option in a central role rather than his more familiar position out wide.
While Brighton were the team with something tangible to play for, it was Liverpool who made the more positive start. There was certainly an easy confidence to their play that was evident from the opening minute when Cody Gakpo cut in from the left and curled a right foot shot narrowly wide.
The fluency in the champions’ play was again evident in the move that led to the ninth minute opening goal. Szoboszlai directed a crossfield pass towards Mohamed Salah - captain for the night in the absence of Virgil van Dijk on his 300th Premier League appearance - who volleyed on towards Bradley. The full-back was allowed far too much time to advance towards the byline from where he pulled the ball back for Elliott to finish first time.
Brighton responded positively as they worked to keep their European hopes alive and almost replied immediately when Simon Adringa’s deflected shot landed on the roof of Alisson’s net. It was Liverpool, though, who should have added a second when Chiesa set up Bradley. The Italian passed up the chance to shoot after weaving across the Brighton area, opting instead to pick out the right-back who should have done better than place his shot beyond the far post.
Momentum shifted Brighton’s way as the first half progressed, however, and they levelled in the 32nd minute with a well-executed that Slot will feel opened up his side’s defence too easily. Danny Welbeck, who was guilty of missing a clear headed chance moments earlier, laid off a pass out of defence to Brajan Gruda whose lob over the Liverpool backline picked out Ayari’s run. The midfielder had found space between Ibrahima Konate and Bradley and had the composure to slot past Alisson.
Albion’s equaliser was fully deserved but found themselves behind at the break after a well-worked free-kick involving Elliott and Szoboszlai in first half added time. Szoboszlai rolled the ball short to Elliott before advancing down the right hand side of the penalty area where he collected the return and delivered a superb chip over Bart Verbruggen and inside the far post.
Brighto could consider themselves unfortunate to be trailing at the break but they came lose to working their way back on to level terms when Welbeck saw a curling free-kick diverted to safety by a full length save from Alisson. And that miss should have been costly when Gakpo delivered a teasing low cross across the edge of the Brighton six-yard area where Salah was perfectly positioned to turn the ball home into an empty net yet somehow managed to steer his effort wide.
It was an astonishing miss from the division’s leading scorer and Salah passed up another close range chance when Verbruggen produced a superb reaction save to protect his goal.
Brighton may have had an escape but they were demonstrating a threat of their own and the equaliser eventually came when Mitoma followed up after Welbeck had again been denied by Alisson.
From that point it was the home side who pressed with more determination for the winning goal and it finally came in the 85th minute when Hinshelwood turned home from Matt O’Riley’s cross, with VAR intervening to overrule an onfield offside decision.
BRIGHTON (4-2-3-1): Verbruggen 8; Wieffer 6, Van Hecke 9, Webster 6, Estupinan 6; Ayari 7 (Gomez 74, 6), Baleba 6; Minteh 6 (Hinshelwood 83,6), Gruda 7 (O’Riley 74,6), Adingra 6 (Mitoma 65,6); Welbeck 8 (Howell 83,6).
LIVERPOOL (4-2-3-1): Alisson 7; Bradley 7 (Endo 77, 6), Quansah 6, Konate 6, Tsimikas 6; Gravenberch 6, Szoboszlai 7 (Jones 63,6); Salah 6, Elliott 6, Gakpo 6 (Diaz 63, 6); Chiesa 6 (Nunez 63, 6).
Referee: Andrew Madley 6
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