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Brighton suffered a 3-0 loss to Liverpool and exited the FA Cup at the fourth-round stage.
Fabian Hurzeler bemoaned the penalty decision that put the final nail in Brighton’s coffin against Liverpool as ‘poor’.
The Reds earned a comfortable 3-0 win over their Premier League rivals in the FA Cup fourth round. Goals from Curtis Jones, Dominik Szoboszlai and Mo Salah (penalty) delivered Arne Slot’s side their triumph at Anfield.
Brighton’s lacklustre run of form continued and they have now won just two of their past 15 games in all competitions. The Seagulls did have two decent chances to equalise, but they were spurned by Jack Hinshelwood and Diego Gomez.
Hurzeler admitted that Liverpool were clinical when chances came their way. The Brighton head coach said: “I think moments decided the game, unfortunately in the wrong direction. We started the game well, we controlled the game. We had a lot of good patterns.
“I think the goal from Liverpool came out of nowhere. We reacted well, we had two big chances where we have to score. I think in the second half the same, one big chance for Lewis, and then two, three minutes later, Liverpool scored with a great goal.
“These moments decided the game. I think that was a difference today. They had the quality to use their chances. We weren't able to be that effective and therefore it's a disappointing result for us.
“The last two performances, and against two tough opponents, we were more than competitive. We were in both games there to take the game, I think in both games, the game could definitely also go in another direction and therefore we have to see the positives.
“We did a lot of things right but it's very important to see also the reality where we are at the moment. We have to keep working harder. We are not in a good moment, so you only can come out if you show personality, if you keep sticking together. That's what we will do.”
Asked about the penalty awarded for Liverpool, with Brighton’s Pascal Gross being adjuged to have fouled Mo Salah, Hurzeler added: “Poor decision. It is difficult to speak [to the officials] because they are all convinced of their decision but I think it is never ever a penalty.”
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