Jamie Barton
Mar 21, 2026, 03:43 PM
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Danny Welbeck scored a brace to see off Liverpool on Saturday. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
If Danny Welbeck had felt any disappointment at being left out of Thomas Tuchel's 35-man squad for England's upcoming friendlies, then he didn't let it show on Saturday.
The 35-year-old was in commanding form, scoring both of Brighton's goals in their 2-1 victory over Liverpool at the Amex Stadium.
The Englishman is a player who seems to get better with each passing year, and the stats suggest that, despite being overlooked by Tuchel, Welbeck is enjoying his best ever season.
Indeed, the Brighton striker's second goal on Saturday -- a tap-in after Jack Hinshelwood had knocked Yankuba Minteh's excellent cross into his path -- was Welbeck's 12th in the Premier League this season, two better than his previous best of 10, which he achieved last year.
Welbeck's impressive return means that the only Englishmen to have scored more goals across the top five European leagues this season are Harry Kane, with 30, and Mason Greenwood, with 15.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Dominic Solanke, who were both selected for England's upcoming friendlies against Uruguay and Japan, have 10 and three goals, respectively. Ollie Watkins, who also missed out, has eight.
Welbeck's brace against Liverpool also meant he has now notched a career-high third multi-goal game in the Premier League season, with his previous high of two coming in both the 2013-14 and 2017-18 seasons.
Only Erling Haaland (7) and Igor Thiago (5) have more multi-goal games this Premier League season than the Brighton man.
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Welbeck had previously won just one of the of the six Premier League games against Liverpool in which he'd scored or assisted -- drawing two and losing three -- but that win came the only other time he has scored against the Reds at the Amex, a 3-0 victory in Jan. 2023.
The Amex has not been a happy hunting ground for Liverpool in recent years. Having won only one of their first 13 home league games against the Reds-- drawing six and losing six -- Brighton have now won three of the last four, drawing the other.
Fabian Hürzeler's side have found some impressive form of late, winning four of their last five after a run of just one win in 13 Premier League games from the start of December.
Welbeck's form has been key to that revival, and the 35-year-old may have the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Dominic Solanke looking nervously over their shoulders.
ESPN Global Research contributed to this report.