Wouldn’t be another Liverpool game without another chat around referees and VAR
It wouldn’t be another Liverpool game without another chat about referees and VAR. Jurgen Klopp headed to the seaside on a warm and bright Sunday but came back with a point and more frustrations than anything else. There will be questions about the starting line-up, there will be questions about the decision making of some players and there will be some wondering what it means for any potential title challenge going into the international break. It’s another tough away day out of the way, but Liverpool will be disappointed with a lot that happened at The Amex. We look at the lessons learned from Brighton Away.
Salah Still The Main Man
Another week brings another goal contribution that even Darren England couldn’t take away from the Egyptian king. The first came after a lovely link-up involving Diaz and Nunez before a superb leave by Elliott before a slotted finish into the bottom right corner. The second from the spot showed the 31-year-old had his swagger back and it shouldn’t be ignored how much work he got through again. He has now achieved an incredible six goals and four assists in ten appearances (all competitions), and technically, we should be discussing a goal contribution in fourteen consecutive Premier League games. The reason Liverpool didn’t take all three points had nothing to do with him.
Klopp Got A Lot Wrong
Another Liverpool game where it started sloppily and Jurgen Klopp’s men were a goal down early on. The eyebrows of most reds were raised by the introduction of Harvey Elliott into the starting line-up ahead of Gravenberch and Endo, whilst it told you everything you needed to know that he was replaced at half-time. Trent had done a decent job up against Mitoma and won three out of three tackles, including an ex Kent interception to stop him going clean through. Joe Gomez put in his effort for worse sub appearance of the season, whilst Konate for Matip didn’t provide the solidity needed. Mac Allister performed poorly against his former club, and there was surprise that he wasn’t replaced. Not the best day from the gaffer and others in red.
Poor From Robbo and Others
If Alexis Mac Allister didn’t enjoy his return to the AMEX, then Christ knows what Andy Robertson is thinking. The Scotland captain owed one escape to the brilliance of Allison after switching off and then being twisted inside out on a Brighton break. However, there was zero excuses for letting the set piece go past him into the area from which the home side equalised. He wasn’t the only one and whilst Virgil Van Dijk seemed to spend most of the game moaning, Liverpool looked anything but convincing at the back and Joao Pedro should really have won it late on. It’s another tough one chalked off, but it’s a poor response following the first league defeat of the season.
The DM Issue Continues To Grow
The fact that Endo was substituted at half-time midweek, as planned, makes you wonder what on earth the plan actually was. Alexis Mac Allister has never professed to be a number six and yet even here when he struggling so much, Klopp wouldn’t change it. The likes of Salah and Szoboszlai can do great things but as long Liverpool look so porous at the back and through the middle, they won’t get away with it each week as it priced here. Grav proved the options in the other roles are strong, though he’ll be as gutted as all of us by that miss. However, every top team that’s successful has a top holding midfielder in place. It’s the main reason Brighton had four big chances in this one.
