Player Ratings: 5/10s dominate Liverpool XI in Brighton defeat

Liverpool’s hopes for a top-five finish suffered a massive blow on Saturday as a Danny Welbeck brace secured a 2-1 victory for Brighton, leaving Arne Slot’s side searching for answers after a disjointed performance.

​The Reds failed to find their rhythm in a disappointing away display, leveled only briefly by a Milos Kerkez strike before fading in the second half.

“Liverpool just didn’t show up,” noted match analysts, as defensive lapses and a blunt attack allowed the Seagulls to dictate play and claim all three points.

​Liverpool Player Ratings 

​Giorgi Mamardashvili – 5

Stepping in following Alisson’s unexpected injury, the keeper had a mixed afternoon. He bore responsibility for the opening goal after a mishandled pass put Ibrahima Konate under pressure, though he partially redeemed himself with several sharp reflex saves to keep the scoreline respectable.

​Jeremie Frimpong – 6

While Brighton heavily targeted his wing, the fullback remained resilient. He survived a few nervous moments in possession but proved to be one of the more stable components of a backline that was frequently stretched by the hosts’ overlapping runs.

​Ibrahima Konate – 4

A difficult outing for the center-back, who struggled with his positioning throughout. He was at fault for both of Welbeck’s goals, failing to deal with the initial throw-in for the first and losing his marker during the decisive second-half strike.

​Virgil van Dijk – 5

The captain appeared uncharacteristically rattled by Brighton’s relentless high press. His normally elite distribution was missing, often appearing unsettled and slow to react as the home side swarmed the Liverpool penalty area.

​Milos Kerkez – 7

The standout performer for the visitors, Kerkez thrived in a more advanced role. He provided the game’s momentary highlight with a sophisticated lobbed finish to equalize, while successfully neutralizing most threats on his side of the pitch.

​Ryan Gravenberch – 5

The midfielder found himself completely overrun as Brighton dominated the central zones. He struggled to offer an outlet for the defense and failed to disrupt the opposition’s flow, leading to a largely anonymous performance.

​Alexis Mac Allister – 5

Returning to his former stomping ground, the Argentine was unable to exert any control. He was frequently outmuscled in duels and lacked the physical intensity required to transition play, continuing a worrying trend of inconsistent form.

​Dominik Szoboszlai – 6

While far from his best, he remained one of Liverpool’s more industrious players. His set-piece deliveries created the few half-chances the Reds managed, though his influence waned significantly as Brighton took command of the second half.

​Florian Wirtz – 5

Shifted into a makeshift strike partnership early on, Wirtz found himself in promising pockets of space but lacked the clinical edge required. His creative spark was dampened by a lack of support and poor final balls.

​Cody Gakpo – 4

A deeply frustrating performance from the Dutchman, who appeared lost in a central role. He was virtually invisible in the opening period, managing only a single successful pass, and failed to offer any physical presence against the Brighton center-backs.

​Hugo Ekitike – N/A

The Frenchman’s afternoon ended almost as soon as it began following a heavy collision with James Milner. Forced off after just eight minutes with a dead leg, his absence left a void in the frontline that Liverpool never truly filled.

Substitutes

​Curtis Jones – 5

Thrown on as an emergency replacement for Ekitike, Jones struggled to adapt to the pace of the game. While he eventually found his footing, he could not replicate the direct attacking threat Liverpool lost with the early substitution.

​Rio Ngumoha – 5

The youngster was introduced late to provide a spark, but the gamble failed to pay off. Rather than stretching the defense, his arrival coincided with Liverpool’s most disjointed spell of the match as they chased a late equalizer in vain.