Alious
Brighton & Hove Albion head coach Fabian Hurzeler offered a frank assessment of his side’s 2–0 loss to Liverpool, admitting that a lack of consistency across the full 90 minutes ultimately proved costly.
The Seagulls were punished early at Anfield when Hugo Ekitike gave the Reds a perfect start, finding the net inside the opening minute. Despite that setback, Brighton responded positively and created several opportunities to get back into the contest.
Diego Gomez came closest for the visitors, first being denied by an excellent save from Alisson Becker before squandering a gilt-edged chance shortly after the interval. Liverpool made Brighton pay for those missed moments, with Ekitike doubling his tally on the hour mark by powering home a header from Mohamed Salah’s corner.
Brighton increased the pressure late on and enjoyed spells where Liverpool were pushed deep, but they were unable to convert their dominance into goals.
Hurzelar reflects on missed opportunities
Speaking after the match, Hurzeler felt his side deserved more from the game and suggested the outcome did not fully reflect Brighton’s performance.
“We deserved more—maybe even a win—because of the chances we created,” he said. “The start wasn’t ideal, but the reaction was good. The second goal came from a set-piece we didn’t defend well, and that hurt us.”
However, the Brighton boss accepted that key moments let his team down.
“We had a lot of positive phases, but football matches are decided over 90 minutes and beyond. It’s not enough to perform well in spells—you have to do it consistently, and that’s why we lost.”
Hurzelar also took responsibility for the result, admitting frustration at failing to capitalise when Liverpool looked vulnerable.
“It was a game there for us to win. The performance was good, but sometimes you create chance after chance and don’t score. That’s football. We’re disappointed, but we’ll analyse it, stay positive and come back stronger.”
Slot admits Liverpool rode their luck
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot conceded that his side benefited from a slice of fortune, acknowledging that Brighton had more than enough opportunities to alter the outcome.
He pushed back against the narrative that Liverpool were suddenly defensively solid, suggesting perceptions often hinge purely on results.
“When you win 2–0, people say you were solid,” Slot explained. “But we’ve conceded fewer chances in other games where we still let goals in.”
He pointed to recent performances as signs of progress, particularly in possession and defensive resilience.
“In the last five matches, we’ve kept three clean sheets, which is something to build on—especially after conceding heavily against PSV and Nottingham Forest. We’re starting to play better and better with the ball.”
While Liverpool left Anfield with three points and another clean sheet, Brighton departed feeling they had missed a major opportunity—one Hurzeler believes came down to failing to sustain their level when it mattered most.
Alious
