Solly March double helps Brighton to 3-0 win over sorry Liverpool

Brighton’s England midfielder Solly March celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal in the English Premier League soccer match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Liverpool at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, southern England on January 14, 2023. (Photo by Glyn KIRK /AFP)

BRIGHTON, England—Werner Brighton & Hove Albion’s Solly March scored twice early in the second half and set up another goal in a 3-0 win at home to a sluggish Liverpool on Saturday that lifted them above the Reds to seventh in the Premier League.

The win was Brighton’s first win against Liverpool in the top flight and they should have secured all three points as March helped them turn their dominance in possession into goals.

As the half-hour approached March thought they had won a penalty when he rounded Alisson Becker and looked down by the goalkeeper’s hand, but a VAR review found he was in an offside position and the decision was overturned.

Undeterred, March gave his side the lead in the 47th minute as teenage striker Evan Ferguson forced Liverpool’s defense into mistakes and Brighton won the ball in the air.

Japanese winger Kaoru Mitoma broke into the box and slid the ball angled into the onrushing path of March, leaving him the simple task of steering into the net.

The 28-year-old added a superb second six minutes later, latching on to Ferguson’s pass and digging the ball out from under his feet to fire home at the far post.

Dutch forward Cody Gakpo, making his first start since joining Liverpool from PSV Eindhoven in December, was anonymous for much of the game as the visitors struggled to retain possession and create good chances.

Overrun in midfield and shaky in defence, Liverpool managed two shots on target in 90 minutes and had to wait until stoppage time in the second half before winning the first corner in another disappointing display from Juergen Klopp’s side.

Marsh capped off a superb performance by scoring substitute Danny Welbeck with a header from a throw-in, and Welbeck lifted the ball past a defender before slotting into the net for his first league goal of the season.

The win means Brighton have 30 points from 18 games, two ahead of Liverpool who are struggling with form and injuries, with Reds boss Juergen Klopp blaming a lack of organization for the result.

“The same players played an incredible game of football, but if they weren’t organized properly, it could have been like that,” he told the BBC, adding that he was increasingly worried about his recent form.

“How can you not after a game like this? I can’t stand here and say it didn’t happen. Of course, we have to be very concerned,” he said.

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