ANFIELD, LIVERPOOL — Roberto De Zerbi marked his debut as Brighton & Hove Albion head coach with a point at Anfield as his side played out a thrilling 3-3 draw with Liverpool.
The Italian looked set for a dream start as Seagulls boss when his team raced into a two-goal first-half lead thanks to Leandro Trossard.
However, goals in either half from Roberto Firmino — one requiring a VAR check to overturn an offside call — dragged the Reds back level.
And they appeared set for a much-needed win after forcing Adam Webster to put through his own net from a corner to complete the comeback.
However, Trossard smashed in another fine finish six minutes from time at the Kop end to earn a deserved draw for the visitors.
The Sporting News is following the match live and providing live score updates and commentary.
Liverpool vs. Brighton result
| 1 HOUR | 2H | Final | |
| Liverpool | 1 | two | 3 |
| Brighton | two | 1 | 3 |
goals:
LBBB: Trossard (4th min)
LBBB: Trossard (18th min)
LIV: Firmino (33rd min)
LIV: Firmino (54th min)
LIV: Webster own goal (63rd min)
LBBB: Trossard (84th min)
Liverpool vs. Brighton as it happened
FULLTIME: All over at Anfield and Leandro Trossard’s hat-trick has secured a point for Brighton in a brilliant game.
It looks like Seagulls fans are going to have an awful lot of fun under Roberto De Zerbi.
84th minute: GOAL! Can you believe it – a Trossard hat-trick levels it up!
It’s another fine finish at the back post as a low cross evades the Liverpool defense and is cracked in off the bar.
75th minute: A brilliant save from Alisson prevents Welbeck from heading home at the near post with Brighton threatening again.
There could well be another goal in this.
63rd minute: GOAL! Liverpool leads! Chaos in the Brighton defense as a corner delivery comes in and Webster is the unlucky man who inadvertently diverts the ball into his own net.
This has been some game – and still a long way to go!
54th minute: GOAL! Game on as Firmino drops a shoulder to leave his man for dead and passes the ball home.
It’s a lovely sweeping move in the build-up, with Henderson, Thiago and Diaz all involved to force Brighton back into their own box.
46th minute: Brighton restart the game and there has been a change for Liverpool, with Luis Diaz coming on for Fabio Carvalho.
HALFTIME: Into the break at Anfield and Brighton hold a deserved 2-1 lead courtesy of Leandro Trossard’s double.
To be fair to Liverpool, they have responded well and made enough chances to merit getting back into through Roberto Firmino. However, that woeful start sees them behind and with a mountain still to climb to claim three points.
33rd min: GOAL! Liverpool are back in it!
Salah latches onto a ball over the top and appears to miscontrol his shot, but Firmino is there to clean up on the follow-up and pass the ball home.
The linesman initially raises his flag for offside but VAR shows that Salah was, indeed, onside and the goal stands.
30th minute: Big chance for Salah as the ball drops fortuitously in the box but Sanchez does brilliantly to get out and smother the effort.
18th minute: GOAL! Brighton finally get the second and its no more than they have deserved.
After some slick football around the box a beautiful first-time touch from March puts Trossard in behind and he slams the ball home emphatically. Just a brilliant goal.
11th minute: What a chance for Brighton to double their lead!
Welbeck rises highest to nod a right-wing cross goalward but he should get so much more on it and, in the end, it’s a weak header for Alisson to get down and save.
4th minute: GOAL! Brighton take an early lead!
It’s a fine left-footed finish from Trossard after dropping a shoulder to work space just inside the area.
What a start for De Zerbi’s men!
KICK OFF: Liverpool get the game start through Jordan Henderson and are attacking the Kop end first half.
10 mins from kickoff: Anfield bathed in glorious sunshine as we approach kickoff – perfect conditions for a football match.
40 mins from kickoff: Klopp has explained the surprise inclusion of Fabio Carvalho in the Liverpool front three.
He said: “Darwin and Diogo came home with little things, and the medical department asked me not to start them. That’s how it works sometimes. They are probably able to come on, but we have to wait and see.”
60 mins from kickoff: The team news is in!
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Tsimikas, Henderson, Fabinho, Thiago, Salah, Firmino, Carvalho.
Brighton: Sanchez, Webster, Veltman, Dunk, Mac Allister, Caicedo, Estupinan, March, Gross, Welbeck, Trossard.
75 mins from kickoff: Some interesting team news awaits us in 15 minutes.
What will Roberto De Zerbi’s first Brighton starting XI look like? And will Jurgen Klopp make changes from that morale-boosting win over Ajax last time out?
105 mins from kickoff: In his program notes, Jurgen Klopp has been addressing Liverpool’s mixed start to the season and their need to get on a good run before the season pauses for the World Cup.
He wrote: “No-one here is hiding from the fact we have had a far from ideal start to the campaign. But at the same time, we all see the opportunity that is right in front of us.
“Between now and the break for the World Cup we are ‘game, game, game, game’. It is persistent. It is relentless. But that’s been our life at LFC for as long as I can remember.
“We have to embrace this challenge. See it as pressure of opportunity.”
120 mins from kickoff: Hello and welcome to The Sporting News’ live coverage of Liverpool vs. Brighton from Anfield.
Liverpool vs. Brighton lineups
Jordan Henderson makes his return to the Liverpool starting line-up after overcoming a hamstring injury, and there is also a surprise start in the front three for youngster Fabio Carvalho.
The latter’s involvement is a nod to a busy period for the Reds’ international stars, but also allows them to name a strong bench.
Liverpool predicted line-up (4-3-3): Alisson (GK) — Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Tsimikas — Henderson, Fabinho, Thiago — Salah, Firmino, Carvalho
Subs: Gomez, Milner, Adrian, Elliott, Jota, Diaz, Nunez, Arthur, Phillips
midfielder Enock Mwepu misses out for Brighton after being hospitalized for illness while with Zambia in Mali.
Former Liverpool favorite adam lallana (calf) and winger Jeremy Sarmiento (knee) both return but are only fit enough for the bench. Poland prospect Jakub Moder is out until 2023 with an ACL injury.
Brighton predicted line-up (4-2-3-1): Sanchez (GK)—Veltman, Dunk, Webster, Estupinan—Caicedo, Mac Allister—March, Gross, Trossard—Welbeck
yesubs: Lamptey, Colwill, Lallana, Sarmiento, Enciso, Undav, Mitoma, Steele, Gilmour.
What time is Liverpool vs. Brighton?
Liverpool play host to Brighton at Anfield in Liverpool, England. It kicks off at 15:00 BST on Saturday, October 1.
| UK | USES | Canada | Australia | |
| Date | Saturday, October 1 | Saturday, October 1 | Saturday, October 1 | Sunday, October 2 |
| Time | 15:00 BST | 10:00 ET | 10:00 ET | 00:00 EST |
how to watch Liverpool vs. Brighton
| UK | USES | Canada | Australia | |
| TV-channel | – | – | – | – |
| streaming | – | Telemundo, Peacock | fuboTV | OptusSport |
UK: Matches are carried across Sky Sports and BT Sport streaming and TV platforms, with select matches on Amazon Prime. Liverpool vs. Brighton will not be shown on TV or streamed live in the UK.
USES: Select matches are televised on USA Network (English) and Telemundo or Universo (Spanish), and all three channels can be streamed on fuboTV. The rest of the matches are streamed on NBC platform Peacock for subscribers.
Canada: Every Premier League game streams live and on demand exclusively via fuboTV.
Australia: Fans in Australia can stream matches live and on demand on Optus Sport.
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George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism