Brighton’s English midfielder Solly March celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal of the English Premier League football 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-Brighton & Hove Albion winger Solly March netted twice early in the second half and set up another goal in a 3-0 home win over a sluggish Liverpool on Saturday that lifts them above the Reds to seventh in the Premier League standings.
The victory was Brighton’s first over Liverpool in the top flight and they deserved to take all three points once March helped them convert their dominance in possession into goals.
With halftime approaching March thought he had won a penalty as he rounded Alisson Becker and appeared to be brought down by the goalkeeper’s hand, but a VAR review found that he had been 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 pressured the Liverpool defense into a mistake and Brighton won the ball high up the pitch.
Japanese winger Kaoru Mitoma broke into the box and slid an angled ball into the path of the onrushing March, leaving him the simple task of steering it into the net.
The 28-year-old added a brilliant second six minutes later, latching on to Ferguson’s pass and digging the ball out from under his feet to fire it home inside 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 keep possession and create any decent chances.
Overrun in midfield and shaky in defense, Liverpool managed two shots on target over the 90 minutes and had to wait until second-half stoppage time before winning their first corner in another underwhelming showing from Juergen Klopp’s side.
Marsh rounded off an excellent performance by teeing up substitute Danny Welbeck with a glancing header from a throw-in, and Welbeck lifted the ball over a defender before slotting it into the net for his first league goal of the season.
The win means Brighton has 30 points from 18 games, two ahead of Liverpool who has struggled with form and injuries, with Reds boss Juergen Klopp blaming a lack of organization for the result.
“The same players played outstanding football matches, but if things aren’t properly organized then it can look like that,” he told the BBC, adding that he was getting more and more concerned about their recent form.
“How can you not be after a game like this? I cannot stand here and say it didn’t happen. Of course, we have to be very concerned about it,” he said.