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Kick off is at 3.00pm.
📋The Reds to face @OfficialBHAFC... pic.twitter.com/LNtBdeAn20
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 2, 2017
Here's how #BHAFC line up for today's @premierleague fixture against @LFC at the Amex. 🔵⚪️⚽️ #BHALIV pic.twitter.com/Q1jLWRD4Yn
— BHAFC ⚽️ (@OfficialBHAFC) December 2, 2017
So, today’s teams will look like this:
Brighton: Ryan, Saltor, Duffy, Dunk, Bong, Knockaert, Stephens, Propper, Brown, Gross, Murray.
Subs: Kayal, Hemed, Goldson, Izquierdo, March, Schelotto, Krul.
Liverpool: Mignolet, Alexander-Arnold, Can, Lovren, Robertson, Milner, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Salah, Firmino, Coutinho.
Subs: Karius, Sturridge, Grujic, Klavan, Mane, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Solanke.
Liverpool have arrived at the Anex as kick-off looms.
💬 "We're well aware of the attacking threats they possess and know we'll have to be at our best."
— BHAFC ⚽️ (@OfficialBHAFC) December 2, 2017
Chris Hughton on #BHALIV today.
👉🏻 https://t.co/OF8Gp976pJ#BHAFC 🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/dmGQSS0N8H
Liverpool undetake their second away trip in the space of four days this afternoon following their impressive 3-0 win against Stoke on Wednesday night, which featured two more goals for the in-form Mohamed Salah who has 12 Premier League goals to his name already this season.
Brighton, meanwhile, had to settle for a point at home to Crystal Palace on Tuesday. Chris Hughton’s side have suffered just one defeat at home this season — falling to league leaders Manchester City.
He will be aiming to continue that solid home form again this evening, with Ireland centre back Shane Duffy leading the line from the back. Kick-off is just under half an hour away.
Kick-off at the Amex is just 15 minutes away! @MatyRyan heads for the changing room. #BHALIV ⚽🔵⚪ pic.twitter.com/hqyZ7mb69d
— BHAFC ⚽️ (@OfficialBHAFC) December 2, 2017
Kick-off: We’re underway…
Decent early spell for both sides. Liverpool are setting up with a back three which features Emre Can, Dejan Lovren and Georginio Wijnaldum which may raise a few eyebrows this afternoon.
A first shot on target for Liverpool as Mohamed Salah peels away from his marker to chase a loose ball bobbling out of play. He reaches it just before it goes out for a goal kick and manages to force a corner kick at the front post.
The corner comes to nothing and is headed well over the crossbar. Jurgen Klopp’s side are enjoying a decent spell of possession with that aforementioned back three pushed all the way up to the halfway line pressuring Brighton into mistakes higher up the pitch.
Liverpool really toying with Brighton at the moment, strumming passes left and right with ease throughout midfield, but at the same time with little end product. They seem to be just warming up at the minute with the hosts happy to let them play keep-ball.
Philippe Coutinho attempts to thread a neat through ball in but a blue and white body clamps down on the Brazilian. Brighton are very organised at the minute and are more than happy to sit 11 men behind the ball in the hope of a swift counter.
Both sides quite lackadaisy in these opening 15 minutes.
Chance! Ooof the game kicks into life all of a sudden. The cross in from Brown is missed by every single man clad in red and the ball falls on a plate to Murray four yards out.
The striker just manages to scuff his lines and drives the ball curling backwards over the top of the crossbar.
A good move there from Brighton — Liverpool looked a bit shaken but they survive.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp pictured at the Amex Stadium.
That was a brilliant piece of play from Brighton there.
It started with a lovely turn from Brown on half-way before he fed the ball down the right wing to Anthony Knockaert who sent Wijnaldum to the ground with some lovely spins and twists.
His cross just outside the box presented a decent final delivery, however Dejan Lovren rose highest to head the danger clear.
GOAL! BRIGHTON 0-1 LIVERPOOL (CAN 30)
EMREEEEEEEEE CAN! pic.twitter.com/dp5IVb2gJg
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 2, 2017
Liverpool finally break the deadlock. It’s a routine corner into the box and Emre Can rises highest to beat Shane Duffy to the ball. It’s a powerful header which gives goalkeeper Ryan no chance whatsoever.
GOAL! BRIGHTON 0-2 LIVERPOOL (FIRMINO 32)
FIRMINOOOOOOOOOOOO! pic.twitter.com/2Qflv2HuZG
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 2, 2017
Goooodness me it’s 2-0. Liverpool have managed a second just 78 seconds after taking the lead. Mohamed Salah is instrumental as he finds a pocket of space to expose behind the Brighton midfield.
Liverpool had three in attack, with Salah sweeping the ball to his left where Philippe Coutinho provided the cross and Roberto Firmino the finish at the back post. It’s just lovely, lovely football from the visitors.
Liverpool really dominating proceedings now as Brighton continue to have the life sucked out of them. They started so promisingly — solidified at the back and creating chances at the other end when presented — however those two goals in quick succession have been a complete and utter sucker punch. Well, two sucker punches actually.
A chance for a third there for Mohamed Salah just before we reach the break, however the pass spun his way was just out of reach — Dale Stephens shepherd the ball away from danger well and his side keep the damage at two.
HALF-TIME: BRIGHTON 0-2 LIVERPOOL
HT: Two quick-fire goals from the visitors put Albion behind at the break. Can headed home from close range and Firmino added a second as the Reds broke at speed. #BHAFC 0 #LFC 2 #BHALIV pic.twitter.com/ffQTETS3qD
— BHAFC ⚽️ (@OfficialBHAFC) December 2, 2017
GOAL! BRIGHTON 0-3 LIVERPOOL (FIRMINO 48)
BOBBYYYYYYYYYYYY!!! pic.twitter.com/P0efiUhAwM
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 2, 2017
Liverpool are tearing Brighton apart but it could have been so differently.
The visitors almost looked like grabbing one back and halving the deficit, however Glenn Murray’s shot from point blank range was brilliantly saved by Simon Mignolet.
Liverpool break at the other end via Mohamed Salah and, after twisting and turning his maker, he sets up Roberto Firmino who slots the ball past Ryan to make it 3-0.
GOAL! BRIGHTON 1-3 LIVERPOOL (MURRAY 51)
51: GOOAALL!! Murray finds the top corner from the spot. #BHAFC 1 #LFC 3 #BHALIV pic.twitter.com/fFKW0XUHMy
— BHAFC ⚽️ (@OfficialBHAFC) December 2, 2017
And all of a sudden Brighton do have one back. It’s two goals in the space of three minutes as the hosts earn a penalty for some pushing and shoving inside the box from Jordan Henderson, with Glenn Murray cooly slotting the spot-kick past Mignolet.
The deficit still stands at two, but Chris Hughton’s side may have found a way back into this game.
The game finally has a chance to breath following a manic opening seven or eight minutes. Liverpool looked to have wrapped it up after Murray squandered the chance to half the deficit, but his penalty has given his side hope.
Even still trailing by two, the atmosphere inside the Amex would have you believe it’s still all to play for with just over half an hour remaining.
Liverpool receive a free-kick in a dangerous position following a rash challenge from 37-year-old Bruno, however Philippe Coutinho slices a horrible effort over the top of the crossbar.
Another chance comes and goes for Klopp’s charges to put this game beyond doubt.
It’s another quick break along the left, with Mohamed Salah the man found free inside the box. He takes one touch to compose himself and releases a low half-volley.
But the effort is directed right at goalkeeper Ryan who collects it with relative ease. Following a brilliant performance where it seemed he simply could not put a foot wrong, that shot definitively proves that Salah is human after all.
Star performers: Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah celebrate Liverpool’s third goal.
Chance! Another chance goes begging for Glenn Murray. Shane Duffy leaps high to knock the ball down for the striker inside the box, but Murray scuffs his volley and it bounces marginally wide of the goal. On another day he would have had a hat-trick.
Both sides emptying their benches as the game edges slowly towards its conclusion. Brighton showed a bit of fight after Murray pulled one back but Liverpool look to have wrapped up another three points here.
The game has slowed down considerably as the crowd draws eerily quiet.
Chance! Brighton erupt out of no-where to force another much-needed stop from a wall of red bodies. Izquierdo played a neat one-two with Gross before seeing his shot deflected back out.
Had that gone in, it would have made the final five minutes plus stoppage time very, very interesting but Liverpool maintain their two goal cushion.
GOAL! BRIGHTON 1-4 LIVERPOOL (COUTINHO 87)
FREE-KICK UNDER THE WALL!
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 2, 2017
VERY, VERY CHEEKY! pic.twitter.com/myaLrB7wIg
That is so cheeky from Philippe Coutinho. Just like Ronaldinho against Werder Bremen all those years ago he sticks a free-kick under the wall and makes it 4-1. Sublime.
GOAL! BRIGHTON 1-5 LIVERPOOL (DUNK OWN GOAL 89)
This is turning into a rout late on for the visitors. Once again Coutinho is instrumental as he meanders his way through the Brighton defence before chipping an effort on goal which is unfortunately heading into his own net by Lewis Dunk to complete his side’s humiliation. Game, set and match.
FULL-TIME: BRIGHTON 1-5 LIVERPOOL
FULL-TIME Brighton 1-5 Liverpool
— Premier League (@premierleague) December 2, 2017
Five-star performance from Jurgen Klopp's men as Firmino shines with two goals#BHALIV pic.twitter.com/uUAcTMemcA
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Surely only a matter of time now before it’s BT Thomond Park, BT Ravenhill, etc…
Only a matter of time too before they buy the full premier league package. Next we will see croke park renamed sky sports croke park arena.
If you are going to rename your stadium I guess keeping the original name and sticking the letters BT before is probably the least offensive option….
I’d nearly sponsor the Edinburgh team to not play their home games in Murrayfield! Absolutely dead atmosphere which takes away from the games played there! I can’t explain why it annoys me so much but it does!!
Yea, should be played in a much smaller venue.
Good news for the rabo, we need the Scottish union to be financially secure and able to finance two quality teams to the league to keep things competitive. There’s even talk of a third Scottish club opening in Aberdeen, which would be great.
I don’t care about stadium naming rights,but this nauseating ‘Sponsor X’s values and ethics really align with our own’ PR bullshit is just the worst kind of nonsense.
There was an article in the times last November saying BT were in advanced negotiations with the Irish provinces too over forms of sponsorship like shirts etc. the welsh & Scottish BT deals were mentioned in the sane article. Will be interesting to see if there is an announcement in this regard in the coming weeks.
BT Thomand park?? They can BT feck off!!
Great news for Scottish rugby and for the Pro12 to have the finances to keep Glasgow competitive and help to improve Edinburgh. I just hope the long term knock on effect isn’t the devaluing of the Pro12 brand to SKY Sports if/ when it comes time to review the broadcasting agreement, as potentially SKY money could be the making or breaking of the league when it comes to competing with the English and French equivalents.
Fair play to them, I never understand some of the negativity about naming rights. Like when Musgrave park was renamed Irish Independent park the paper got slated rather than praised for supporting the game
I’d prefer Sky across the Leinster jersey than a bankrupt state owned Bank!