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By HARRY BAMFORTH AT AMEX STADIUM and LEWIS STEELE AT AMEX STADIUM Published: 03: 29 AEST, 20 May 2025 | Updated: 05: 59 AEST, 20 May 2025 47 View comments Follow Mail Sport's live blog for the latest score, team news and updates as Brighton host Liverpool at the Amex Stadium in the Premier League.    Alan Smith, former Arsenal striker, on Sky Sports: Now, this is what you call a cracker. The whole of the press box was surprised when the free-kick was not plopped into the mixer, but now we know why. Some will wonder if this is actually a shot, or whether Dominik Szoboszklai was actually crossing the ball. I'm telling you, he meant this. What a time to score, eh? I was preparing to have a pop at Liverpool for how they played in that half, until Domink Szoboszlai shut me up. Look, they haven't been fantastic today, Brighton have been the better side, but the scoreline is all that matters. They will be going to Dubai ahead of every game at this rate. THAT IS A STUNNER! Liverpool have had their backs against the wall for most of the half, but just as it's about to end, they catch Brighton cold. It's such a clever free-kick routine from Liverpool, who go against crossing it in, and work it over to Szoboszlai outside of the box on the left. You think he is going to cross, but the Hungarian produces an unbelievable knuckleball into the top corner. A screamer. Brajan Gruda just needs to learn to put his foot through the ball. The ball breaks his way in the box after a Jarell Quansah clearance, and he just needs to hit it. But he dilly-dallies on it, and eventually, when he does pull the trigger after a lifetime, Alisson is equal to it. The groans after the miss are so, so loud. .. Mohamed Salah really, really wants a goal. Two times today he has had the ball down the left, but rather than cross, he goes the selfish route. The Egyptian gets on the end of a counter and has Federico Chiesa bursting into the box with him, but opts to go for goal. It's a poor effort, and is blocked easily. Liverpool have calmed this game down a bit now. It feels like the first time since they scored that they are actually knocking the ball about confidently. They scored in the ninth minute, which proves how dominant Brighton have been. Lewis is right, this Brighton press is ridiculous. Liverpool are getting forced back when they have the ball, before eventually losing it. Well, for the most part anyway. .. Just as I type that, they have a foray forward at last, but Kostas Tsimikas' cross is cleared. Brajan Gruda is having a blinder. Brighton always seem to unearth gems, and going by this performance, they have done it yet again. Gruda dances past half of the Liverpool team as if they are not there before shifting the ball to Simon Adingra. The forward's effort is blocked, but my word, it's all Brighton. Right one cue! Liverpool give the ball away yet again, and this time they do get punished. It's a terrific goal, which all stems from a stunning ball in behind by Brajan Gruda. He sets Yasin Ayari away, and he does the rest with a lovely finish across Alisson and into the bottom corner. Full deserved. Bar that Conor Bradley chance a few moments ago, it's been all Brighton. It's wave after wave after wave of attacks from the hosts, but they just can't find the back of the net. Simon Adingra gets involved yet again, this time going for goal himself, but his effort is saved comfortably by Alisson. Liverpool can't get out here. Ohhhh. .. . Brighton should be level! Danny Welbeck simply has to score, I really don't know how he hasn't. His hands are on his head in disbelief. Simon Adingra whips a pearler of a ball into the box, and Welbeck beats Kostas Tsimikas to meet it. You expect him to score, but his header flies inches wide of the post. Ironic cheers erupt from the away end. Brighton work the ball for what feels like a lifetime, before eventually Yankuiba Minteh just decides to have a pop. I mean, why not? Well, it's a shocking attempt and the ball dribbles miles wide. .. like, I mean miles. And as I finish this post, there are more ironic cheers after an even worse effort from Pervis Estupinan. If Fabian Hurzeler went any further out of his technical area, he'd be on the pitch. The German is kicking every ball with his team here; the motion is there for all to see. Meanwhile, Arne Slot has only just gotten out of his seat and now has his hands in his pockets. He is just chilling. Ohhhh. .. it should be two! Liverpool finally wake up again, and they should have a cushion. .. but Conor Bradley shows why he is a defender. Federico Chiesa picks up a loose ball on the break and rather than shoot, which he should do, he shifts the ball to an onrushing Bradley down the right. Bradley just needs to place the ball across Bart Verburggen, but he blasts the ball comfortably wide. Full-back or not, he should do better. Taxi for Tsimikas! The Greek has just been rinsed at the byline by Yankuba Minteh, he needs a ticket to get back in here. Luckily for Tsimikas, Dominik Szoboszlai has his back and does well to win the ball off Minteh after he drives into the box. But jeez, that was a lovely bit of skill. It's all Brighton now. .. I was saying it was a basketball match, but that means that both sides are going for it. And well, Liverpool have stepped off the gas and are under real pressure; they just about survive another dangerous cross into the box. I sense an equaliser coming. This is relentless, I can't even take a minute to breathe. Brighton's response to that goal has been really positive, they are starting to cause Liverpool some real problems here. I have a feeling we are going to get a lot of goals tonight, and I am all for it - even if it makes my job harder. What a response that would have been. Simon Adingra dips an effort onto the roof of the net that had the Liverpool away end worried for a second. Conor Bradley does really well to put Adingra off because for a second I thought he was going to score. This is like a basketball match. What a lovely goal that is! Liverpool should go to Dubai every week, that holiday is working a real treat here. They show why they are champions with a well-worked move, as Dominik Szoboszlai starts it off with a stunning long ball. Mohamed Salah then slides through Conor Bradley, he produces a filthy nutmeg and pulls the ball back for Harvey Elliott. Elliott was never missing from there. .. Ooooh. .. . come on. Brajan Gruda has just done an incredible Tom Daley impression to try and win a penalty. How he has avoided a booking for a dive there, I don't know. Mohamed Salah is then sent away after an incredible ball over the top, and he cuts inside before setting his sights on the corner. But Bart Verbruggen does well to hold onto his effort. Liverpool don't look as hungover as I thought they would be. The Reds have started very well here, they have Brighton penned back and are knocking the ball about with authority. Meanwhile, the Liverpool fans are singing their new Federico Chiesa song on repeat, and my word is it a belting tune. I can't get it out of my head now. .. la la la. My colleague Lewis has just turned to me and said: 'Slot looks quite tanned, doesn't he? ' I had a chuckle, I can't lie. It's bang on, it looks like that bald head got quite a lot of sun in Ibiza, that's for sure. Cody Gakpo loves a goal against Brighton, he really does. The Dutchman bagged a brace here in the Carabao Cup earlier this season, and he nearly opens the scoring with a belting strike inside the opening minute. He picks the ball off the left, then executes his classic move of going inside and pulling the trigger. The ball bends just past the post. Right then, off we go. The Brighton fans have a right good sing-song before the referee blows his whistle. It was very wholesome, I like that kind of stuff. Banger after banger, this DJ needs a raise. I am sitting here bobbing along to the music its that good, they are rivalling the tunes that are usually played at Stamford Bridge. I'm telling you, that's high praise. The Liverpool fans obviously agree with me as they are singing along to them as well. 'Hey Baby' comes on, which is a belter by the way - and the whole away end bursts into the John Arne Riise song. I spoke to Riise the other day, and he still considers himself a scouser, so I know if he heard that, he would love it. It really is a party atmosphere in there. Erm. .. this has surprised me. Brighton give Liverpool another guard of honour - their third in a row - and the fans around me are all booing. I get why teams like Chelsea booed it, but not Brighton. Why would they be annoyed about it? The boos soon turn to cheers and then chnats of 'Seagulls, Seagulls, Seagulls'. They are feeling positive again. It's a pretty decent atmosphere in here tonight, it's the most full I have seen the Amex in a long time. Let's hope the noise levels stay this good. Jamie Carragher, former Liverpool defender, on Sky Sports: I think a few of the Liverpool players are still feeling the Dubai trip. I have been watching their shooting drills, and they all look drunk still. I've clocked just one goal. Harvey Elliott just shanked one over the bar from three yards out, which kind of says everything. If this is how they play when the whistle goes, then it could be a very fun night for Brighton. Surely they will be a bit sharper, though. Liverpool fans and their balloons, eh? I said that the away end would be in party mode, and well, I have just spotted some number 20 balloons in there. There are quite a few of them, actually. .. I sport more with every glance. There is also a banner that says 'Champions again', which is being unveiled as I type this. Let the celebrations continue. Arne Slot, Liverpool boss, speaking on Sky Sports: On Mohamed Salah starting: Jamie Carragher, former Liverpool defender, on Sky Sports: Mohamed Salah isn't the only Liverpool player wanting to make history this evening. In fact, they all do. A goal in this match will see Liverpool become only the ninth side to score in 100 per cent of their away games in an English top-flight season. They would become only the fourth to do so in a league with at least 20 teams in it, after both Arsenal and Manchester United in 2001-02 (19 games), and Arsenal in 1930-31 (21 games). I mean, that's pretty damn mental. To score in nearly every game is just silly, isn't it? So silly. Well, I think it is. No wonder Mohamed Salah is playing. .. With all the changes, there was a part of me that was a little surprised that Salah is starting today. But then I remembered it's Salah, he always has to start, no matter what. As Arne Slot has just said, he would have had 'a knock on the door' if he hadn't selected him. Tonight, Salah is aiming for a bit of Premier League history. I mean, it feels like he always is, let's be real. The league's top scorer has scored 16 away goals in the Premier League this season, the joint-most in a single campaign in the competition’s history. Can he make it 17 today? Fabian Hurzeler, Brighton boss, speaking on Sky Sports: Jamie Carragher, former Liverpool defender, on Sky Sports: When I cover Liverpool on the road, I normally rave about just how amazing their away form is. I mean, until a few weeks ago, it was at silly levels of good. However, Liverpool have now lost two of their last three Premier League away games, as many as they had in their previous 30. They lost 3-1 at Chelsea last time out, last losing consecutively on the road in the league in March/April 2023. Going by the team that Arne Slot has put out, I have a feeling it may become three from four. But you never know, maybe the Dubai rays worked wonders? Yes, I am going to talk about this. Trent Alexander-Arnold has been included in the squad, so there is a chance that he will get on tonight. Arne Slot has already said that he won't succumb to the reaction, and he will still be involved until he leaves. Going by the reaction to his cameo against Arsenal, I don't think that's the best idea personally. I mean, those boos were so much louder than anybody thought they would be. Now, that was at Anfield, so it's of course different. But if Alexander-Arnold does get onto the pitch tonight, it will be interesting to see if the inevitable party mode in the away end switches to a toxic one again. If I were Slot, I just wouldn't play him. It's a special day for Mohamed Salah. It feels like just yesterday that he signed for Liverpool with a point to prove, but it's actually been eight years. I know - mental. Well, today is in fact his 400th appearance for Liverpool in all competitions, and his 300th Premier League appearance in total, including his time at Chelsea. He becomes just the fourth African player to reach this milestone, after Kolo Touré (353), Wilfried Zaha (305), and Jordan Ayew (303). In my book, he is the best out of the four. .. I'm not sure why I said 'my book', I doubt there is a sane person on earth who would disagree with that statement. I can hear the cheers all the way from Liverpool. .. The Reds faithful have been begging for Federico Chiesa to get a start ever since his cameo in the Carabao Cup final. I have seen tweets every week asking for Chiesa to get a go, but each time, Arne Slot would just put him on the bench. I mean, he didn't even get a spot on that against Arsenal. .. But today, finally, Slot gives Chiesa the chance he has deserved for some time now. I'm interested to see how he will do, considering he has barely played any football in recent weeks. Can he shine? For his sake, I hope so. Gary Neville, former Man United skipper, on Sky Sports: Erm. .. am I reading this right? Well, I didn't see this coming. Federico Chiesa is starting his first Premier League game for Liverpool. I think this tells us just how seriously Arne Slot is taking this game. .. not at all seriously. Jarell Quansah and Kostas Tsimikas also get a start, just like they did at Chelsea two weeks ago. And Trent Alexander-Arnold remains on the bench. We have our answer. Lewis Dunk must have just been smiling because he was enjoying his coffee, not because he is starting, as he isn't. Kaoru Mitoma has also recovered from a knock to make the bench, and Igor Julio joins him. Happy with this side, Seagulls fans? Right, it's nearly time for team news. The Brighton players arrived a little earlier, and a certain Lewis Dunk was with them. Dunk has been missing through injury recently, but Fabian Hurzeler said that he would be involved against Liverpool today. Going by that smile, should we anticipate that he is going to start? I mean, who really knows why he is smiling? It is most likely unrelated, and I am reading into it too much. But we will find out in just a few minutes. Arne Slot, Liverpool boss, speaking on Friday: What better way is there to prepare for a Premier League match than with a trip to Dubai, eh? I wish I could have a cheeky little holiday in preparation for this game, but I think my boss would have gone balmy at me. I have to admit, it's been a pretty weird week, or so, covering Liverpool. After their draw with Arsenal eight days ago, the Reds squad all flew out to Dubai for a getaway with each other. No, this was not a warm-weather training camp like the one Arsenal go on every year - football was the last thing on their minds. Videos of Virgil van Dijk and his team-mates chilling on a yacht listening to music tell you all you need to know about the trip. I mean, they have nothing to play for now that they have wrapped up the Premier League, so why not celebrate in style after a gruelling campaign? It may not be over for everybody else, but it basically is for them. Now, that is a trip I was expecting to see. .. however, watching Arne Slot dance with Wayne Lineker in Ibiza a day after their draw with the Gunners was not on my bingo card. It was hilarious, mind. It shows exactly where the Dutchman's head is at. He just wants to have a party, and why not? Sadly for him, the season ain't officially over yet. I bet he would rather be anywhere but Brighton tonight, but here we are. May as well try and enjoy it with a win. .. but I have a feeling that may be hard to come by, considering they are barely training. But we will have to see, won't we? Fabian Hurzeler, Brighton boss, speaking on Friday: OK, OK. .. maybe there is more on this game than I gave it credit for. I guess I was just looking at it more from a Liverpool perspective, and let's be honest, they won't give two hoots about this fixture. But Brighton, they still have a lot riding on it. Eighth place in the Premier League this season will get a European spot, after the top flight was given an extra slot for Champions League football. And well, Brighton are ninth, level on points with Brentford. The Bees were primed to keep the initiative yesterday as they went 2-1 up against their local rivals Fulham, but two goals in two minutes from the Cottagers massively dented their chances of securing Conference League football for next season. It means they have left the door ajar for Brighton to sneak through, and tonight feels like the kind of night that they will burst through the gap. They could not have picked a better time to face Liverpool if they tried; you just don't know how the Reds are going to play now that they have secured the title. It's a huge night now for the Seagulls. By Harry Bamforth Oh, what a beautiful evening. I have just arrived at the Amex Stadium, and it is another stunning spring day. With all the sun we have been treated to in the last few weeks, I think I am finally starting to tan. What a time to be alive. Sadly, as this is a night game, the sun will have practically gone down by kick-off. I'll just have to make sure to get some more rays in the morning. Speaking of tanned people, I imagine when Liverpool walk out of the tunnel ahead of kick-off, you will notice that many of them will have picked one up. It's been eight days since the Reds drew with Arsenal, and they have spent the majority of it partying in the sun, as they continue to celebrate their Premier League triumph. Tonight, they take on Brighton in their final away game of what has been a special campaign. I have to admit, this is quite a hard game to hype up, considering there is very little riding on it. Brighton do still have some slender European hopes, I guess, but Liverpool. .. well, they will most likely be in celebration mode again today. Don't expect them at their best. I reckon it will still be a cracker, regardless. I, for one, am excited. Right then, let's get this show on the road, shall we? The moment every Liverpool fan has been waiting fo. ..

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