Liverpool 2-1 Brighton: Verbruggen, Ayari and Kadioglu top ratings
Our Liverpool 2-1 Brighton player ratings are the first time ever that three players have shared top spot with exactly the same score.
Bart Verbruggen, Yasin Ayari and Ferdi Kadioglu all racked up 7.29 for their performances against the Redmen in what proved to be a tale of two halves.
The Albion were excellent in the first half, outplaying their hosts and silencing Anfield. Unfortunately, they only had one goal to show for their domination. With a bit more ruthlessness, it should have been two, three or even four.
Brighton were then made to pay for not taking their chances as the Redmen struck twice in the space of three minutes midway through the second half.
It was a good effort from the Albion, although who knows what might have been with clinical finishing and earlier substitutions at the point Brighton were visibly tiring.
Here are your Liverpool 2-1 Brighton player ratings.
BART VERBRUGGEN – 7.29
Looked through the first part of the second half like Verbruggen was going to repeat his heroics at Newcastle United two weeks ago to help Brighton to a clean sheet and famous win. Made superb saves from Darwin Nunez, an Alexis Mac Allister header and a Mo Salah one-on-one.
Joel Veltman – 5.86
Had a difficult task dealing with one-time Albion target Nunez. He did it reasonably well.
Jan Paul van Hecke – 6.14
Defended strongly and played some lovely balls out of defence. The prospect of a trip to Anfield without Lewis Dunk would have been enough to have Brighton supporters waking up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. Not so much anymore thanks to the presence of Van Hecke.
Igor Julio – 5.86
Igor! Igor! Igor! The danger playing him against such a good attacking side is what happens when he has one of those moments when he goes rouge. Thankfully, it never happened and he stuck to his defensive tasks admirably.
Pervis Estupinan – 5.86
Salah is obviously a world class player – but might Estupinan have done better in preventing him cutting inside for what proved to be the winner?
Jack Hinshelwood – 7.00
Helped Brighton set the tempo whilst also doing some diligent defensive work. Not many teams will be so brave as to go to Liverpool with a midfield of an average age of 20.
YASIN AYARI – 7.29
This felt like a coming-of-age performance from Ayari, perfectly timed on a day when eyebrows were raised over him partnering Jack Hinshelwood in midfield with Carlos Baleba on the bench. One brilliant pass took Virgil van Dijk out of the game and should have given him one of the assists of the season, only for Georginio Rutter to squander the chance.
FERDI KADIOGLU – 7.29
His first Premier League goal was a vicious strike which had too much power for Caoimhin Kelleher to keep out. Volleyed wastefully into the Kop from close range afterwards. Still, his best game so far in an Albion shirt.
Georginio Rutter – 6.00
Works so hard for the team but his finishing looks a weakness, as shown when he squandered a great chance for Brighton to score a second from that Ayari pass.
Kaoru Mitoma – 6.14
Breezed past Trent Alexander-Arnold on multiple occasions. Helped set up the Brighton goal and provided the cross which Kadioglu put into the stands.
Danny Welbeck – 6.43
Clever touch helped Mitoma’s pass into the path of Kadioglu for the goal. Dat Guy almost added one himself with a curling free kick which crashed into the side netting.
Mats Wieffer – 5.71
Did not make much time to make an impact.
Brajan Gruda – 6.00
The best of the substitutes. Went down in the Liverpool box late in the day but the lack of appeal for a penalty suggested it was not one.
Simon Adingra – 5.43
Did not make much time to make an impact.
Jakub Moder – 5.14
Did not make much time to make an impact.
Evan Ferguson – 5.14
Did not make much time to make an impact.
