Brighton & Hove Albion 1 Liverpool 5
Albion were given a footballing lesson and were out-thought, outmuscled and outplayed by the impressive five times former European champions Liverpool.
It was Albion’s biggest home defeat since the loss to Stoke in May 2006.
The Reds had almost total possession in the first half as Albion tried to contain the attacking threat.
Albion though had the first chance but Glenn Murray, from Izzy Brown’s cross, was unable to dig the ball out from between his feet and screwed his shot well wide.
As Liverpool dominated the final third so Albion became frustrated and began to give the ball away.
Mohamed Salah linked up well with Roberto Firmino and James Milner to test Albion keeper Maty Ryan from just outside the area.
But it was from a Philippe Coutinho corner that Liverpool took the lead, Emre Can powering a header past Ryan.
As Albion kicked off the ball was lost and with some Seagulls players still set up for the restart, Coutinho set up Firmino who slotted past Ryan to double Liverpool’s lead less than 60 seconds after their first goal.
Albion survived at two down until half time.
As the second half got under way so Izzy Brown found a new lease of life. His cross for Murray should have been buried by the veteran striker but Simon Mignolet managed to parry.
Liverpool broke quickly through Salah. He picked out Firmino, who was in space and placed a shot into the top corner of Ryan’s goal for 0-3.
Anthony Knockaert and Gaetan Bong were putting in good individual performances but Albion’s only stroke of luck came from a corner. Referee Graham Scott adjudged Jordan Henderson to have pushed down on Shane Duffy.
Murray dispatched the penalty to put Albion back in it.
The Seagulls still did their best to attack Liverpool. Substitute Jose Izquierdo linked up well with Pascal Gross but just as the Columbian was about to pull the trigger from eight yards out, Trent Alexander-Arnold executed a superb block tackle.
Albion looked tired, Bruno in particular as he was replaced by Ezequiel Schelotto.
With three minutes left Liverpool won a free kick after Coutinho expertly twisted and turned through the Seagulls defence. Coutinho himself powered the set piece under the wall to put Liverpool 1-4 in front.
But the Reds weren’t finished yet. Coutinho got into a another scoring position but his wayward shot deflected off Dunk to give Liverpool an emphatic 1-5 win.
It was Dunk’s third own goal of the season and his second against Liverpool. His previous own goal against the Reds happened at Anfield in a 6-1 FA Cup tie defeat in February 2012.
Albion travel to Yorkshire next Saturday (9 December) to play Huddersfield Town where they will want to return to winning ways.
