Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 Liverpool
by Gene Sylvester
at the Falmer Stadium

BRIGHTON and Liverpool renewed acquaintances in this fourth-round FA Cup tie today just a fortnight after the south-coast side had put Jurgen Klopp’s Reds to the sword in a league game the Liverpool manager admitted was the worst he had ever seen his team play.

And while the performance from the German’s players was much improved, the result resembled groundhog day as Roberto de Zerbi’s Seagulls came out on top again, courtesy of a  spectacular stoppage-time winner from Japan wing-back Kaoru Mitoma, handing the home side a 2-1 win.

Liverpool had taken the lead in the 29th minute via midfielder Harvey Elliott, scoring his fifth goal of the season for the club, after good work from Mohamed Salah down the right.

Brighton were incensed as Naby Keita had appeared to handle the ball in the build-up, but there was no VAR check and the goal stood.

Then Brighton were awarded their own slice of luck through a Lewis Dunk equaliser 10 minutes later following a Tariq Lamptey shot that deflected off his ankle, wrong-footing Allison Becker in the Liverpool goal to level the tie.

But the real drama was reserved for the 91st minute when a Pervis Estupinan cross was brought down at the back post by Mitoma, who feigned a shot, juggled the ball to change his angle and fired into the roof of the Liverpool net to take Brighton through to the fifth round of the FA Cup in this season of continuing miracles and knocking the holders out.