Liverpool: Former champions Liverpool came back from two goals down to lead but were eventually held 3-3 by Brighton & Hove Albion propped up by Leo Trossard, who scored the club’s first Premier League hat-trick as they held the Reds 3-3 in a six-goal thriller at Anfield here on Saturday.
The Reds came from two down to lead 3-2 on Saturday afternoon as Roberto Firmino’s double was supplemented by an Adam Webster own goal, but Leandro Trossard completed his hat-trick with seven minutes left to secure a point for the visitors.
Trossard scored twice inside the opening 17 minutes to give Roberto De Z’rbi’s side a healthy early advantage, but Firmino made it 2-1 at the break.
Firmino’s second of the game restored parity quickly after half-time and it appeared that the hosts had managed a remarkable turnaround when Trent Alexander-Arnold’s corner bounced in off Webster.
But late frustration was to follow when Trossard fired home his third at the Kop end.
The De Zerbi reign got off to an unbelievable start as Brighton scored in just the fourth minute before doubling their lead 13 minutes later.
Trossard produced two clinical finishes to become the first visiting player to score twice at Anfield in the first half since 2008.
Solly March was heavily involved in both. His cross from the right broke in the box for Trossard who powered a left-foot shot across Alisson and into the far corner.
The second goal was a thing of beauty. Danny Welbeck pulled the ball back from the left, and March’s prod forward was perfectly weighted to enable Trossard to stay onside and beat Allison with his left foot from close range again.
Liverpool fought back and got into the scoring act soon.
A precise attempt from Mohamed Salah was stopped by Robert Sanchez as Liverpool showed signs of a response. Juergen Klopp’s team reacted positively and only a last-ditch intervention from Joel Veltman prevented Carvalho from tapping in a devilish Alexander-Arnold delivery.
Anfield roared its support of the greater level of threat now on display from their side and a sliding Salah was somehow denied by a combination of Sanchez and Lewis Dunk.
Liverpool’s goal came soon, with Firmino making it possible. Salah found the No.9 with a clever and unselfish square ball and Firmino applied the finishing touch by deftly lifting over Sanchez.
The strike was initially ruled out for offside against Salah, but a VAR review confirmed he was onside and the decibel level rose again inside Anfield.
Diaz replaced Carvalho at half-time and the Colombian’s influence w’s writ large over Liverpool’s 54th-minute equaliser.
The counter-attack rounded off by Firmino was launched by Henderson, the captain locating Thiago Alcantara with a fine pass from inside his own penalty area. Thiago in turn fed Diaz, who dribbled infield before finding Firmino. The No.9 duly danced his way past Dunk and slotted beyond Sanchez with ice-cool composure.
Firmino nearly got his hat-trick when Sanchez saved his header from Henderson’s fizzed cross. Liverpool’s pressure continued as Sa’chez misjudged Alexander-Arnold’s corner and the ball went in off Webster to make it 3-2.
Brighton were not done, however, and Alisson made an excellent save to parry away Welbeck’s header amid a spell of Seagulls pressure that would end with Trossard finishing well at the back post.
Alexander-Arnold went close to snatching the three points with a stoppage-time free-kick that Sanchez turned wide, but a frantic game ended all square.
In other matches on Saturday, Bournemouth were held goalless by Brentford while Southampton went down to Everton 1-2.
–IANS
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