Mohamed Salah's lack of goals increases Liverpool's problems

Liverpool failed to secure their first win since winning their 20th Premier League title, suffering their second defeat in their third match since clinching the title, a 3-2 defeat at Brighton in the penultimate round of the season. Arne Slot's side had clinched the title early in the 34th round with a thumping 5-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, but then stumbled to a 3-1 defeat at Chelsea and a 2-2 draw with runners-up Arsenal in the previous round. Against a Brighton side hoping to maintain their slim hopes of qualifying for the Conference League, Slot made significant changes to his starting lineup, keeping Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk, Scotland's Andy Robertson, Curtis Jones, and Colombian Luis Diaz on the bench, in addition to Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was booed in the previous match due to his possible departure from the club. Italian striker Federico Chiesa started alongside Egyptian star Mohamed Salah, who made his 300th Premier League appearance, becoming the fourth African player to reach this milestone, although he failed to score for the third consecutive game. Liverpool started strongly and took an early lead in the ninth minute through Harvey Elliott, following a fine pass from Northern Irishman Connor Bradley. Brighton responded quickly, equalizing in the 32nd minute through Tunisian-Swedish Yassine Ayari, following a well-worked team move. Minutes before halftime, Hungarian Dominik Szoboszlai restored the lead with a shot from a tight angle, despite it appearing to be a cross, setting the tone for a tense encounter. Liverpool missed several chances to extend their lead in the second half, allowing Brighton to equalize in the 69th minute through Japanese substitute Kaoru Mitoma, who tapped in a well-aimed shot. The score remained level until the 85th minute, when substitute Jack Henshilwood snatched the winner for Brighton, following a cross from Mitoma. Although the goal was initially ruled out for offside, the referee reversed and upheld it after a VAR review. With this 15th win of the season, Brighton moved up to 58 points in eighth place, the first place outside the European quarter-finals. The team needs to win its final match against Tottenham, while awaiting the outcome of the Conference League final. A Chelsea victory and Tottenham's qualification for the European quarter-finals could pave the way for Brighton to participate in Europe for the first time in its history. Liverpool, for its part, appears to be in a process of restructuring its fortunes after winning the title, facing major challenges in maintaining its level in the final rounds of the season.