BRIGHTON, England (AP) — Brighton and Liverpool traded defensive mistakes before settling for a 2-2 draw in the Premier League on Sunday in another setback for Jurgen Klopp’s team.
Lewis Dunk’s 78th-minute equalizer rescued a point for Brighton after Mohamed Salah had scored twice late in the first half to help Liverpool overcome an early defensive blunder.
Salah finished off a well-worked counter attack in the 40th minute and then converted a penalty just before the break, but Liverpool had another disappointing finish a week after allowing a last-gasp winner in its controversial loss at Tottenham.
Klopp has called for a replay of that game after VAR failed to award his team a goal that had been wrongfully disallowed for offside and Liverpool finished the match with nine men and conceded a stoppage-time winner.
This time it was a mistake by Liverpool center back Virgil van Dijk that proved costly for the visitors.
Van Dijk’s careless pass near his own area was intercepted by Simon Adingra in the 20th minute and the winger rolled the ball past the stranded Alisson Becker in the Liverpool goal from 25 yards out.
But then it was Brighton’s turn to make a couple of mistakes to help Liverpool turn the game around.
Dunk’s pass in midfield was intercepted and Liverpool launched a quick counterattack that saw Darwin Nunez get the ball on the edge of the box. Nunez rolled it toward Harvey Elliott, who smartly let it roll past him to Salah, who slotted a first-time finish into the net.
An even bigger blunder by goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen less than five minutes later led to Liverpool’s second. Verbruggen’s pass to Pascal Gross in the Brighton box put his teammate under severe pressure as Dominik Szoboszlai pounced on the ball, and Gross had to drag his opponent down to prevent him having a clear shot on goal.
Salah calmly converted from the spot to give Liverpool the halftime lead.
Adingra had a chance to equalize shortly after the break but drew a good save from Alisson, and Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch had a great opportunity to extend the lead when the ball fell to him at the back post after another quick attack at the other end. But with the empty net at his mercy, Gravenberch hit his effort against the bar from close range.
Shortly afterward, Brighton was level.
Solly March delivered a free kick from the left and Dunk got behind the Liverpool defenders to poke in the equalizer from close range.
Brighton’s Joao Pedro had the best chance to score a winner when the ball fell to him near the penalty spot in the 84th but he blasted his shot over the crossbar.