Premier League, Matchweek 37, Liverpool, already crowned champions, looked a shadow of their dominant selves as they fell 3-2 away to Brighton in a dramatic encounter. Despite twice taking the lead through Harvey Elliott and Dominik Szoboszlai in the first half, the Reds couldn’t hold on. Brighton responded bravely, with goals from Ayari and Kaoru Mitoma levelling the score, before substitute Hinshelwood completed a late comeback in the 85th minute.
Record Broken: Liverpool’s 156-Game Streak Ends
This loss marked the end of an incredible run. Liverpool had gone 156 Premier League games unbeaten when leading at halftime, a streak that stretched back to 2016, when they last let such a lead slip in a 4-3 defeat to Bournemouth. Of those 156 matches, they had won 142 and drawn 14.
Even rarer? The Reds had not lost a league game in which they led twice since April 2004, when they lost 4-2 to Arsenal. After 21 years, history has repeated itself.
Since hammering Tottenham 5-1 at the end of April to clinch the title early, Liverpool have looked a team without purpose. They’ve now gone three games without a win, losing to Chelsea and Brighton, and drawing with Arsenal, making them the first team in Premier League history to go winless in three straight games after securing the title.
Salah’s Off Day Amid Record-Equalling Season
Mohamed Salah started the game but had little impact and missed a golden opportunity in front of the goal. Despite the quiet outing, Salah continues to shine statistically this season — his 11 Premier League away assists have equalled the all-time single-season record set by Cesc Fabregas in 2014/15.
Manager Arne Slot defended his star man, saying:
“When the ball came to Mo, I truly believed we were about to score. He’s been like a superhero all season, but even superheroes have human moments.”
Mitoma’s Birthday Strike Caps Brighton Glory
On the other hand, Brighton was impressed yet again, and none more so than Kaoru Mitoma. The Japanese winger, celebrating his 26th birthday, smashed home a volley to bring his season tally to 10 Premier League goals, setting a new record for a Japanese player in the competition. Unsurprisingly, he was named Man of the Match.
The win means Brighton are now unbeaten at home against all “Big Six” sides this season (5 wins, 1 draw), earning them a reputation as giant killers. Mitoma joins João Pedro and Danny Welbeck in reaching double-digit goals for the first time in Brighton’s top-flight history, as the three players have done so in a single campaign.
With 15 wins, 13 draws, and 9 losses, Brighton sits 8th in the table on 58 points. While they’re out of contention for the Champions League or Europa League, they remain in the hunt for a place in the UEFA Europa Conference League.
Liverpool’s post-title slump raises questions about motivation and mindset heading into next season. Meanwhile, Brighton continues to prove they can mix it with the best and on Mitoma’s birthday, they delivered yet another reminder of their growth and grit.
