Trent Alexander-Arnold felt the ire of Virgil van Dijk on several occasions during a bleak period for the home team. The first of these came when Van Dijk’s long ball from an open corner was struck low, forcing the Liverpool captain to fight for the ball up the pitch before gaining possession to keep the attack alive.

Van Dijk, clearly unhappy with the execution of the pass, immediately glanced towards his teammate to indicate his unhappiness, but it was another sloppy play later in the game that really brought out the captain’s anger.

Alexander-Arnold’s stalling with the ball five minutes into the second half gave Danny Welbeck the opportunity to shut down the Liverpool defence, which put the Reds under pressure once again. While Anfield voiced its general disapproval of the game, Van Dijk made sure to let his vice-captain know that standards had fallen too much. Alexander-Arnold got the message clearly and the home team gradually improved collectively to secure the win.

Mac Allister isn’t feeling the love

There were 38 minutes left when Alexis Mac Allister was brought down in the middle of a midfield battle at Anfield. The Reds star went down and became the recipient of unfair sticks from the adoring fan base while he received treatment.

Seagulls fans curiously hummed “He’s going to cry soon” between songs dedicated to their former midfielder. It was a harsh reception for a player who won the World Cup during his time at the Amex. Mac Allister has developed into an elite-level midfielder during his time on the south coast, but it seems the affection has not been lost on Brighton fans.

Whose position is it anyway?

The late substitution left those on the pitch scratching their heads as Arne Slot made a number of changes to turn the game around.

As Darwin Nunez made way for Wataru Endo, the not-quite-exact trade left players on the field wondering who should fill the void the forward now leaves. Having clearly begun to see the outcome of their usual defensive midfield position, Liverpool, now without a striker, needed to readjust.

Amidst the confusion and arguments, Diaz and Gakpo had to go to Slot and ask who he wanted to lead in the final moments. Apparently the new number 9 was Gakpo.