Confusion. Confusion on the pitch and confusion off the pitch. A lot of modern football, especially as practised by managers such as Jürgen Klopp and Roberto De Zerbi, seems to be about, if not controlling confusion, then at least directing it, pushing the confusion into the right areas. But a lot of modern football also involves people staring at screens and realising laws that once seemed to resonate with the rectitude of the ages are slippery and ambiguous.
Would Liverpool be affected by the video assistant referee controversy of last week? Would their fury and sense of disillusionment curdle into something self‑destructive? Might it even galvanise them? The truth is it barely seemed to make a difference at all. This was Liverpool as they have been for most of the season, a blend of brilliance and vulnerability that makes them look at times like title contenders while the sense lingers that this cannot be sustained.
Five times already this season they have gone behind and come back to win and, until Lewis Dunk turned in Solly March’s free-kick with 12 minutes remaining, it looked very much like being a sixth. Had Ryan Gravenberch not hit the bar from close range eight minutes into the second half, it surely would have been. That speaks well of their resilience and character, and rather less well of their defensive capabilities.
Was it a fair result? “Unfortunately, yes,” Klopp said. “Because we didn’t score the third we kept the game open. It was intense for both teams. I think the right result.”
Brighton have been just as mercurial this season, thrilling yet open, never more than a couple of seconds from scoring, never more than a couple of seconds from conceding. A euphoric feel pervades the Amex, a sense that they cannot quite believe their elevation to the European stage. But three games without a win before Sunday had made clear the strain.
De Zerbi has never been afraid of juggling his resources, but six changes from the side that drew in Marseille on Thursday took the sum of his changes over the past six games to 36. He said: “Brighton played with personality, with courage, with a clear idea and a lot of young players. It’s a great result when you don’t lose to Liverpool but I think we deserved the points more.”
This was a game defined by pressing and by both sides conceding possession in trying to pass out from the back. Brighton, who seemed in control for most of the first half, went ahead as Simon Adingra intercepted Virgil van Dijk’s ball to Alexis Mac Allister and rolled the ball in from 30 yards as Alisson, who had squared the ball to Van Dijk, failed to get back. It was a goal born of Brighton’s press, of the alertness and composure of Adingra, of poor pass selection and a lack of awareness.
But it was also born of Brighton’s almost impeccable recruitment, identifying the Ivorian’s potential after a season in the Danish league with Nordsjælland. The 21-year-old very nearly got a second soon after half-time, sweeping inside Andy Robertson before being denied by a remarkable save from Alisson, who somehow reached behind him to claw away the goal-bound shot.
Impressive as Brighton have been this season, they began the game having conceded more than anybody outside the bottom four. Theirs is a high-risk way of playing, but there is also a self-destructiveness about them; when Dunk’s pass was intercepted by Mac Allister, five minutes before half-time, they were exposed. Mohamed Salah took advantage.
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After two goals that stemmed from turnovers came a third. This time it was Bart Verbruggen, the Brighton keeper, at fault as he played the ball to Pascal Gross under pressure. As Gross was dispossessed, he grabbed at Dominik Szoboszlai’s collar, hauling him down, the ball breaking for Luis Díaz, who was tripped.
The penalty was given after the second offence, although the VAR check was apparently for the former; Gross seemed very fortunate to escape a red card. The offence, apparently, was not deemed to be preventing a goalscoring opportunity as Szoboszlai was not moving towards goal, but that seems an extremely generous interpretation given he was one pace from getting off his shot. Klopp made clear what he thought but was guarded in his language: “I’m too old for this kind of thing,” he said. Either way, Salah slammed in the penalty.
But handball, of course, is the real mess. When Kaoru Mitoma’s shot flicked off Van Dijk’s thigh on to his arm, De Zerbi was enraged enough to be booked. Van Dijk was probably close enough, his arm unraised enough, that it was not a foul but, frankly, who knows anything any more?
Confusion is everywhere. All that is certain is an exhausting game ended level and, for Liverpool, well as they played, even as the game was, such are modern standards in the title race that a draw feels like two points dropped.
