Mitoma scores late to send Liverpool out of the FA

• Brighton & Hove Albion came from behind to defeat Liverpool in the fourth round of the FA Cup
• Lewis Dunk’s fortunate goal and a sublime last-gasp volley from Kaoru Mitoma sealed the win
• Liverpool now has only the Champions League as a realistic chance of silverware this season

Brighton & Hove Albion came from behind to defeat Liverpool in the fourth round of the FA Cup at the Amex Stadium, winning 2-1.

Despite the absence of Moises Caicedo, whose transfer saga threatened to derail the Seagulls’ preparations, Lewis Dunk’s fortunate goal and a sublime last-gasp volley from Kaoru Mitoma sealed the hosts’ second win in two weeks over a regressing Reds side, who took the lead through Harvey Elliott in the first half.

How the game unfolded

Harvey Elliot scored the opening goal of the game.|PHOTO: Sky Sports|

The opening exchanges were furious, with Brighton and Liverpool pushing forward at every opportunity, and there were two goalline clearances in the first 15 minutes.

Dunk had to block  Mohamed Salah’s goal-bound effort from a tight angle away from danger after only four minutes, and Brighton missed a gilt-edged chance 11 minutes later.

Solly March marched into the box before finding Evan Ferguson, but the 18-year-old couldn’t get his feet together in time for Trent Alexander-Arnold to clear his effort off the line.

Mitoma carried the threat to Liverpool and fired a tame effort into the grasp of Alisson Becker in the 21st minute, as the hosts continued to demonstrate the attacking intent that has made them so successful in front of goal under Roberto De Zerbi.

However, Liverpool remained a threat in the Brighton third, with Salah scuffing an effort wide when one-on-one with Jason Steele after being played through by Elliott with a pinpoint threaded pass.

However, the duo would combine again in the 30th minute to draw first blood, as a quick Liverpool break ended with Salah finding Elliott on the right side of the box, and the Englishman’s low shot took a nick off of to the corner.

The comeback

Mitoma celebrates scoring the deciding goal.|PHOTO: Sky Sports|

The Reds’ lead lasted only nine minutes, as the ball fell kindly for Tariq Lamptey to fire a half-volley towards goal following a corner, and a touch fooled Alisson from Dunk as the ball found its way into the net.

The second half began similarly to the first, with Dunk and Pascal Gross passing up good chances for the Seagulls to take the lead, but Jurgen Klopp’s crop’s pressing had ostensibly improved.

Alexander-Arnold was replaced by James Milner, who received equal treatment from the effervescent Mitoma, who sent in a sumptuous outside-of-the-boot cross for March in the 71st minute. Still, his close-range effort hit Alisson before deflecting back off him and out for a goal kick.

In the final ten minutes, Ibrahima Konate escaped a free kick and red card after appearing to elbow the back of Alexis MacAllister’s head with the Argentine running through on goal. Fabinho was similarly spared further punishment after catching Ferguson’s Achilles with a terrible challenge.

Brighton, on the other hand, would not need to face ten or even nine men to defeat the Reds, as a stoppage-time free kick from Gross found Pervis Estupinan at the back stick, who lofted the ball over to Mitoma, who took a pair of delightful touches before lifting a sublime volley into the roof of the net.

De Zerbi’s side survived a late VAR check to send the reigning champions packing, and the Seagulls return to Premier League action on Saturday at home to Bournemouth, while Liverpool, who now have only the Champions League as a realistic chance of silverware this season, face Wolverhampton Wanderers at the same time next weekend.