Kungfu kick Robert Sánchez cannot break up an impressive series of Liverpool


Saturday, March 12, 2022 at 3:24 PM• Tom Rofekamp

Liverpool recorded their eighth consecutive Premier League win on Saturday. Despite a brutal start from opponent Brighton & Hove Albion, Jürgen Klopp’s team quickly put things in order and eventually triumphed 0-2. The most talked-about moment of the game was the action by Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sánchez, who bizarrely torpedoed opponent Luis Díaz with the opening goal. Liverpool, which started with Virgil van Dijk, closed the gap with leader Manchester City to three points thanks to the victory.

Brighton, where Joël Veltman started as right central defender, started the game promisingly. The number thirteen in the Premier League went on a brutal search for the opening goal, coming close mainly through Neal Maupay, who saw his low shot miss Alisson Becker’s goal. Díaz brought an abrupt end to the ascendancy in the eighteenth minute. The Colombian was sent off with a nice through ball by Joël Matip and was at the ball earlier than the life-threatening incoming Sánchez. At the risk of his own life, Díaz planted his forehead against the leather, which to his delight ended up in Brighton’s empty goal: 0-1.

Sánchez’s bizarre action was still assessed by VAR, which ultimately decided not to penalize the Spanish goalkeeper extra. Liverpool took the reins and continuously pushed Brighton – who, incidentally, took the blue and yellow third uniform as a tribute to Ukraine – back into their own half. After Sánchez had stopped a weak header from Mohamed Salah five minutes before half time, the closing post had more trouble with the Egyptian’s second attempt moments later. However, Sánchez kept his goal clean until referee Mike Dean whistled for the halftime signal.

Suddenly after the restart, Brighton suddenly appeared in front of Alisson’s goal. Alexis Mac Allister defeated Van Dijk in the air and via Maupay the ball ended up with Leandro Trossard. However, the Belgian seemed shocked by the size of the opportunity and shot wildly over the visitors’ goal. Liverpool soon straightened out. Yves Bissouma helped in the 59th minute the Reds in the saddle by blocking an attempt by Sadio Mané with his hand; Mohamed Salah shot the resulting penalty hard through the middle: 0-2. This brought the Premier League’s top scorer his season total in the competition to twenty.

Salah’s goal also marked Liverpool’s 2000th Premier League goal ever. Brighton then had to force something and therefore dropped large openings. It provided, among other things, a great shooting opportunity for Jordan Henderson, who, however, only produced a weak roller from the edge of the box. Graham Potter’s team did not waver the visitors from Liverpool, except for a great chance from Danny Welbeck in the final phase.

No. Team m W G V † Pnt
1 Manchester City 28 22 3 3 50 69
2 Liverpool 28 20 6 2 53 66
3 Chelsea 27 16 8 3 37 56
4 Arsenal 25 15 3 7 12 48
5 Manchester United 28 13 8 7 7 47
6 West Ham United 28 13 6 9 11 45
7 Tottenham Hotspur 26 14 3 9 8 45
8 Wolverhampton W. 28 13 4 11 5 43
9 Aston Villa 27 11 3 13 3 36
10 Southampton 28 8 11 9 -8 35
11 Crystal Palace 28 7 12 9 1 33
12 Leicester City 25 9 6 10 -3 33
13 Brighton & Hove Albion 28 7 12 9 -8 33
14 Newcastle United 27 7 10 10 -15 31
15 Brentford 28 7 6 15 -15 27
16 Leeds United 28 5 8 15 -35 23
17 Everton 25 6 4 15 -18 22
18 Burnley 26 3 12 11 -14 21
19 Watford 28 5 4 19 -27 19
20 Norwich City 28 4 5 19 -44 17