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4/10 Dud Stinks – Liverpool vs Brighton Player Ratings and Match Highlights

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Liverpool defeated Brighton 2-0 in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon to get back to winning ways and move temporarily up to sixth place.

The hosts got off to a flying start and took the lead after just 46 seconds as Hugo Ekitike capitalised on an error, and made no mistake with his finish, smashing it past Bart Verbruggen.

In the 51st minute, Brighton missed a golden opportunity to level up the match as Diego Gomez hit the post from just a few yards, and that proved to be costly, as right on the hour mark, Liverpool doubled their lead through Ekitike again, as he headed home from a Mohamed Salah corner and sealed all three points.

Match Highlights

Liverpool Player Ratings

liverpool brighton

GK: Alisson Becker – 8/10

Produced a superb save in the first half to deny Gomez a clear opportunity. Outside of that save in the 14th minute, Alisson didn’t have a single save to make and wasn’t asked to do much with the ball at his feet either.

RB: Joseph Gomez – 6/10

Enjoyed a brilliant start to the match, assisting Ekitike’s opening goal after just 45 seconds. Gomez’s time on the pitch lasted just 26 minutes, as he picked up an injury and had to be taken off.

CB: Ibrahima Konate – 8/10

Defensively and physically dominant. Konate dealt with the threat of Brighton’s attackers very well, but still had some moments where he looked quite shaky and made a few silly fouls.

CB: Virgil van Dijk – 7.5/10

Didn’t put a foot wrong with the ball at his feet and was never really defensively challenged during the match.

LB: Milos Kerkez – 7.5/10

Played with plenty of energy up and down the left flank. Although Kerkez didn’t really produce much going forward, defensively, he was very good against a talented winger in Minteh.

CM: Alexis Mac Allister – 6.5/10

Didn’t really have any significant involvement in the match aside from sending Salah through on goal with a nice pass. Mac Allister saw hardly any of the ball compared to his fellow midfielders, and at times looked tired and timid, especially in the tackle.

CM: Ryan Gravenberch – 7.5/10

Had some really tidy moments with the ball at his feet and managed to start several quick counter-attacks for his side, which probably should’ve resulted in some goals.

CM: Curtis Jones – 8/10

Saw plenty of the ball and was very effective with it. Jones was always looking to get Liverpool forward with his passing, and also had several bright moments where he took the ball and burst through the midfield.

RW: Dominik Szoboszlai – 7.5/10

Put in a solid performance considering he was moved to right back in the first half. The Hungarian put some good crosses into the box and was defensively sound.

ST: Hugo Ekitike – 9/10 (Man of the Match)

The difference maker for Liverpool. Ekitike was a nightmare for the Brighton defenders to deal with all afternoon, and he took his two goals very well.

LW: Florian Wirtz – 8/10

Arguably his best performance in a Liverpool shirt so far. The German worked his socks off, but also created some really good chances for his teammates and showed real quality with the ball at his feet.

SUB: Mohamed Salah – 8.5/10

The Egyptian showed glimpses of being back to his best. Salah provided a very good assist for Ekitike’s second goal and was by far Liverpool’s best and most effective creative threat.

SUB: Andrew Robertson – N/A

Didn’t do much after coming on.

SUB: Alexander Isak – N/A

Didn’t do much after coming on.

SUB: Federico Chiesa – N/A

Didn’t do much after coming on.

Brighton Player Ratings

Georginio Rutter and Milos Kerkez in action for Liverpool and Brighton in the Premier League

GK: Bart Verbruggen – 5.5/10

Didn’t have much to do outside of making a few routine saves. Verbruggen arguably could’ve done better to stop Ekitike’s opening goal, as although it was hit with power, it was basically directed down the middle of the goal.

RB: Mats Wieffer – 5/10

Had a really tough afternoon against Wirtz. Wieffer struggled with the German’s energy and was second best pretty much every time he was in a defensive one-on-one situation.

CB: Jan Paul van Hecke – 6/10

Decent with the ball at his feet, but had a few moments where he looked to struggle to deal with Ekitike’s pace and power.

CB: Lewis Dunk – 5.5/10

Really struggled with the pace of Liverpool’s attackers. Dunk was caught out of position several times, which led to Liverpool almost scoring several goals on the counter-attack.

LB: Ferdi Kadioglu – 5.5/10

Showed some quality in the final third, but really struggled to deal with Salah.

CM: Jack Hinshelwood – 5.5/10

Played with plenty of energy, but lacked the quality on the ball to make things happen. Hinshelwood saw quite a bit of the ball, but mainly played it sideways and backwards instead of moving Brighton up the pitch.

CM: Carlos Baleba – 4/10

Seemed to really struggle with the pace and intensity of the match. Baleba also didn’t do much with the ball at his feet, which is surprising, as he is a player who is typically technically brilliant, and he was disappointing before heading to AFCON.

AM: Brajan Gruda – 7/10

Looked very bright and energetic in the final third. The German had some tidy moments with the ball at his feet and went close to scoring in the 56th minute.

RW: Yankuba Minteh – 5.5/10

Dealt with quite easily by Kerkez. Minteh tried his best to impose his pace and power, but was unsuccessful most of the time.

ST: Georginio Rutter – 6/10

Had a few bright moments in the final third, but they were mainly creative moments which favoured his teammates. In front of goal, Rutter didn’t really have a sniff.

LW: Diego Gomez – 5/10

Missed an absolute sitter in the 51st minute and was lucky to have remained on the pitch after kicking Wirtz in the chest.

SUB: Yasin Ayari – N/A

Didn’t do much after coming on.

SUB: Kaoru Mitoma – N/A

Didn’t do much after coming on.

SUB: Danny Welbeck – N/A

Didn’t do much after coming on.

SUB: Charalampos Kostoulas – N/A

Didn’t do much after coming on.​​​​​​​

SUB: James Milner – N/A

Didn’t do much after coming on.

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Man Utd Want ‘Impressive’ USA Star

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The midfield market this summer is booming, and Manchester United are in the thick of it, as the club looks to improve their central ranks for next season.

A deal has already been agreed to sign Ederson, who will be the first key addition to the centre of the park, while moves are being lined up for other options.

While Elliot Anderson is likely to snub the Red Devils in favour of rivals Manchester City, there is interest in Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali that is being stepped up in the coming weeks.

Those deals could prove costly, however, so Man United have another possible transfer target in mind for the window.

Man United Eye Tyler Adams Deal

Christian Pulisic and Tyler Adams playing for the USMNT

A fresh target on the radar for Man United appears to be USMNT and Bournemouth star Tyler Adams, as Caught Offside claims the club are eyeing a potential deal for the midfielder.

The Red Devils are joined by Premier League rivals Chelsea in the hunt for the ‘incredible’ 27-year-old, who has impressed for both his club and country in the past year.

Adams, who featured 26 times for Bournemouth last season, has a contract at the Vitality Stadium until 2028, meaning he enters the final two years of his deal and could prompt an exit.

It’s claimed the Cherries aren’t actively looking to complete a sale for the midfield general, but an offer could tempt them into considering a move.

An offer around the £30 million could prompt discussions, but it’s unclear whether Man United will formalise their interest and push for a transfer this summer.

Any deal could come after the World Cup this summer, where Adams has played every minute for the USMNT during their home tournament.

Both displays were impressive, picking up wins over Paraguay and Australia, with his performances potentially having an impact on the summer transfer window.

You scored

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Tyler Adams Would Be A Smart Signing

Tyler Adams

While some of the big names on the market are set to move for huge transfer fees this summer, Man United could land a smart signing in the form of Adams.

The 27-year-old has become a Premier League regular, with plenty of quality off-the-ball that helps add some intensity to the central midfield.

This is reflective of his World Cup stats so far, playing a ball-winning role for the USMNT that has led to fans describing him as “impressive”.


Michael Carrick


Man Utd Eyeing Move to Sign ‘Crucial’ Sunderland Star

Man Utd are in the market for a new forward.

There may be some hope that Adams can keep pushing on to become a leading midfielder in the Premier League, though there are naturally some concerns surrounding his injury record.

That may all have to wait until after the World Cup, as USA have progressed to the round of 32, and could make quite a dent into the tournament this summer.

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Tottenham Plot Shock Move to Sign Rashford

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Tottenham Hotspur are shocking everyone with their business and ambition in the summer transfer window, as they line up another big-name signing.

Tottenham have already completed a trio of deals for manager Roberto De Zerbi after registering successive 17th-place finishes in the Premier League, with Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi arriving on free transfers to boost a leaky backline, and Jan Paul van Hecke joining to do the same in a deal worth £52m.

De Zerbi may well be happy with his defence now, especially after Pedro Porro signed a new long-term deal and with Micky van de Ven currently set to stay, although it remains to be seen what happens over the futures of Cristian Romero and Luka Vuskovic, who have both been linked with summer exits.

Attentions have turned to strengthening the midfield and attack now, with Spurs holding talks over deals to sign Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali, and West Ham United star Mateus Fernandes.

De Zerbi is said to want both players to boost his central midfield next season, in what would be a huge double swoop given the duo are said to be rated at least £185m combined by their respective clubs.

Spurs are also looking to strengthen right across the frontline too, including on the wings.

De Zerbi Pushing Tottenham to Sign Marcus Rashford

Marcus Rashford in action for England Marty Jean-Louis/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect

According to the i Paper, Tottenham are now plotting a shock move to sign Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford this summer.

The free-spending Spurs are described as being determined to complete their summer business early, as they look to hit the ground quickly in pre-season and next campaign under De Zerbi.

The Italian is said to be a big fan of Rashford, and he is pushing the Tottenham hierarchy to agree some form of deal to bring the England international to London.

The north London outfit are said to be unwilling to meet the attacker’s £40m release clause, they are exploring a lower offer for the ‘world-class’ 28-year-old.

One issue for Tottenham is that Rashford would currently prefer to join another club abroad following his loan spell with Barcelona, or return to Old Trafford to fight for his place.

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Lee Dixon Slammed For Exaggerating Cristiano Ronaldo Goal

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Those tuning into ITV’s coverage of Portugal’s 5-0 World Cup victory over Uzbekistan on Tuesday evening have called for one commentator to be taken off-air over “nauseating” comments about Cristiano Ronaldo. Last week, the 41-year-old extended an unwanted run by making it 10 consecutive major international tournament appearances without finding the net.

That sparked fresh debate over whether Portugal might be better off without him, particularly given Roberto Martinez’s side are among the favourites to go all the way this summer. Others suggested the Al-Nassr forward was past his sell-by date, but Ronaldo silenced those critics in emphatic fashion this week, producing two goals and an assist to remind everyone of his enduring quality.

After so much attention had been focussed on Lionel Messi following his flying start to Argentina’s title defence – with the Argentine leading the Golden Boot race after helping the reigning champions hit the ground running with five goals from two matches – it was finally Ronaldo’s turn to steal some of the spotlight and give his fans something to shout about.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) Troy Taormina (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters)

During ITV’s commentary, Lee Dixon appeared to let his admiration get the better of him. Several of his remarks about the Portuguese star have since sparked backlash from viewers, with some accusing the former Arsenal defender of going overboard in his praise.

His first comment was about Ronaldo’s opening goal – where he said everyone in football would have been pleased by the moment – while the second goal produced the overexaggerated suggestion that it could go down as ‘one of the best of the tournament’. Reacting to those remarks, one X user questioned:

“Has Lee Dixon been paid by [Cristiano] Ronaldo’s PR team? The love is nauseating.”

Another added: “This Ronaldo loving from Lee Dixon is bordering on Piers Morgan levels,” as a third wrote: “Dear @ITVSport, everyone that loves football, can you please stop inflicting Lee Dixon on us. Got to be the most awful co-commentator out there. Kind regards, The British Viewing Public.”

Elsewhere, Paddy Power aimed fire by posting: “‘Everyone who loves football will be pleased he scored that!’ Lee Dixon, I can assure you that you’re sorely mistaken,” while another user concluded: “I thought seeing Ronaldo scoring a brace would be the worst thing about this game but it’s actually Lee Dixon.”

More to follow…

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