Leandro Trossard scored a hat-trick at Anfield to earn Brighton & Hove Albion a dramatic 3-3 draw with Liverpool in Roberto De Zerbi's first game in charge of the Seagulls this afternoon.
The Italian - replacement for Graham Potter following his switch to Chelsea - could not have dreamt of making a better start to his tenure as his impressive Brighton side found themselves two goals ahead within 17 minutes on Merseyside, both courtesy of Trossard.
Not for the first time this season, Liverpool found themselves in need of a comeback and they duly obliged, inspired mainly by Roberto Firmino as the Brazilian scored either side of half time to level things up.
An Adam Webster own goal following Robert Sanchez's error then gifted the hosts the lead, only for Trossard to complete his hat-trick and secure both the match ball and a deserved point for the visitors seven minutes from time.
In doing so, the Belgian became only the third player to score an away Premier League hat-trick at Anfield, joining an exclusive list which also includes Peter Ndlovu and Andrey Arshavin.
⚽️⚽️⚽️ Opposition players to score a PL hat-trick at Anfield
— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) October 1, 2022
Peter Ndlovu (Coventry, Mar 1995)
Andrey Arshavin (Arsenal, Apr 2009)
Leandro Trossard (Brighton, Oct 2022) pic.twitter.com/kpR4Y1mAcN
It was just reward for both player and club, with Brighton having created enough chances to win the game and Liverpool perhaps fortunate to escape with a point following another under-par display.
Any hopes that a relatively kind international break for Liverpool would aid their bid to kickstart their season ahead of a busy run-up to the World Cup quickly evaporated when Brighton took the lead inside four minutes.
Indeed, there were more signs of rustiness than revival after a four-week spell without a league game, with Trossard latching on to Danny Welbeck's back-heel before beating Trent Alexander-Arnold and finding the bottom corner to open the scoring.
Trossard's second followed only 13 minutes later to leave Jurgen Klopp's men staring down the barrel of a first home league loss in 27 games, and they could have no complaints having also seen Alisson Becker make point-blank saves from Welbeck and Trossard between the opening two goals.
It was not until around the half-hour mark that Liverpool first really threatened as Mohamed Salah was denied by Sanchez, but they pulled a goal back shortly afterwards when Firmino clipped the ball into an empty net after Salah - at first ruled out for offside but then proved on by VAR - had touched the ball into his path.
© Reuters
One day before his 31st birthday, Firmino doubled his personal tally and equalled his five-goal haul from the whole of last season to level things up in the second half, collecting half-time substitute Luis Diaz's pass before showing some smart close control in the box and firing past the keeper.
The Brazilian was also on the scene for the third, although he - like Brighton goalkeeper Sanchez - did not get anything on the ball as it flew through and hit an unsuspecting Webster before bouncing over the line.
While the hosts had shown resilience to come from behind again - this is the seventh successive home league match in which they have conceded the first goal - Brighton continued to carve out regular promising attacks, enjoying particular success down Liverpool's right in a week when Alexander-Arnold's defensive capabilities had already been heavily scrutinised.
The full-back will not make the headlines after this one, though; instead they will all belong to Trossard after he earned the point with his third of the afternoon, capitalising on a Virgil van Dijk error to fire past Alisson.
Alexander-Arnold threatened a dramatic late winner with a free kick which Sanchez did well to turn past the post, but victory would have flattered Klopp's side as they dropped points for the fifth time in just seven games this season.
Liverpool slip to ninth place as a result of the draw, while Brighton remain in the Champions League places and can now only be replaced in fourth this weekend if Manchester United beat Manchester City in the derby on Sunday.
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