Brighton & Hove Albion have moved above Liverpool in the Premier League table courtesy of a 3-0 victory over Jurgen Klopp's out-of-form side at the Amex Stadium this afternoon.
The Seagulls were by far the better team from the outset in front of their own fans and were eventually rewarded for their enterprising play by Solly March's quickfire brace at the start of the second half.
Danny Welbeck then added a third for the hosts late on as he collected a flick-on from a throw-in before lifting the ball over Joe Gomez and firing past Alisson Becker for his first goal of the season, sealing Brighton's first home win over the Reds since 1961.
In truth, it could have been more for Roberto De Zerbi's side as they cut through a poor Liverpool defence seemingly at will at times, making light of the absence of wantaway Leandro Trossard, who netted a hat-trick in the reverse fixture at Anfield.
The win sees Brighton leapfrog their opponents into seventh courtesy of a third win in four league games since returning from the World Cup, whereas Liverpool have now suffered back-to-back Premier League defeats.
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Klopp's men were without a number of forward players as well as Virgil van Dijk due to injury, but that will provide scant excuse for another woeful display which leaves the Merseysiders in eighth place, seven points off the top four, 16 adrift of leaders Arsenal and closer to the relegation zone than the summit.
It did not take long for the first signs of trouble to arrive for Liverpool, with the outstanding Kaoru Mitoma in particular causing the visitors all sorts of problems down the Brighton left.
It took a Trent Alexander-Arnold clearance off the line to deny March an opener after only eight minutes, while Brighton were also denied a penalty by VAR in the first half, with March deemed to be offside before being brought down by Alisson.
March would not be denied for much longer, though, and a Joel Matip mistake at the start of the second half was pounced upon by Brighton, leading Mitoma to eventually play it across goal for March to convert from close range.
The goal meant that Liverpool have now conceded first in 21 of their last 35 matches, and worse was to come as the dangerous March doubled Brighton's lead just six minutes later.
The 28-year-old was played through by Evan Ferguson but looked to have got the ball caught under his feet momentarily, only to dig out a thunderbolt into the top far corner which left Alisson no chance.
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Liverpool offered little sign of launching a fightback, and even when they began to finally enjoy some sustained, controlled possession, the best they could conjure was a tame Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain header, a dragged finish by Harvey Elliott and a sight of goal for Cody Gakpo, none of which unduly worried Robert Sanchez in the Brighton goal.
The hosts then wrapped up the victory once and for all with their third goal as Welbeck became the beneficiary of some dreadful defending but still produced a smart finish by flicking the ball over Gomez and volleying home.
Welbeck could have piled more misery on the visitors when he worked Alisson again late on, and a bigger victory would not have flattered Brighton either as they continue to impress under De Zerbi.
The result means that Liverpool have now lost their opening two league games of a calendar year for the first time since 1993, while they remain with only eight away points to their name all season.
Brighton, by contrast, continue to go from strength to strength and will now be relishing the possibility of welcoming Liverpool to the Amex again in the FA Cup at the end of this month, should the Reds make it past Wolverhampton Wanderers in their third-round replay.
Barney Corkhill
