Six things we learned from Brighton's defeat to Liverpool

Brighton finished the season with a 4-0 defeat at Liverpool this afternoon. Here's six things we learned from the game.
Mo Salah on the run. Picture by Phil Westlake (PW Sporting Photography)Mo Salah on the run. Picture by Phil Westlake (PW Sporting Photography)
Mo Salah on the run. Picture by Phil Westlake (PW Sporting Photography)

A day to forget but it's been a superb season

Let's just write today off as a bad day at the office.

Albion never got going and Liverpool looked capable of scoring whenever they broke forward.

Dale Stephens challenges Sadio Mane. Picture by Phil Westlake (PW Sporting Photography)Dale Stephens challenges Sadio Mane. Picture by Phil Westlake (PW Sporting Photography)
Dale Stephens challenges Sadio Mane. Picture by Phil Westlake (PW Sporting Photography)

The fact Liverpool needed a result to guarantee their place in the Champions League next season meant they had something to play for, while Brighton had sealed their Premier League survival two games ago.

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The Seagulls' aim at the start of the season was to stay in the top flight and they achieved that with a little bit to spare, finishing 15th and seven points clear of third-from-bottom Swansea.

Albion never dropped into the bottom three all season and as much as it will have been disappointing to finish the season with a heavy defeat, the job had already been done.

Maximum minutes

Albion goalkeeper Mathew Ryan and Lewis Dunk completed the 90 minutes at Anfield and played every minute of the Seagulls' Premier League campaign.

Both were appearing in the top flight of English football for the first time and they enjoyed stand-out campaigns.

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Ryan quickly established himself as a fans' favourite after joining from Valencia last summer, while Dunk has made more than 230 appearances for the club since making his debut in 2009 and captained the side today and on several other occasions throughout the season.

The duo were both in the running for the player of the season award - won by Pascal Gross- and Dunk received the players' player award.

Australian number one Ryan will head off to the World Cup this summer, while Dunk - who was tipped for international honours with England by pundits earlier this season - will surely get his chance with the national side if his strong performances continue at the top level.

Kiev in the back of the mind

Wherever you look in the streets of Liverpool, the mention of Kiev and the Champions League final isn't far away.

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Around the city, scarfs, t-shirts and memorabilia is available to buy as the Reds look forward to their clash with Real Madrid on May 26.

Liverpool went into today's match needing a point to guarantee a place in next season's Champions League and Jurgen Klopp fielded an attacking line-up. The deadly front three of Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino all started, as did young striker Dominic Solanke.

Liverpool ensured they will go into the final in a confident mood as they eased to victory against an Albion side who just did not get going on the day.

Record-breaker

Mo Salah has been outstanding since joining Liverpool from Roma last summer.

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The Egyptian international needed just one goal to break the Premier League record for goals scored in a 38-game season and he duly notched it in the 26th minute.

Salah had failed to score in his previous two league games but found the back of the net when Dominic Solanke's pass forward fell for him in the area and he shot low into the bottom corner.

It was his 32nd Premier League goal of the season and 44th in total.

The forward should have had a second moments later as he broke through with Mane and had just Albion keeper Mathew Ryan to beat. Mane squared the ball for Salah, who was denied by Ryan and then saw his follow-up cleared off the line by Shane Duffy.

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Salah also provided an assist as he set up youngster Dominic Solanke early in the second half.

More to come

Club record signing Jurgen Locadia made just his third Premier League start since joining Albion from PSV Eindhoven in January but saw little of the ball.

Some Albion fans had been questioning his lack of game time in recent weeks but the form of Glenn Murray has made it hard for the Dutch forward to get many minutes - and Leonardo Ulloa was also preferred up top at Burnley and Manchester City.

Brighton fans will hope the past four months have been a bedding-in process for Locadia and there will be more to come when next season kicks off.

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Things started well for the 24-year-old as he scored on his debut in the FA Cup against Coventry and then netted on his Premier League debut against Swansea the following week.

Since then, it's been a frustrating time for the frontman, although Seagulls boss Chris Hughton has been keen to stress in press conferences that he has been pleased with Locadia since he joined the club and today said he feels his time will come next season.

'One Chrissy Hughton'

Albion fans chanted manager Chris Hughton's name throughout the defeat at Anfield.

Since being appointed manager on December 31, 2014, Hughton has taken Brighton from the bottom of the Championship up into the Premier League.

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Victories over Arsenal and Manchester United have been stand-out moments this season, along with the first-ever Premier League win against West Brom and the 3-0 success at West Ham.

Hughton has done a fantastic job with the Seagulls and Albion fans were quick to hail their manager this afternoon.

Work will already have begun on preparing for next season and, with Hughton in charge, there will be every confidence among Albion supporters that the Seagulls can ensure they keep their place in the top flight again next season.