Brighton vs Liverpool Delayed: Why Kickoff Was Pushed Back 15 Minutes
· YEN.com.gh News · Join- The Premier League has been forced to delay kick-off in Brighton’s home clash with Liverpool on Saturday
- The Seagulls were scheduled to host the Reds at a 12:30 pm start at the Amex Stadium
- Both sides head into the encounter in similar form, although Brighton holds the edge in recent head-to-head meetings at home
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Brighton’s Premier League clash with Liverpool was delayed shortly before kick-off after traffic chaos around the stadium left many fans stranded outside.
The match at the Amex was initially set for 12.30 pm, but officials pushed it back by 15 minutes to allow supporters more time to get inside following a road accident on a key route.
Source: Getty Images
Why Brighton vs Liverpool was delayed
The Premier League confirmed the late change in a statement on X, explaining the reason behind the decision.
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"Kick-off for today’s Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool has been delayed by 15 minutes to 12:45pm, due to heavy traffic in the local area delaying the arrival of supporters."
Brighton & Hove Albion also issued their own update, pointing to the root of the disruption.
"Kick-off has been delayed by 15 minutes due to a road traffic accident on the A27."
The impact was visible around the ground. With half an hour to the original start time, large sections of the stadium remained empty as fans struggled to navigate through the congestion.
Brighton’s players also appeared to adjust their warm-up, likely after being informed early of the delay, according to The Mirror.
Brighton vs Liverpool: Match preview
Liverpool came into the fixture in high spirits after a dominant European outing in midweek.
Arne Slot led his side to a 4-0 win over Galatasaray at Anfield, overturning a first-leg deficit to seal a place in the Champions League quarter-finals.
However, the Reds have been forced into changes for domestic action. First-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker and star forward Mohamed Salah both missed out through injury.
In their place, Giorgi Mamardashvili and Cody Gakpo stepped into the starting eleven.
Brighton, meanwhile, stuck with the side that secured victory over Sunderland in their previous outing. Veteran midfielder James Milner was set to face his former club once again.
History at the Amex suggests a tricky afternoon for the visitors. Brighton have avoided defeat in four of their last five home meetings with Liverpool, adding another layer of intrigue to a fixture that had already started with unexpected drama.
Source: Getty Images
Welbeck's brace down Liverpool
When play finally got underway, both sides needed time to find their rhythm, with Liverpool struggling to reproduce the sharp form that saw them brush aside Galatasaray.
They were punished for that sluggish start as former Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck rose at the far post to nod home and break the deadlock.
Watch Welbeck's opener on X:
Liverpool were handed a route back into the game when a costly error from the hosts gifted them an equaliser, finished by the unlikely Milos Kerkez on the half-hour mark.
Welbeck restored Brighton’s lead in the 56th minute, though his effort only stood after a lengthy and controversial VAR review.
Watch Welbeck's winner on X:
The result leaves Liverpool stuck in fifth place, with their hopes of securing a top-four finish and Champions League qualification beginning to slip away.
Salah makes Champions League history
Before Liverpool’s defeat at Brighton, YEN.com.gh reported that Mohamed Salah became the first African player to reach 50 Champions League goals.
He extended his lead over legends like Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto’o in the competition’s all-time scoring charts.
Source: YEN.com.gh