Danny Welbeck double for Brighton deals fresh blow to Liverpool’s top-five hopes

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Danny Welbeck has not given up on making England’s World Cup squad and showed exactly what Thomas Tuchel is missing with two goals to dent Liverpool’s Champions League hopes. The Brighton striker moved past Dominic Calvert-Lewin – selected ahead of him – with his 11th and 12th league goals of the season, making him the Premier League’s highest-scoring Englishman.At 35, this is the most prolific campaign of his career.

The manner of Brighton’s goals summed up Liverpool’s season: disjointed, out of sync, error-strewn.Milos Kerkez equalises for Liverpool. Moments later, Liverpool’s goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili – drafted in late after Alisson pulled out injured on Friday night – had the ball at his feet and played it to Ibrahima Konaté, but the pass was overhit and the defender let it run under his foot.From the resulting thrown-in, a deep cross was headed back across by Diego Gómez, and Welbeck was given too much freedom to head in from close range.

His shot-stopping was sharp – anticipating well to snatch the ball before it reached Welbeck for a tap-in, diving sharply to keep out a Gómez free-kick he saw late, flinging himself in front of Minteh’s shot when he ran through on goal. But with the ball at his feet he struggled.