Misfiring Reds are Wel beaten

DANNY PILES ON MISERY FOR ARNE

- BY EDWARD ELLIOT

BRIGHTON forward Danny Welbeck struck twice as Liverpool's hopes of Champions League qualification were dealt a further blow by defeat at the Amex Stadium.

Arne Slot's Reds arrived in Sussex without injured pair Alisson Becker and Mo Salah and bidding to bounce back from drawing at home to relegation-threatened Tottenham and losing at bottom club Wolves.

Welbeck headed the Seagulls into an early lead before benefitting from the tightest of offside calls to claim his 12th topflight goal of the season after Milos Kerkez had capitalised on a mistake from Lewis Dunk to equalise.

A fourth victory in five games lifts Albion back into the top half of the table, while another disappointing outing for the reigning champions was compounded by top scorer Hugo Ekitike (left) suffering an early injury. Liverpool cruised into the Champions League quarterfinals on Wednesday thanks to a 4-1 aggregate win over Galatasaray.