Liverpool went into the international break with a 2-1 defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League as inconsistency continue to hunt Arne Slots’ team.
The Reds were outplayed by a well-drilled Brighton team and were lucky to have lost by a goal margin. It was Liverpool’s 10th Premier League defeat of the season and it came around 62 hours after they dismantled Galatasaray 4-0 in the Champions League to reach the quarter-finals.
Milos Kerkez who equalised on the day conceded that fatigue was a factor for the defeat.
With the likes of Alexander Isak, Mohamed Salah, Conor Bradley and Wataru Endo all sidelined alongside goalkeeper Alisson Becker, Kerkez admitted the squad struggled with the short turnaround in the schedule.
Milos Kerkez celebrates after he scored for 1-1 during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool. (Photo by Shaun Brooks – CameraSport via Getty Images)
“I think they definitely played well and had more chances,” Kerkez said. “I think we didn’t create as much as we wanted. It was a tough day – I think you could see some of us were maybe a little bit tired.
“But I don’t like using it as an excuse. We know where we are in the standings in the Premier League, and we know we have to push.
“Of course, it’s maybe a bit of an advantage (to Brighton), but still, very disappointed that we couldn’t win.”
Kerkez added: “It’s tough. Hugo (Ekitike) went off early and he really helps us a lot with deep runs and one-on-one actions.
“When Rio Ngumoha came on, he tried and was really good in one-on-ones, but on a day like this, we couldn’t really create a lot.”
Liverpool return to action when they are hosted by Manchester City in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup on April 4. The international break serves as a great time for Liverpool players to settle their head ahead of the season finale.
