Liverpool latest: Ekitike injury update after Reds stumble to Premier League defeat

Danny Welbeck scored a timely double as Brighton dealt Liverpool a further blow in their pursuit of a top-five Premier League finish.

Aiming to build on Wednesday's big win over Galatasaray and banish their inconsistency, Arne Slot ’s side instead fell to another damaging defeat - having lost top scorer Hugo Ekitike to what appeared to be a dead leg within just eight minutes of kick-off .

Welbeck punished sloppy Liverpool defending to give Brighton the lead shortly after - although the visitors were handed a route back into the game when Milos Kerkez capitalised on Lewis Dunk’s error to level.

But Welbeck restored Brighton’s lead after the restart with his 12th goal of the season, putting the veteran striker clear as the top-scoring Englishman in the Premier League after being snubbed from Thomas Tuchel’s latest squad.

Brighton were fully deserving of their victory after an energetic performance but Liverpool are now without a win in three in the Premier League and Chelsea could go above them into fifth when they go to Everton tonight.

“I think [Ekitike] having to go off after one or two minutes, not being able to help the team anymore with something that is just a bit of bad luck,” Slot told TNT Sports. “It's not like he's out for three months, at least that's not what I assume, but it's bad enough not to be able to continue. That's a big blow for him. It was in the end also a blow for us.”

Follow all of the latest from the Amex Stadium with our live blog below

Steven Gerrard: 'Lack of changes from Arne Slot backfired today'

'It's a big blow for us': Arne Slot issues Hugo Ekitike injury update

Steven Gerrard: 'You could feel that this performance was coming'

'Brighton put Liverpool under massive pressure'

Liverpool hit double figures for Premier League defeats

FULL TIME! Brighton 2-1 Liverpool

FULL TIME! Brighton 2-1 Liverpool

Brighton 2-1 Liverpool

Brighton 2-1 Liverpool

Brighton 2-1 Liverpool