Arne Slot fumes after referee fails to send Minteh off for diving during Brighton’s 2-1 win

Liverpool manager Arne Slot speaking to TNT Sports: “First half was an equal game. It was a big blow for us that one of our two strikers that we have available with Hugo [Ekitike] and Alex [Isak] was already not here and the other one has to go off after one or two minutes – that is usually not helpful, especially when you look at how well Hugo played Wednesday. The first half was equal and the second half, Brighton were the better team on the pitch.

On Hugo Ekitike’s injury and him looking visibly upset at being taken off: “The players and the fans know that there is only eight games to go to qualify for the Champions League and every game you have to miss is something you are upset about. Him going off and not being able to help the team – it is just a bit of bad luck. It is not like he will be out for three months but it is bad enough that he wasn’t able to continue. It was a blow for him and a blow for us.”

On Liverpool’s 10th defeat of the season: “It is clear that we have lost a lot of points after playing in Europe. I have tried to explain a lot of times already why this is but today we also have to give credit to Brighton. In the second half, they were the better team on the pitch.”

On whether games are running out to clinch Champions League football: “That is what I meant before the game. What I thought was, you won’t need 24 points to qualify and hopefully I am right because we aren’t able to get 24 points anymore. We kept trying, in the second half we were close but they were closer to score the third one than we were the second one. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough after a week like this.”

On the pressure to end the season on a high: “There is always pressure at Liverpool. On me, on the players. That is completely normal. We have qualified for the quarter finals of the FA Cup and the Champions League but in the league we need to make sure that in the end, we qualify for the Champions League. As much as I dislike us losing here today, Brighton away has always been a difficult one and will always be a difficult one as long as they keep bringing in so many good players. But there are other games where we should have picked up more points, like last week against Tottenham. That is far more unacceptable than this. But even away at Brighton, a club like Liverpool should be able to get a result.”

Slot speaking to Match of the Day: “The first half was an equal game and the second half they were the better team on the pitch. I think they deserved to beat us. The margins are very small as we’ve experienced a lot of times this season because their goal was only a few millimetres onside but they deserved that goal more than us in the second half.”

On whether fatigue played a part: “You never know. There is always multiple factors. It doesn’t help when you are missing one of the top goal scorers this league has had in the last five years for the whole season already. The other one that has scored so many goals for the club over the last eight years was not available as well and then after two minutes, Hugo Ekitike, who has shown what a goal scorer he is, has to go out as well – that is a lot for every team and that is not helpful for any team, let alone if you play a good Brighton team.”

On his injury: “Yes. Brighton did what we expected, to be tight and aggressive from the start and to play the duels. This was also a duel, there was nothing wrong with it but it hit his leg and he couldn’t continue.”

On Danny Welbeck’s goal: “They had a mix up which led to our first goal so, both goals we conceded were crosses from the side. The lead up to the first goal and the first cross was something we could have prevented which we did better in the goal we scored because we went direct and that equalled that out maybe. In the second half, I was expecting that to be offside – but I was wrong.”

On if there was anything else he could have done positionally with his players: “We had to change something because when Hugo was out and Mo Salah was unavailable and Isak is unavailable – we have to play a player in a position that he is not used to which is something we have had to do so many times this season, usually at right full-back. That has been our season and one of the reasons why we are struggling but we are still in it, even though we are not in a perfect position to qualify for the Champions League and we have two other objectives in the FA Cup and Champions League.”

On the international break: “I think the players need a break more than the manager and unfortunately they have to keep on playing. Let’s hope that their national team coaches do understand that at Liverpool a lot of players have played a lot of minutes, like at other clubs but I think other clubs perhaps could have rotated more than I could have this season. So, let’s hope that we’ve got national team coaches that will not play them 180 minutes over two games.”

Liverpool forward Cody Gapko speaking to TNT Sports: “Disappointed. We wanted to win which is important in this situation we are in but it didn’t go that way, so it’s a difficult afternoon.”

Not building on Challenge League win over Galatasaray: “Frustrating. I think it’s happened a few times already this season. It’s not good from our side

On if he knew the reason why: “Not really if we knew, then we would try to solve it. But like you said it has happened a few times already so we have to analyse it to try to find what’s been hurting us.”

On losing Hugo Etitke to injury: “He’s a big blow. Everyone could see how well he’s doing

On Brighton: “I think they were just being themselves. Everyone knows how good they can be on the ball, they tried to play their own game and it worked out well in moments for them.”

On needing to win seven games for Champions League qualification: “Approach every game like we are going to win it. I think that is normal for a club this big, and I think that’s also what we are suppose to do when we are in this situation like this. We have to fight in win seven games.”

Brighton manager Fabian Hurzler speaking to TNT Sports:

On his team’s performance: “The intensity we brought on the pitch was key today. We pressed intense. We played intense. We brought a lot of energy onto the pitch. We created a lot of chances in the second half. I was pleased how everyone played and tried to outwork and outrun the opponent.”

On improvements made over the last few weeks: “We manage the key points better. I think that’s our only improvement, because we have always played good football but haven’t always gotten these release. We try to stay calm, stick to our principles and not overreact in certain moments, especially today when we concede a goal where we stayed calm and stuck to the basic things.”

“I see a great team on the pitch. I see a team working and helping each other and I think that’s very important to win Premier League games.

On Yancuba Minte: “Yankuba Minteh is a great example of what it means to work hard, not just offensively but defensively. I always say to my team if you are successful as a team, if you create good connection, then you will get rewards as individuals but first of all you have to perform as a team, which is what they are doing at the moment.”

On if Danny Welbeck should go to the World Cup: “I think England has a really good German coach and he will make the right decision. I can only say that how important Danny Welbeck is in creating group togetherness, which can be crucial for world cup as well. Not only scoring goals, even though he is in brilliant shape but also as a teammate. Finding good connections and togetherness. He’s so valuable on and off the pitch, and I think he can help any team in the world even England.

On European hopes: “I think it’s very important now to stay humble, to understand where we were seven weeks ago, to where we are now, and to keep doing these things, and then see what happens.

"I think he can help every team in the world, including England."

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler says Danny Welbeck could play anywhere for anyone 👀

🎙️ @julesbreach | 📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/JSyXfo6fRi

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 21, 2026

Related TopicsBrighton & Hove AlbionEnglish Premier LeaguefeaturedLiverpool

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