Brighton & Hove Albion 0-1 Liverpool: 5 Talking Points, Premier League 2018-19

#3 Liverpool needed to be more progressive in midfield

There wasn't enough attacking drive from Jordan Henderson from Liverpool's midfield

In the first half, Brighton had locked out Liverpool's forward players - of whom there were four, as Klopp decided to pick Xherdan Shaqiri from the start to compliment his front three.

That meant the onus of Liverpool's attacking play fell on Wijnaldum and Henderson. On face value, it did feel a little bit too defensive against a side like Brighton, who were not really going to play another way.

If Liverpool had a progressive ball-carrier in midfield from the start, it could have possibly made a difference, as it would have given the Brighton rearguard another problem to think about.

Liverpool did have an option, in Naby Keita, but the Guinean has been woefully short of confidence since his move to Anfield, and it's understandable that Klopp didn't pick him in the starting line-up. Having said that, a good performance from the start in a game like this could have been just what Keita needed to kickstart his Liverpool career.

Liverpool had just one presentable opportunity in the whole of the first half, and that only came about thanks to a lung-bursting Robertson, who crossed to Firmino. Apart from that, Liverpool did exactly what Brighton wanted them to do. The Reds played too narrow, and there was too much possession at the feet of Henderson and Wijnaldum.

Neither of them are the most progressive players, and at times in the first half, the exchanges between the two midfielders and the centre-backs were truly sleep-inducing.