Ian Doyle was left bemoaning the fate-tempting words of one fellow journalist in the press box at the Amex Stadium during Liverpool’s 2-2 draw against Brighton.
The comment in question was made when Solly March was lining up to take the free kick from which Lewis Dunk plundered the home side’s 78th-minute equaliser to ensure that the spoils were shared.
As noted by Doyle on X at the time, and highlighted again in a round-up piece for the Liverpool Echo, one local reporter’s 13-word quip was delivered with the sort of timing which wouldn’t be out of place in a TV sitcom.
The Brighton-based journalist said just as the free kick was about to be taken: “Not sure why people are getting excited, Brighton never score from set-pieces”.
"Brighton never score off set-pieces" says the local journalist sat next to us. Sure enough, cross comes in from March and the ball goes all the way through to Dunk to score. Another bad goal to concede
— Ian Doyle (@IanDoyleSport) October 8, 2023
The south coast reporter was right in one sense – Dunk’s equaliser yesterday was the first goal Brighton have scored from a set-piece situation in the Premier League this season, leaving just two teams who are yet to find the net from that scenario (WhoScored).
Jurgen Klopp will be fuming that the Seagulls broke that particular duck on Sunday, with the home side’s captain taking full advantage of hesitant defending by Liverpool to rescue a point for his team.
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Even Roberto De Zerbi was saying that the free kick which led to the goal was wrongly given, but that shouldn’t detract from how poorly the Reds dealt with the subsequent situation.
It’ll be something on which the manager will surely be working stringently in training with the players available to him during the international break, and with the returning squad members once they’re back to prepare for the Merseyside derby on Saturday week.
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