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LONDON. — Jurgen Klopp said his side lacked mental freshness as Liverpool slumped to a shock 0-1 Anfield defeat to Brighton and Hove in an English Premiership match on Wednesday. Rivals Manchester City went three points clear with a routine 2-0 win at Burnley.

Steven Alzate’s second-half strike gave struggling Brighton a memorable success at the expense of the injury-hit champions.

Klopp’s champions failed to score for the third successive home league game and they managed only one effort on target as they fell seven points behind City who also have a game in hand.

“We played against really good opposition, that’s clear,” Klopp said. “We looked mentally not fresh. They deserved to win.

“We wanted to play better and more convincing. We lost too many balls in promising situations. I know the boys can play pass A to B but today B did not seem reachable.

“We had a really tough week. We were not fresh tonight and that’s when you have to find a way.”

Finding a way is what Liverpool have made a habit of over the last two seasons but suddenly, at Anfield at least, they have run out ideas.

Premier League leading scorer Mohamed Salah barely had a sight of goal and when he did have a chance in the first half he blazed it over the bar.

Striker Sadio Mane’s absence because of injury did not help Liverpool’s cause while at the back they looked vulnerable against the clever approach play of Brighton who claimed a first league win for the south coast club at Anfield since 1982.

Considering Klopp’s lack of options because of injuries to defenders Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip that is perhaps understandable, although new defensive signing Ben Davies was left as an unused substitute. “The only explanation now is that we are a fatigued team, mentally more or less,” Klopp said. — AFP.