Supersubs give Brighton thrilling win over Liverpool

BRIGHTON, England (AP) — Substitute Jack Hinshelwood scored with his first touch of the ball and gave Brighton a thrilling 3-2 win over Liverpool on Monday and kept alive its slim chance of European football.

If fourth-placed Chelsea wins the Europa Conference League next week, there is a chance that the eighth-placed team in the Premier League can qualify for next season’s Conference League.

Monday’s win lifted Brighton into that coveted eighth spot, three points above Brentford, four ahead of Fulham and five clear of Bournemouth. Bournemouth has two games left; the others have one.

Liverpool rested several starters but still took the lead after just nine minutes, and in doing so became only the third team in Premier League history to score in every one of its away games.

Conor Bradley, in his first start since signing a new four-year contract on Saturday, cut the ball back from the byline for Harvey Elliot to side-foot home.

Brighton, though, fought back in an end-to-end encounter.

Danny Welbeck missed a golden chance after half an hour but Yasin Ayari made no mistake two minutes later to level the score.

Liverpool was back in front by the break after Dominik Szoboszlai’s memorable cross-cum-shot on the stroke of halftime.

Japanese substitute Kaoru Mitoma equalized in the 69th, just four minutes after his introduction. It was his third goal in four games, all of them as a late substitute.

Hinshelwood then stole in at the back post to convert Matt O’Riley’s low cross and, although the offside flag was raised, the goal was given after a video review.

It was a winning introduction for Hinshelwood, who came on alongside his 17-year-old cousin Harry Howell. Howell also made history by becoming Brighton’s youngest ever Premier League player.

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