Liverpool's hopes of back-to-back Premier League titles have suffered a massive blow, with Brighton & Hove Albion claiming a shock 1-0 victory at Anfield.
Steven Alzate was credited with bundling in the winner in the 56th minute and Liverpool could not respond, as they failed to score for the third successive home league game for the first time since 1984.
After leaders Manchester City beat Burnley earlier, fourth-placed Liverpool are now seven points behind Pep Guardiola's side, despite playing one game more.
Brighton followed up their weekend home win over Tottenham Hotspur with another disciplined display and a toothless Liverpool could have few complaints.
Alzate was in the right place at the right time, as a towering header by Dan Burn was cleared straight at him and he directed it past Liverpool keeper Caoimhin Kelleher.
While Liverpool pressed in a desperate bid to break down Brighton's blue defensive wall, they were occasionally exposed at the other end, with Leandro Trossard and Yves Bissouma both close to doubling Brighton's advantage.
Brighton held on comfortably to move 10 points above the relegation zone into 15th place.
Man City restore Premier League lead with victory at Burnley
Manchester City have restored their three-point lead at the top of the Premier League, after goals from Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling secured a comfortable 2-0 win at Burnley.
The routine victory at Turf Moor left City on 47 points from 21 games, with second-placed Manchester United, who crushed Southampton 9-0, three points behind after one more match.
A rare error from Nick Pope handed City a third-minute opener.
The Burnley keeper parrying Bernardo Silva's shot straight out to Jesus, who nodded the ball into the net.
The second, seven minutes before halftime, was a classic City goal, with Riyad Mahrez feeding Ilkay Gundogan, whose low cross was turned in by Sterling from close range.
After the break, Pope redeemed himself, as he denied Sterling, who was clear on goal, but could not beat the outstretched leg of the Burnley keeper.
Mahrez had the ball in the net in the 57th minute, after good work from Jesus, but the effort was disallowed for offside.
City felt they could have had a penalty, when Jesus went down under challenge from Tarkowski, but Guardiola's side looked content to settle for a two-goal win over a Burnley side that threatened little.
In the other games, Leicester City midfielder James Maddison created both goals in a 2-0 win at relegation-threatened Fulham, as Brendan Rodgers' side moved provisionally up to third in the Premier League.
Jesse Lingard scored twice on his West Ham United debut as the London side beat Aston Villa 3-1 in the Premier League at Villa Park.
Goals by Gylfi Sigurdsson and Dominic Calvert-Lewin helped Everton to a 2-1 win at Leeds and kept them in contention for a top-four finish.
Reuters
