Premier League: Liverpool slump to another home defeat while City stretch the lead on top

After going 68 Premier League games unbeaten at Anfield, Premier League champions Liverpool have slumped to back-to-back losses at the stadium that was often considered an impenetrable stronghold for the Reds.

The latest defeat to Brighton and Albion Hove has left the champions’ title defence on the brink of collapse.

Just like against Burnley two weeks ago, Liverpool were beaten 1-0 by a team battling to avoid relegation. Jurgen Klopp’s team have dropped seven points behind leader Manchester City, who have a game in hand and are on a nine-match winning streak.

City, who beat Sheffield in the weekend, are the next visitors to Anfield, on Sunday. A win for Pep Guardiola’s team may effectively knock Liverpool out of the title race with more than three months of the season remaining.

Seeking to regain the title it relinquished to Liverpool last season, City produced another dominant display in overwhelming Burnley in a 2-0 victory at Turf Moor.

That restored City’s three-point advantage over second-place Manchester United, which won 9-0 over Southampton on Tuesday. City has played a game less than United, too.

Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling scored first-half goals as City won a 13th straight game in all competitions a run of victories stretching back to Dec. 15.

While City has conceded just two goals in 13 league games, Liverpool’s issues in defense continue as it struggles to overcome the likely season-long absence of Virgil van Dijk. They weren’t helped by goalkeeper Alisson Becker missing out against Brighton because of an illness.

The title might soon be gone for Liverpool, and a place in the top four is hardly guaranteed.

The Reds are in fourth place but only two points ahead of fifth-place West Ham, who won 3-1 at Aston Villa. Everton are two points further back in sixth after beating Leeds 2-1.

Leicester moved above Liverpool into third place with a 2-0 win at Fulham.

Inputs from agencies, Image Footballfactly/Twitter