Brave Brighton will make their fans happy

"I wanted results for the club, for the love of the game, to make the people happy." - Bill Shankly

Gus Poyet's Brighton welcomed Liverpool FC for the right to move on to the 4th Round of the League Cup. The match was held in the stadium once known as the Falmer Stadium, now renamed the American Express Community Stadium. I wonder if Visa is accepted at the shops...

But I digress. The Battle of the Birds (Seagulls vs Liverbirds) was an intriguing one. Brighton and Hove Albion F.C lay third in the Championship after an impressive start. In their Uruguyuan manager Gus Poyet , him of Spurs and Chelsea fame, they had yet another young and rising manager. The current Brighton team boasts a few Scousers , namely Navarro and Noone the ex-roof repairer. More exciting are the names of Vicente Rodríguez Guillén, from Benitez's crushing machine in Valencia; and Iñigo Calderón Zapatería , formerly an Alaves player. Football Manager fans will also note Casper Ankergren - he's the goalkeeper from Leeds whom you replaced as soon as you get promoted to the Premier League.

The first half saw total domination from the Reds as the pass and move football totally flummoxed the Brighton player. Bellamy calmed nerves(Stoke was played off the park and still won) with a goal in the first 10 minutes. More shots rattled off the inspired Brighton goalpost as Bellamy's freekick, and then Spearing's effort as well as near misses from Suarez ended the half on a bright note for Liverpool.

Whatever Poyet said at half time did their magic as Brighton came out in the 2nd half to show that they can play attractive attacking football. Noone was a constant menace as he ran time and again at the Liverpool defenders. It was a nervy time for LFC. Lucas did not have a good game and suffered  as soon as the Brighton midfielder made quick surges through the centre of the midfield.

Inspirational figures took to the field in the last 15 minutes or so, as first Vicente Rodriguez took his place, followed by Steven Gerrard. Captain Marvel has been missed for a good long 6 months.

The game was sealed as Kuyt finished in a near copy of Bellamy's goal following good work by Maxi. This wasn't the last kick of the game however, as a late penalty was converted following by a failure by the officials to stop play following a ball out of play incident by the touchlline.

All in, it was a good win, to calm LFC before Wolves comes. Disturbingly, LFC played better without Carroll once more while Noone really caught the eye.