Brighton & Hove Albion winger Solly March netted twice early in the second half and set up another goal in a 3-0 home win over a sluggish Liverpool on Saturday that lifts them above the Reds to seventh in the Premier League standings.

The victory was Brighton’s first over Liverpool in the top flight and they deserved to take all three points once March helped them convert their dominance in possession into goals.

With half-time approaching March thought he had won a penalty as he rounded Alisson Becker and appeared to be brought down by the goalkeeper’s hand, but a VAR review found that he had been in an offside position and the decision was overturned.

Undeterred, March gave his side the lead in the 47th minute as teenaged striker Evan Ferguson pressured the Liverpool defence into a mistake and Brighton won the ball high up the pitch.

Brighton’s Japanese winger Kaoru Mitoma broke into the box and slid an angled ball into the path of the onrushing March, leaving him the simple task of steering it into the net.

The 28-year-old added a brilliant second six minutes later, latching on to Ferguson’s pass and digging the ball out from under his feet to fire it home inside the far post. Liverpool’s Dutch forward Cody Gakpo was anonymous for much of the game.

United sign Weghorst

Manchester United have signed Dutch striker Wout Weghorst on loan until the end of the season from Championship club Burnley, the Premier League side said on Friday.

“I’ve played against the club in the past and it’s a fantastic feeling to now have the chance to pull on the famous red shirt,” the 30-year-old Weghorst said.