Liverpool captain Ceri Holland scored and was sent as Matt Beard's side recorded a narrow victory against Women's Super League strugglers Brighton at Broadfield Stadium.

Holland, 26, capitalised on a sloppy clearance by Brighton goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley eight minutes after the interval to score the only goal of the game.

And although the Reds skipper was dismissed deep into stoppage time, the visitors held on to see out their first win of 2024.

Liverpool remain fifth in the table, with Brighton second from bottom.

The visitors headed into the game with just two victories from their last 18 matches on the road in the WSL.

Liverpool spent much of a largely scrappy opening 45 minutes in control with their best chances arriving from set-pieces.

Sophie Roman Haug should have scored as the interval approached but her header fell narrowly wide of Baggaley’s far post.

At the other end, Brighton's Poppy Pattinson almost found the breakthrough in stoppage time when her effort rattled off the crossbar.

The home side had been resolute in defence but their hard work was undone when Baggaley was punished with 53 minutes gone.

She inexplicably passed the ball straight to Holland on the edge of the box, with the midfielder taking a neat touch and burying the ball past her red-faced opponent.

Brighton pressed for an equaliser and Liverpool defender Grace Fisk found herself in the right place at the right time to divert a threatening Pattinson cross to safety.

Holland then found her way into the referee's notebook when she was booked for a late tackle on Vicky Losada, with the visitors now firmly camped in their own half.

But Brighton failed to create a clear-cut opportunity and the Reds should have put the match out of sight in the closing moments, only for Emma Koivisto to fire over from close range.

Holland then received her second yellow for a poor foul on Julia Zigiotti. 

Yet Liverpool held on to move to within two points of Manchester United and leave interim Seagulls boss Mikey Harris still searching for his first WSL win.