Preview: Liverpool vs. Brighton
We go again — Brighton come to Anfield
LIVERPOOL VS. BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION
| Saturday, November 1st |
Premier League | Anfield
3PM GMT/11AM EST
Liverpool face Brighton once again, though it’s sure to be a meeting of much rotated sides. Brighton, like the Reds, made eight changes in Wednesday’s league cup match, and we’re likely to see something more like Brighton’s first team on Saturday.
Brighton head coach Fabian Hürzeler has been handed a personnel boost, with Matt O’Riley and João Pedro back in training ahead of the Saturday kick-off — O’Riley being potentially fit is a massive coup as he was injured on his debut in August and was not expected back yet.
Ferdi Kadioglu, who picked up a knock on Wednesday, is “not bad” and could feature, while one of Brighton’s goalscorers Simon Adingra, is fit to go again despite himself returning from injury recently.
Lewis Dunk will face a late fitness test.
Though Brighton have been, at times, a mixed bag this season so far, they are in the top three in terms of overperforming their xG, scoring 16 goals from an xG of 13.2. They’ve also had more different goalscorers than any other side (nine, without counting own goals) — though Danny Welback has scored six of the team’s goals and will look to become Brighton’s joint-top goalscorer in the Premier League (30; Pascal Groß). Should Welback score on Saturday, he’ll manage four goals in four consecutive league games for the first time in his career at any club.
Predicted Liverpool Lineup (4-2-3-1)
Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Konaté, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Szoboszlai, Salah, Gakpo; Núñez
Liverpool will hope to make it two from two against Brighton this week, though have a mixed record against Brighton in the league. In the last eight matches between the two teams, the Reds have won just two, drawing four and losing two. Liverpool did win this fixture 2-1 last season.
The Reds remain without Diogo Jota, Alisson, and Federico Chiesa, all of whom are not expected back until after the November international break. Harvey Elliott, too, remains unavailable.
As you’d expect given Slot’s strong start as Liverpool’s head coach, the Reds have faced little scoreline adversity this season. Liverpool are second only to Arsenal (41 minutes, 48 seconds) in game time played while losing this season (75 minutes, 28 seconds). Brighton have scored first in their last four Premier League games against Liverpool, however.
Should Slot’s Reds win on Saturday it would see the new manager achieve the most victories in their first 10 top flight games. Though this would be a massive achievement, Slot would certainly remind us of the loss to Nottingham Forest.
Though Slot will have some difficult decisions to make in terms of who to start up front, it’s worth noting that Mohamed Salah has 15 goal involvements in 14 matches against the Seagulls (9 goals, 6 assists), only achieving more goal involvements against Manchester United (18).
Slot will also have decisions to make at left back as he manages minutes for Andy Robertson, though the substitution on Wednesday seems to suggest that Robertson may start over Kostas Tsimikas. The Scottish captain, Slot was careful to note, came into pre-season with an injury, so lacked the built fitness his teammates had.
What the Managers Had to Say
Arne Slot: “It was good to see that players who haven’t played that much have an impact on our team [on Wednesday]. We will need them this season so it’s good to see they are already on the level we need them to be.”
Fabian Hürzeler: “It is just about avoiding mistakes because Liverpool will punish them. We had plenty of chances but we just needed the last consequence to score. Small details which make a difference in the end.”
The Officials
Referee: Tony Harrington Assistants: Scott Ledger, Adrian Holmes Fourth official: Bobby Madley VAR: Chris Kavanagh Assistant VAR: Wade Smith
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