Liverpool host Brighton at Anfield on Sunday (2pm kick-off) still looking for a first home league win of the season, and the visitors arrive as one of the form sides in the division, conceding very few goals in the process.
Andoni Iraola’s men are fifth on 12 points. Draws with Nottingham Forest and Fulham, plus a 3-0 defeat to Manchester City, mean Anfield has yet to deliver three league points this term. There was encouragement last weekend, though, with a 2-1 win at Brentford thanks to goals from Victor Muñoz and Alexander Isak.
Brighton sit third on 16 points and have won four league games in a row without conceding.
Fabian Hurzeler is in his third season on the south coast and his side have built a real identity, with plenty of possession and a front line that scores freely.
Nine goals in the last two meetings between these clubs tells its own story, and Iraola has admitted his players will need to be at their very best.
Team news
Dominik Szoboszlai misses out again with a hamstring problem, while Jeremie Frimpong is set for around a month on the sidelines with a muscle injury. Conor Bradley, Hugo Ekitike and Giovanni Leoni remain out long term, and Victor Munoz is a doubt after a knock at Brentford.
There is good news elsewhere. Bradley Barcola is fit after a late scare, and Ryan Gravenberch is available again following his one-match suspension.
A predicted Liverpool XI: Alisson, Araujo, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez, Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Ngumoha, Wirtz, Barcola, Isak.
Brighton are without Stefanos Tzimas, Evan Ferguson, Femi Azeez and Kaoru Mitoma, although Yankuba Minteh and Mats Wieffer are closing in on returns. They also played in the Conference League at Jablonec on Thursday, so Hurzeler rested several key men that night and will hope they are fresh.
What to watch for
The midfield battle looks decisive. Pascal Gross will try to pull the strings for Brighton, so Mac Allister and Gravenberch must stop the visitors settling into a rhythm. Brighton typically see more of the ball than Liverpool, which means the Reds’ transitions to Isak, Wirtz and Barcola could be the route to goal.
Liverpool’s schedule is relentless too, with this the fifth of nine games in 28 days, so rotation and energy levels will matter late on.
Prediction
This has all the makings of a lively afternoon. Home advantage, a desperate need for points at Anfield and the quality in the final third should just edge it.
Liverpool 2-1 Brighton
