Liverpool will aim to kick-start a positive run of results when they welcome Brighton & Hove Albion to Anfield on Saturday.
The Premier League resumes this weekend after a gap of two weeks, with Gameweek 9 of the 2022/23 season set to get underway this weekend. The action begins with the much-awaited North London Derby, and Liverpool will follow that up with a game at Anfield, with Brighton & Hove Albion paying them a visit.
The 2022/23 season has been a trial by fire thus far for Liverpool, as they have struggled to stitch together a run of positive results. The Reds had to wait until Gameweek to register their first win in the Premier League, and they have only managed to emerge victorious in three of their eight matches across all competitions. But Jurgen Klopp will hope the 15-day break will have done his troops a world of good.
On the other hand, Brighton & Hove Albion have been one of the in-form teams in the early days of the 2022/23 Premier League season. The Seagulls are currently fourth on the table, losing just one of their opening six top-flight games. But Graham Potter’s departure might be a hammer blow to their European aspirations, with the trip to Liverpool their first outing since Roberto De Zerbi’s appointment as the new Chelsea manager’s replacement.
The corresponding fixture last season saw Brighton come from two goals down to hold Liverpool to a 2-2 draw, with Enock Mwepu and Leandro Trossard finding the back of the net for the Seagulls. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp has seen his squad’s fitness woes ease considerably during the international break. Against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, the Liverpool manager will likely be bereft of the services of six first-team players.
The positive update is that Ibrahima Konate has resumed training after recovering from a knee injury and will be in contention to start games soon. In addition, Jordan Henderson has regained full fitness, with the Liverpool captain featuring for England against Germany earlier this week. And while Andrew Robertson (knee) remains unavailable, he will be at Klopp’s disposal in a week or two.
Apart from Robertson, Caoimhin Kelleher (groin), Calvin Ramsay (back), Naby Keita (thigh), and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (hamstring) remain on the sidelines. So the biggest takeaway from the latest update is that Klopp has nearly all his first-choice players at his disposal again.
Liverpool will line up in the usual 4-3-3 formation against Brighton, with Alisson Becker picking himself between the sticks. Despite Konate’s potential availability, Joel Matip should pair up with Virgil van Dijk at the heart of the Liverpool defence. Trent Alexander-Arnold is an automatic selection at right-back, while Kostas Tsimikas will continue deputising for Robertson on the left flank.
Up ahead in midfield, the fit-again Henderson will likely return to the starting eleven against Brighton. The Liverpool captain will line up alongside Fabinho and Thiago Alcantara in the middle of the park, with Harvey Elliott and Fabio Carvalho options on the bench.
As for the offensive unit, with Klopp having all his attackers at his disposal, he can pick his strongest group in the final third. So Diogo Jota should be the central striker for Liverpool, with Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah being the two wide men against Brighton.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, van Dijk, Tsimikas; Henderson, Fabinho, Thiago; Salah, Jota, Diaz