Anfield plays host to a Premier League fixture heavy on narrative as Liverpool prepare to take on Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday afternoon. What once promised to be a straightforward contest between two expansive sides has evolved into a match loaded with uncertainty, scrutiny, and pressure — particularly on the home team.
Liverpool and Brighton enter the weekend level on points, both searching for momentum after failing to secure wins last time out. Yet the focus remains firmly on the red half of Merseyside, where questions around form, leadership, and the future of Mohamed Salah have created an uneasy backdrop. Brighton, by contrast, arrive quietly confident, aware that Liverpool’s current vulnerability offers a genuine opportunity to take something from Anfield.
Match Preview
Mohamed Salah’s situation continues to dominate Liverpool discourse, with the Egyptian forward at the centre of intense speculation over his future. Reports of a breakdown in communication between Salah and head coach Arne Slot have only heightened the noise, with suggestions that the winger may already have played his final game for the club.
The numbers paint a sobering picture. Salah is operating below his usual elite standards, registering his lowest per-90 output in shots, shots on target, and touches inside the opposition box since joining Liverpool. His defensive contribution has also been questioned, with data placing him bottom among Premier League wide forwards for recovery runs into his own half. Slot’s decision to exclude him entirely from the squad for the Champions League victory over Inter Milan was widely seen as a statement, rather than a tactical necessity.
Liverpool’s struggles, however, run deeper than one player’s form. The champions have managed just two wins in their last 10 league outings, a run that has seen them slide to 10th in the table. Defensive instability has been particularly damaging, with 24 goals conceded in 15 matches — a return that mirrors the struggles Leicester City endured during their ill-fated title defence in 2016–17.
Across the 2025 calendar year, Liverpool have conceded 48 Premier League goals, highlighting a sustained erosion of defensive control. The result is a side that too often looks fragile, particularly when games become stretched. While their title defence already appears over, Slot will be acutely aware that Champions League qualification remains within reach, with the gap to fourth place standing at just three points.
There is at least historical comfort against Brighton. Liverpool have been beaten only once by the Seagulls at Anfield in the Premier League, winning five and drawing two of their eight home meetings. That lone defeat, however, came in February 2021 — the only previous occasion Liverpool faced Brighton as reigning champions — serving as a reminder that past dominance offers no guarantees.
Brighton arrive on Merseyside following a frustrating afternoon against West Ham United, where Georginio Rutter’s late equaliser rescued a point after a largely flat display. All four of Brighton’s shots on target came after the 89th minute, underlining how little attacking threat they posed for most of the contest.
Head coach Fabian Hürzeler was candid in his post-match assessment, admitting his side did not deserve more than a draw. The result leaves Brighton eighth in the table, level with Liverpool and three points adrift of fourth-placed Crystal Palace. Worryingly for the visitors, December has been a problematic month in recent seasons. Brighton are winless in their last eight Premier League matches played in the final month of the year.
Still, there are positives. Brighton have kept clean sheets in their last two away league games and now have the chance to make it three in a row for the first time since 2020. They are also chasing a rare milestone — consecutive league victories over Liverpool — after edging a 3–2 thriller in the reverse fixture at the Amex Stadium in May.
Team News
Liverpool’s injury list remains a concern ahead of kickoff. Cody Gakpo is unavailable due to an unspecified issue, while Giovanni Leoni continues his recovery from an ACL injury. Conor Bradley will miss the match through suspension.
Jeremie Frimpong is racing to overcome a hamstring problem, Federico Chiesa is battling illness, and Wataru Endo is also a doubt. All three will be assessed closer to kickoff. The biggest selection call revolves around Salah, who has been directly involved in 17 goals across his last 18 appearances against Brighton. Whether he features at all before departing for Africa Cup of Nations duty remains uncertain.
Dominik Szoboszlai is expected to play a key role once again after netting a dramatic late penalty against Inter in midweek. His energy and consistency have stood out in an otherwise uneven Liverpool campaign.
Brighton, meanwhile, continue to contend with several long-term absentees. Stefanos Tzimas, Solly March, and Adam Webster remain sidelined with knee injuries, while James Milner is recovering from a muscle problem. Tzimas is expected to be out for several months.
Kaoru Mitoma remains unavailable with an ankle issue, while Yasin Ayari and Tom Watson are late fitness concerns. Should Ayari be cleared, he is likely to compete with Diego Gomez and Jack Hinshelwood for a starting role in midfield alongside Carlos Baleba.
Also Read: 3 Brutal Signals That Spell Trouble for Mohamed Salah After Saudi Club Owner’s Damning Verdict
Lineups
Liverpool are expected to shuffle their attacking setup once more, particularly if Salah is left out. Joe Gomez should continue at right-back in Bradley’s absence, while Florian Wirtz’s return could see one of Hugo Ekitike or Alexander Isak drop to the bench.
Liverpool possible starting XI:
Alisson; Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Jones, Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Szoboszlai, Isak, Wirtz
Brighton are likely to retain the core of the side that drew with West Ham, with Georginio Rutter continuing in a free role behind Danny Welbeck. Their defensive structure has looked more assured away from home in recent weeks.
Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting XI:
Verbruggen; Wieffer, Dunk, Van Hecke, Kadioglu; Baleba, Ayari; Minteh, Rutter, De Cuyper; Welbeck
Match Prediction
Recent history suggests that striking first may not prove decisive. None of the last four Premier League meetings between these sides have been won by the team that opened the scoring.
Liverpool’s once-intimidating home atmosphere has waned, with the Reds winless in their last three league games at Anfield and conceding seven goals in that span. Brighton’s improved defensive organisation on the road, combined with Liverpool’s tendency to leave space in transition, points towards another open contest.
A high-tempo, end-to-end encounter looks likely, with both teams capable of exploiting each other’s weaknesses. A share of the points would do little to ease Liverpool’s broader concerns, but it may reflect the current balance between two sides still searching for consistency.
Prediction: Liverpool 2-2 Brighton & Hove Albion
