Verdict: Away win
Best odds: 6/5
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
Fresh from an emphatic Champions League performance in midweek, Liverpool turn their attention back to Premier League matters on Saturday lunchtime as they travel to the Amex Stadium to face Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Reds are aiming to complete their first league double over the Seagulls since the 2019–20 season, having secured a 2–0 victory in the reverse fixture at Anfield in December.
Brighton
Brighton’s season appeared to be drifting toward stagnation after a bleak run that yielded just one win from 13 Premier League matches between early December and late winter. That sequence, which included six draws and six defeats, threatened to derail any hopes of a European push. However, Fabian Hürzeler’s side have responded positively, claiming three victories in their last four league outings to restore belief.
Their only defeat during this revival came against league leaders Arsenal, a narrow 1–0 loss at the Amex. That match later became a talking point after the Premier League’s Key Match Incidents Panel confirmed that Brighton had been wrongly denied a penalty due to a missed VAR intervention, marking the 18th officiating error logged by the independent panel this season.
Brighton quickly put that disappointment behind them by grinding out a 1–0 win away at Sunderland last weekend. That result lifted the Seagulls to 12th in the table on 40 points, leaving them just five adrift of the top seven with eight matches still to play. While the task remains difficult, European qualification is not yet out of reach.
Recent meetings with Liverpool at the Amex offer further encouragement. Brighton have won two of their last three home league clashes with the Reds, drawing the other, after managing just one victory in their first 13 encounters. Last season’s dramatic 3–2 win in this fixture remains fresh in the memory.
Defensive discipline in the opening stages could prove vital once again. Brighton are one of only three Premier League teams, alongside Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur, to have conceded more goals in the first half than the second this season, shipping 19 before the break compared to 17 after it.
Team News
In terms of selection, long‑term knee injuries continue to rule out Adam Webster and Stefanos Tzimas. Kaoru Mitoma and Carlos Baleba are both minor doubts and will require late assessments.
Should Baleba be deemed fit, he may challenge 40‑year‑old former Liverpool hero James Milner for a midfield berth, while Yasin Ayari, Jack Hinshelwood and January signing Pascal Groß are also competing for starting roles.
Danny Welbeck, who has scored twice in nine previous appearances against Liverpool for Brighton, is expected to continue up front, supported by Diego Gómez and Yankuba Minteh unless Mitoma returns in time.
Liverpool
Liverpool arrive on the south coast buoyed by one of their most convincing performances of the season. On Wednesday night, Arne Slot’s side overturned a one‑goal first‑leg deficit to thrash Galatasaray 4–0 at Anfield, securing a place in the Champions League quarter‑finals where reigning holders Paris Saint‑Germain await.
Slot described the display as the “perfect game,” a timely response after the frustration of conceding a late equaliser in a 1–1 home draw with relegation‑threatened Tottenham Hotspur last weekend. That result meant Liverpool have now won just four of their last 12 Premier League matches, leaving them fifth in the table. They sit one point clear of Chelsea in sixth and two behind Aston Villa in fourth with eight games remaining.
Late goals have been a recurring problem. Including Richarlison’s stoppage‑time strike for Spurs, Liverpool have conceded eight goals from the 90th minute onwards in the league this season. Only Leeds have conceded more, and every one of those late goals has resulted in dropped points, highlighting an area Slot is keen to address.
Brighton, however, have not troubled Liverpool this season. The Reds have already beaten the Seagulls twice without conceding, winning 2–0 in the league and 3–0 in the FA Cup at Anfield. Liverpool have not kept three clean sheets against the same opponent in a single season since doing so against Arsenal in 2021–22.
Team News
Injury issues remain. Alexander Isak, Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni and Wataru Endo are still unavailable, while Mohamed Salah will undergo assessment after feeling discomfort late in the win over Galatasaray.
The Egyptian is Liverpool’s leading scorer and assister against Brighton in the Premier League, with 10 goals and seven assists, and his availability could influence Slot’s selection. Cody Gakpo, Rio Ngumoha and Jeremie Frimpong are among the alternatives should Salah not be risked.
Hugo Ekitike, who scored both goals in Liverpool’s December league win over Brighton, is set to lead the line once again. Dominik Szoboszlai, in excellent form, should continue in the number‑10 role and will be aiming to score in a third consecutive match across all competitions.
Conclusion
Brighton head into the contest with renewed confidence following their recent upturn, and a home victory over Liverpool would significantly strengthen their European ambitions. However, despite having already lost six away league matches this season, the Reds appear well placed to carry momentum from midweek into the league.
Even if Salah is unavailable, Liverpool’s attacking depth and recent dominance in this fixture suggest they have enough quality to outscore the Seagulls and keep their top‑four challenge firmly on track.
Verdict: Away win
Best odds: 6/5
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
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