Prediction: Liverpool vs Brighton

Verdict: Liverpool win by 2+ goals

Best Odds: 21/20

Bookmaker: Unibet

Looking to keep up their recent momentum at Anfield, defending champions Liverpool will host Brighton from behind closed doors on Wednesday night.

Liverpool

Starting with the hosts, while Liverpool might have found themselves enduring a concerning five-match Premier League winless run last month, there is no doubt that the mood in their camp should be on the rise. Appearing to have refound their form over the past week, Jurgen Klopp’s side really capitalized on the slip-ups around them. Putting in another eye-catching display over the weekend in another trip to the capital, the defending champions cruised their way to a 3-1 romp at a high-flying West Ham on Sunday afternoon. Managing to build off of that thumping display away at Spurs and now claiming back-to-back top-flight wins for the first time since the middle of December, the former Borussia Dortmund boss will also be boosted by Mohamed Salah’s return to scoring form. Putting in a Man of the Match display at the London Stadium and bagging himself a brace over the weekend, the Egyptian ace became the first player to score 20+ goals in all competitions in four consecutive seasons for Liverpool since Ian Rush did so six times running from 1981-82 to 1986-87.

Team News

Liverpool forward Sadio Mane could be fit after the minor muscle problem that kept him out of the win over West Ham.

After signing on Deadline Day, both Ben Davies and Ozan Kabak may be involved.

Brighton

As for the visitors, while Brighton might have only continued to show a host of issues when entering the New Year, the Seagulls certainly gained a string of plaudits for a shock display at the Amex over the weekend. While Graham Potter’s side had remarkably managed to win just one of their previous 19 Premier League matchups on home soil before Sunday’s meeting against Tottenham, the former Swansea boss saw his side land a deserved 1-0 win on the South Coast. Managing to extend their buffer over the drop zone to seven points, Brighton find themselves comfortably enjoying their brightest run of the season so far. Including that victory against the Champions League chasers over the weekend, Potter’s side are unbeaten in their last four matchups across all formats, winning three of those appearances. In fact, collecting seven points from their last three Premier League matchups, a run that has also seen them pick up a 1-0 win against Leeds last month, it should also be noted that the Seagulls have shipped just a single goal on their four-match unbeaten run.

Team News

Brighton’s Joel Veltman came off during the weekend win over Tottenham with muscle tightness and is a doubt.

Alexis Mac Allister, who played all of that game, will be assessed after complaining of a glute issue.

Key Factors to Consider

• When the two sides faced off at the Amex back in November, Brighton and Liverpool played out a 1-1 draw.
• Liverpool have picked up back-to-back 3-1 victories away at Tottenham and West Ham over the past week.
• Mohamed Salah became the first player to score 20+ goals in all competitions in four consecutive seasons for Liverpool since Ian Rush did so six times running from 1981-82 to 1986-87.
• Including enjoying a four-match unbeaten run across all formats, Brighton have collected seven points from their last three Premier League contests.
• More impressive, Wednesday’s guests have conceded just a single goal on their four-match unbeaten run.

Conclusion

While Brighton might be enjoying by far their brightest run of the season, they should face a stern test against a Liverpool side who have really refound their form over the past week. Watching attacking talisman Mohamed Salah really enjoy a purple patch, the defending champions have secured back-to-back 3-1 wins against Tottenham and West Ham over the past week. Looking to make up some ground at the top of the table as they return to Anfield on Wednesday night, it is hard to see anything other than a home victory for Jurgen Klopp’s men in midweek.

Verdict: Liverpool win by 2+ goals

Best Odds: 21/20

Bookmaker: Unibet