Our writers pick their Liverpool teams to face Brighton & Hove Albion this afternoon in the Premier League at Anfield
Liverpool will look to stretch their unbeaten run to five games when they entertain Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday afternoon at Anfield. Tuesday night’s 1-0 victory at Inter – the Italian side’s first home defeat in the Champions League for three years – was a shot in the arm just when Arne Slot needed it but it is domestic form that has been indifferent of late.
After a 2-0 win at West Ham United in late November, the Reds have drawn against two of the three promoted teams, with the 1-1 draw at home to Sunderland being followed up by that 3-3 thriller with Leeds United at Elland Road.
The major talking point for the Brighton match, of course, revolves around Mohamed Salah and the outcome of talks between the player and Slot on Friday, after he was axed from the squad that beat Inter on account of his bombshell interview at Leeds.
READ MORE: Alexander Isak hands Liverpool new injury scare as Federico Chiesa cleared to returnREAD MORE: Mohamed Salah returns to Liverpool squad after Arne Slot talks
It’s understood Salah is now set to return to the fold for his final fixture before the Africa Cup of Nations after positive talks were held with Slot on Friday afternoon.
And here our writers pick their XIs for what is an important game for the champions in their efforts to climb up the Premier League table.
Paul Gorst
The suspension to Conor Bradley makes the right-back issue a lot more straightforward. Joe Gomez keeps his place on that side and you have to say the long-serving defender has helped out Ibrahima Konate no end since his return to the side lately.
On the left side, I am recalling Milos Kerkez on the left, who is encouraged to provide the width in what will be a diamond midfield.
Florian Wirtz returns to the team after his cameo against Inter, where he won the penalty that was dispatched by Dominik Szoboszlai at San Siro. The Germany playmaker can operate at the tip of the four-man midfield with Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Curtis Jones in there. Alexis Mac Allister can drop to the bench.
Hopefully Alexander Isak’s knock, as revealed by Arne Slot on Friday, isn’t too serious and he can continue building up his partnership with Hugo Ekitike. The £200m strike force are yet to start together in the Premier League and they need time to establish a burgeoning partnership. If Isak is sidelined then Mohamed Salah can partner Ekitike as a front two.
My team (4-4-2): Alisson; Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Jones, Wirtz; Ekitike, Isak.
Theo Squires
Mohamed Salah might be back in the Liverpool squad for the visit of Brighton, but I would not be starting the Egyptian against the Seagulls.
The Reds will be without the forward for a number of weeks due to AFCON duty following Saturday’s game regardless. They might as well continue without him in the starting XI heading into such a run as they look to build on an encouraging win at Inter Milan.
With that in mind, the diamond formation is here to stay. But with Alexander Isak an injury doubt, Federico Chiesa can come in upfront to partner Hugo Ekitike. As the festive period looms and the Reds already light in attack, it makes sense to tread carefully with the Swede and not take any unnecessary risks with his fitness.
Florian Wirtz returns at number 10 in place of Alexis Mac Allister, while Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Curtis Jones all retain their positions after impressing at the San Siro.
And let’s go for an unchanged back five with Joe Gomez continuing at right-back in the absence of the suspended Conor Bradley and Andy Robertson retaining his place ahead of Milos Kerkez.
My team (4-1-2-1-2): Alisson; Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Jones, Wirtz; Chiesa, Ekitike.
