Premier League: Expect Some Fireworks When Brighton Rock Up at Anfield

Liverpool vs Brighton & Hove Albion

Arne Slot’s Liverpool returns to Anfield on Saturday when they will welcome Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton in another tough test for the reigning champions. 

Liverpool’s title defence seems to have pretty much finished before it got started. A 3-3 draw away to Leeds United last week left Slot’s men down in ninth place in the Premier League table, 10 points behind leaders Arsenal and two places below the Seagulls. And sparks have been flying off the field with star man Mohamed Salah giving a controversial interview to the UK media last week.  

Brighton narrowly missed out on European football last season, finishing eighth, and they are in good shape to make a challenge again this season, drawing 1-1 with West Ham United last time out. Liverpool faced Inter Milan away in the Champions League on Tuesday evening and picked up a huge 1-0 win for their manager when he needed it the most.

Back to the Premier League and, locked together on 23 points from 15 games, a win could take the victors of this game up into the European places, and that makes Liverpool vs Brighton a high-stakes match as we approach the midpoint of the campaign.   

 

Talking Points

Is Salah nearing the Liverpool exit?  

The Reds won on Wednesday thanks to a performance of great character in Milan. They were well drilled and put in the perfect away showing, scoring an 88^th minute penalty, converted by Dominik Szoboszlai. Normal taker Salah had been left at home after missing the last three starts and telling the UK press he felt distant from the manager and “thrown under a bus” by the club. 

The 33-year-old is a legend at Anfield, but his days may be numbered, given the evidence in Italy when the team pulled together in impressive harmony. Salah has scored four goals so far this term, as has Cody Gakpo with Hugo Ekitike top scoring with five, and it may be that the next generation is ready to step up to create new Premier League 2025 highlights. I’m not writing Salah off by any means, but it has been a strange week on Merseyside, and bridges need to be built if the Egyptian is to work his way back in favour.               

Either way, Slot needs another result on Saturday and the Premier League 2025 betting odds say his team should deliver. But against the Seagulls that is easier said than done.

 

Brighton are looking to regain momentum 

10 points from four games in November launched the Seagulls’ Europe-chasing campaign but, so far, December hasn’t been so kind to Hurzeler’s men. Only an injury time equaliser from Georginio Rutter saved a point against struggling West Ham United last week, after Jarrod Bowen had given the Hammers the lead midway through the second half. 

The Seagulls dominated the ball with 68-per cent possession and had 22 shots on goal. But with only four on target, the cutting edge was missing. And it could have been worse had skipper Lewis Dunk not intercepted a cross from Bowen which would have been a tap-in for Crysensio Summerville. Dunk was making his 501^st appearance for Brighton, and he’s as dependable as ever. 
Brighton will need to be more clinical at Anfield and turn possession into goals. Veteran striker Danny Welbeck hasn’t scored for three games, but he is still the Premier League joint-third highest scorer with seven, and there may be a return for Evan Ferguson in January as reports in Italy suggest his loan to Roma is not working out. The Seagulls will need a deep squad to call upon in this long and gruelling season, but they are in pretty good shape. 

 

History 

The Reds have had much the better of the head-to-heads, winning 12 of their last 20 meetings, while Brighton have won four and there have been four draws. And in nine games, at Anfield the Reds have picked up six victories to Brighton’s one, and there have been two draws. 

Last season, the Reds won this fixture 2-1 before the Seagulls exacted revenge in May with a 3-2 win on the South coast, turning round a 2-1 deficit in the process.  

And, in terms of recent form, the visitors are in better shape. Liverpool have two wins,  two draws, and two defeats from the last six, while Brighton have three wins, two draws, and one defeat.      

 

Betting Tip

At SBOTOP odds of 1.62, Liverpool are strong favourites to win all three points with the Seagulls at 4.50 and the draw at 4.15. But the pressure is on the hosts, who have just completed an energy-sapping trip to Milan, and Brighton are a team without fear, so I’m backing Hurzeler’s men to get a result.      

   

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