Liverpool vs Brighton Preview: Salah Uncertainty Looms as Reds Seek League Revival

All eyes will be on the team sheet as Liverpool welcome Brighton to Anfield. Mohamed Salah did not travel to Milan for Liverpool’s 1–0 win over Inter at the San Siro on matchday six of the Champions League.

His absence followed a turbulent week in which the Egyptian star accused the club of “throwing [him] under the bus” and claimed he no longer has a relationship with head coach Arne Slot. The comments came after Liverpool’s 3–3 draw at Elland Road and his omission from three consecutive fixtures, the first time in Salah’s Liverpool career that he has been dropped for such a run.

In his press conference before the Brighton fixture, Slot told journalists he would be holding a conversation with Salah, and that the outcome of that meeting would determine how things look going forward. Salah is also set to travel to Morocco for AFCON after this match.

Despite their midweek Champions League win and their hopes of automatic qualification for the round of 16 remaining alive, retaining the Premier League title already feels like a distant prospect. Liverpool currently sit tenth, only three points off the top four, a more realistic and important target.

Liverpool have won only two of their last ten league matches, drawing two and losing the other six. This marks their worst run since the 1950s. They have collected just 23 points and conceded 24 goals in their first 15 Premier League games of the season, the poorest start made by a reigning champion in both metrics since Leicester City in 2016–17.

Brighton arrive in eighth place, level on points with Liverpool, having won five of their last ten Premier League matches, losing two and drawing three.

Liverpool have lost only one of their eight top-flight meetings with Brighton at Anfield, winning five and drawing two, which offers some encouragement ahead of what feels like another pivotal fixture as they seek momentum and a turning point to their disappointing form.

Team News:

Liverpool will be without Cody Gakpo for the next few weeks, with the specific reason not disclosed. Wataru Endo is also unavailable for unspecified reasons, while Connor Bradley misses out through suspension.

Federico Chiesa returns after illness kept him from travelling to Milan. Giovanni Leoni remains sidelined with an ACL injury, while Jeremie Frimpong continues his recovery from a hamstring injury but is expected to return to training soon.

For Brighton, Stefanos Tzimas, Solly March and Adam Webster, all with knee injuries, and ex-Liverpool man James Milner with a muscle issue remain unavailable. Tzimas is facing months on the sidelines.

Kaoru Mitoma has been out since late September with an ankle issue and will continue to be assessed, along with Yasin Ayari with a muscle injury and Tom Watson who is also a doubt for unspecified reasons.

With both sides level on points and wrestling with contrasting forms, the meeting at Anfield arrives at a crucial moment in each team’s season. For Liverpool, clarity around Salah and a return to steadier league performances are becoming urgent, while Brighton will sense an opportunity to deepen the champions’ frustration.