Liverpool analysis: Shambolic title defence continuespublished at 15:37 GMT 21 March
15:37 GMT 21 March
Aadam Patel Football reporter
Image source, Getty Images
From the very outset, Liverpool looked all over the place on the south coast.
Arne Slot has not been helped by injuries, with neither Alisson nor Mohamed Salah making the trip down but - despite the short turnaround from Wednesday - the Liverpool boss made just the two enforced changes.
Perhaps the Dutchman made this call with the knowledge that an international break is coming up but, of their 10 Premier League games following a Champions League match this season, Liverpool have won four and lost five.
Slot should know by now that his side struggle after those midweek games and coming away to Brighton is never an easy task.
Losing Hugo Ekitike early on to injury did not help either, though Slot said after that he had a dead leg and could play "tomorrow if he wanted to".
Defensively, they were cut open easily and have now conceded 42 Premier League goals this season, more than in each of their past two campaigns.
The last time Liverpool came here, it was party time after winning the Premier League title. That title defence has been nothing short of shambolic.
Brighton 2-1 Liverpool: What Slot saidpublished at 15:17 GMT 21 March
15:17 GMT 21 March
Media caption,
Liverpool manager Arne Slot speaking to TNT Sports after the 2-1 defeat by Brighton: "First half was an equal game. It was a big blow for us that one of our two strikers that we have available with Hugo [Ekitike] and Alex [Isak] already not here, now the other one has to go off after one or two minutes. That is usually not helpful, especially when you look at how well Hugo played Wednesday. The first half was equal and the second half, Brighton were the better team on the pitch.
On Hugo Ekitike's injury and him looking visibly upset at being taken off: "The players and the fans know that there is only eight games to go to qualify for the Champions League and every game you have to miss is something you are upset about. Him going off and not being able to help the team - it is just a bit of bad luck. It is not like he will be out for three months but it is bad enough that he wasn't able to continue. It was a blow for him and a blow for us."
On Liverpool's 10th defeat of the season: "It is clear that we have lost a lot of points after playing in Europe. I have tried to explain a lot of times already why this is but today we also have to give credit to Brighton. In the second half, they were the better team on the pitch."
On whether games are running out to clinch Champions League football: "That is what I meant before the game. What I thought was, you won't need 24 points to qualify and hopefully I am right because we aren't able to get 24 points anymore. We kept trying, in the second half we were close but they were closer to scoring the third one than we were the second one. Unfortunately it wasn't enough after a week like this."
On the pressure to end the season on a high: "There is always pressure at Liverpool. On me, on the players. That is completely normal. We have qualified for the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and the Champions League but in the league we need to make sure that in the end, we qualify for the Champions League. As much as I dislike us losing here today, Brighton away has always been a difficult one and will always be a difficult one as long as they keep bringing in so many good players. But there are other games where we should have picked up more points, like last week against Tottenham. That is far more unacceptable than this. But even away at Brighton, a club like Liverpool should be able to get a result."
Despite playing less than three days ago, Arne Slot makes just the two changes from Liverpool's 4-0 win over Galatasaray. And both are enforced, with Giorgi Mamardashvili and Cody Gakpo coming in for the injured Alisson and Mohamed Salah. Dominik Szoboszlai is set to start down the right in Salah's absence.
Liverpool: Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Gakpo, Ekitike.
You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Fulham v Burnley" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Everton v Chelsea".
Brighton & Hove Albion v Liverpool: key stats and talking pointspublished at 19:02 GMT 20 March
19:02 GMT 20 March
Chris Adams BBC Sport journalist
A Brighton and Hove Albion side that seems to have emerged from their mid-season slump hosts Liverpool at the Amex on Saturday (12:30 GMT) aiming to climb into the top half of the table for the first time since early January.
Three wins in their last four have gone some way to counteracting the Seagulls' dreadful winter form, which saw them record just one victory in 13 league games.
Minteh fresh
Yankuba Minteh was the hero last time out at Sunderland, wriggling past Granit Xhaka before slicing an unorthodox cross into the net as the home team appealed for a foul in the build-up.
The 21-year-old Gambia winger was a constant thorn in the side of the Black Cats' defence with his tricky, direct approach and got his just rewards to end a personal 20-game goal drought.
Since signing from Newcastle United in July 2024, Minteh has registered more top-flight goal involvements than any other player aged 21 and under (eight goals, eight assists).
Fabian Hurzeler's side are unbeaten in their last three at home to Liverpool (won two, drawn one) but went down 2-0 at Anfield earlier this season, in part thanks to Hugo Ekitike's opener after just 46 seconds.
While an extreme example, it does highlight how Brighton have struggled to keep it tight in the first half of games this season. They are one of just three sides, along with Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur, to have conceded more goals in the first half of games (19) than they have in the second half (17).
All not lost for Liverpool
A comprehensive win over Galatasaray on Wednesday sent Liverpool through to the last eight of the Champions League and a similar result in East Sussex on Saturday would go some way towards securing Arne Slot's side a place in Europe's elite competition again next season.
Liverpool are fifth in the table, which should be enough to merit a place through the traditional route, although of course they could qualify also by winning the current tournament.
Despite their patchy league form – four wins from 12 in 2026 – strong runs in Europe and the FA Cup mean there is still plenty for the Reds to play for.
Dominik Szoboszlai is making a strong case to be named their player of the season, although there is a school of thought that the Hungary midfielder's versatility has worked against him, as he has often been deployed at right-back because of injuries to the likes of Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong.
He scored from midfield against the Turkish champions and didn't let a defensive role against Tottenham Hotspur last week stop him smashing home a fourth direct free-kick of the season, taking him just one shy of the long-standing Premier League record jointly held by David Beckham and Laurent Robert.
Liverpool's undoing against Spurs was a last-minute leveller from Richarlison, which must have given the Anfield faithful a huge dose of déjà vu.
Slot's side have conceded eight goals in the 90th minute (including stoppage time) in league games this season, with only Leeds United shipping more (nine).
All eight of these goals against have caused the Reds to drop points, resulting in three draws and five defeats.
Sutton's predictions: Brighton v Liverpoolpublished at 18:10 GMT 20 March
18:10 GMT 20 March
Brighton have hit a bit of form but how do you know what to expect from Liverpool at the moment? They are so up and down - will they turn up this week?
Liverpool's standout player this season has been Dominik Szoboszlai, and they are probably looking to him to do something special again here.
I've mentioned before how Brighton fans are not having Fabian Hurzeler, so this run of good results as manager - they have won three of their past four games - has come at a good time.
I was at Anfield in December when Liverpool won 2-0 and Brighton should have got something out of that game. This time, Brighton will beat them.
No room for Liverpool in England's latest 35-man squadpublished at 15:47 GMT 20 March
15:47 GMT 20 March
Harry Holmes BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
Thomas Tuchel has named an England squad for the upcoming friendlies without a single Liverpool player involved for a fourth consecutive time.
Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones, who has six international caps, and defender Joe Gomez, who has 15, have both been omitted from Tuchel's 35-man group.
It means without any sudden change in opinion from the Three Lions boss, it seems increasingly likely that England will not be taking a Liverpool player to the World Cup for the first time in 40 years.
"It's the last opportunity to impress and the last opportunity for players to compete for their ticket," Tuchel told the media.
Sir Bobby Robson's squad for the 1986 tournament in Mexico was the last time Liverpool went without an English representative when competing for football's top prize.
Former Reds Jordan Henderson, Dominic Solanke and Jarell Quansah have all been included in the squad, whilst there is no room for defender Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Meanwhile, Rio Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni have been called up to England's under-19 set-up.
Szoboszlai is the key that unlocks it for Liverpoolpublished at 13:05 GMT 20 March
13:05 GMT 20 March
Josh Sexton Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
It's a lovely sunny Thursday morning in Liverpool. In truth, the sun always shines a little brighter after a win.
A cloud has been cast over so much of this season, and one of the biggest frustrations has been that this group of players is too talented to be playing this badly.
It's why, as fans, we tend to seek simple solutions to the problem, because surely we aren't that far away from being a really good football team?
Sack the manager? There is a chance it could help, but it even feels like he's too talented to be coaching this badly, especially based on the evidence of last season. Sign more pace? Almost certainly. Stop playing players out of position? Definitely, but there are some obvious caveats based on form and fitness.
The trouble you have with playing players out of their natural positions is what you lose by them not operating in the areas of the pitch in which they excel.
Dominik Szoboszlai has been chief among them and it feels that surely the time has come to stop playing him as a right-back.
The Hungarian captain is massively talented and a huge part of that is because of the level of versatility he possesses. However, that skillset is needed much more in attack than it could ever be in the full-back area and the Reds' 4-0 win over Galatasaray showed exactly why.
As analysed by Stephen Warnock on Match Of The Day, the combination of Liverpool's flying wing-backs, attacking midfielders and two forwards caused serious problems for their Turkish opponents.
Each component of that had a fantastic night individually, but Szoboszlai is the key that unlocks so much of it and his goal contributions alone dictate that he needs to be closer to the goal and involved in the bulk of the attacking play, rather than existing almost exclusively behind.
The caveats may still be there, but Liverpool must find a solution that isn't so reductive to what they do in an attacking sense.
Slot on Salah's absence, 'fight' until end of season & Brightonpublished at 10:34 GMT 20 March
10:34 GMT 20 March
Nat Hayward BBC Sport journalist
Media caption,
Liverpool boss Arne Slot has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Brighton at the Amex Stadium (12:30 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Slot confirmed Mohamed Salah will miss the trip to the South Coast with a "muscle issue" and is also ruled out of Egypt's upcoming international camp.
"History has shown he can be earlier back than others. He takes such good care of his body, he can be back earlier than others as history has shown. But, it is only two weeks until we go again."
Joe Gomez was on the bench for the midweek win over Galatasaray but did not feel fit to come on: "We tried to postpone it as long as we can. He might be available for tomorrow but definitely not to start."
On the dominant 4-0 win over the Turkish champions: "Styles make fights and if I have to explain this it means we faced a team in Galatasaray who wanted to press and bring the ball out from the back. They wanted to fight with us and it will never be about us if a game is not entertaining. Whenever a team wants to fight we will fight with them. When a team does not it is less open and less attractive. You cannot compare that at all with a lot of teams we have faced this season."
What does he expect from the Seagulls?: "A very attractive and interesting style. We only have 60 hours of rest after putting in an enormous physical performance. Brighton has always been a team who want to play, bring the ball out from the back, and make it a very intense game."
Slot was asked about his contract, which runs until the summer of 2027: "Is this how football works? We win one time and now we talk about my contract. I'm completely surprised with this question because my focus is completely on Brighton. It's going to be a fight until the end of the season and my focus is completely on that."
He does not want to play Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back, despite stressing Jeremie Frimpong's fatigue: "Dominik for me is a midfielder. When I play him in a different position it is not because I think I want to a tactical genius, it is I don't have other options and want to pick the best player available. Dominik is a very good midfielder for us, we have more than Dominik which is why I am able to move him to different positions and he can play well there. If I have the chance I play him in midfield."
On a quick turnaround before an early Saturday kick-off: "We are struggling to score goals, with all the chances we create it's unbelievable we don't score more. Emotionally and mentally it is not always easy after a peak we had on Wednesday evening, to go to a 12:30 kick-off against a team and fans who want to come at us straight away."
Image source, Getty Images
