Liverpool FC welcome Brighton & Hove Albion to Anfield Saturday night for a league fixture matching up two sides riding high right now. Liverpool have taken all six points from their first two matches, sporting an impressive 6-0 goal differential. Brighton upset Manchester United last weekend, and did so in very impressive fashion.
The Seagulls scored three in the first half on a United side that didn’t concede more than three in an entire game last season.
“They don’t come any more difficult than away at Liverpool, not only with the team they’ve got but the recruitment they had in the summer,” said Brighton boss Chris Hughton after his side’s win over United. “You hope we can play to some level like we did today.”
On the other sideline, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was happy that his side won going away, despite not being at their best.
“It’s, for us, a big step, because if you’ve watched us a little bit more often you’ll know if we’re not brilliant we usually lose!” said Klopp after the win at Selhurst Park.
“Today we were not brilliant but we still won, that was a nice – not completely new, but at least not often experienced – situation for me.”
Let’s take a look at the injury and fitness situation for both sides.
For Brighton, central defender Lewis Dunk suffered an ankle injury in the win over United that will be keep him out for weeks. That’s still much better than what had been initially feared, when they were legitimate concerns that he might be out for months. Bruno missed out on the win over Manchester United, having suffered a hamstring injury against Watford. The team Captain is a doubt for this clash.
Defender Dejan Lovren remains sidelined with a stomach issue, but despite this issue he was still called up to the latest Croatia squad. In the words of C&C Music factory: “things that make you go hhhmmm???” Midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain remain out with his serious long-term injury.
The weekly Jurgen Klopp manager press conference video from yesterday will be embedded tomorrow.
Liverpool starting XI prediction/team news: go to this link
Kick-off: 5.30pm (BST), Saturday 25 August
Odds via Betway: Brighton 14/1, Draw 13/2, Liverpool 1/6
Prediction: Liverpool FC 2, Brighton 0
Feel free to post your own Reds and/or Seagulls starting XI predictions, as well as your best guess as to what the final score will be.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, is currently a regular contributor to SB Nation, WGN CLTV and Chicago Now.
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