Liverpool Look to Ground Seagulls in Brighton | OneFootball

Liverpool travel to the south coast on Saturday knowing they must quickly rediscover their Premier League edge when they face an in-form Brighton side at the Amex Stadium.

Midweek Dominance; League Softness

Arne Slot’s side were emphatic in midweek, sweeping aside Galatasaray 4-0 to book their place in the Champions League quarterfinals, but their domestic form remains a concern. A 1-1 draw with Tottenham last weekend extended a run that has seen them drop points in successive league matches, leaving their push for a top four finish under pressure.

Slot acknowledged the contrast between European success and league struggles, pointing to both style of opposition and his side’s profligacy in front of goal.

“Styles make fights,” he said. “We faced a team in Galatasaray who wanted to press and bring the ball out from the back. Whenever a team wants to fight we will fight with them. When a team does not it is less open.”

He added: “We are struggling to score goals; with all the chances we create it’s unbelievable we don’t score more.”

Notable Liverpool Absences

Liverpool’s task is complicated by the absence of Mohamed Salah, with Slot confirming the forward will miss the trip with a muscle issue. There is some encouragement, however, that his recovery may be swift.

“History has shown he can be earlier back than others,” Slot said. “He takes such good care of his body, but it is only two weeks until we go again.”

Joe Gomez could return to the squad after being an unused substitute in midweek, though Slot admitted the defender is “definitely not” ready to start.

Seagulls Flying High

Brighton, meanwhile, arrive with momentum. Fabian Hurzeler’s side have won three of their last four league matches and sit 12th, just three points shy of the top eight in what the German described as an “unpredictable” Premier League season.

“We need to play every game like it’s a final,” Hurzeler said. “I always emphasise how my team play as it’s important to keep working hard and keeping standards high.”

Brighton will be boosted by the availability of Kaoru Mitoma and have reason to be confident at home, having won two of their last three league games against Liverpool at the Amex, including a 3-2 victory in this fixture last season.

Hurzeler is under no illusions about the challenge, particularly after Liverpool’s European display.

“We all know Liverpool are still one of the best teams with incredible individual quality,” he said. “When Liverpool get into a flow they are dangerous for every team. It’s our responsibility to not let them get into that flow.”

To do that, Brighton will look to impose their own high-tempo, possession-based game, something Slot is expecting after a short turnaround for his players.

“Brighton has always been a team who want to play, bring the ball out from the back, and make it a very intense game,” he said. “We only have 60 hours of rest after putting in an enormous physical performance.”

Hurzeler has also called on the home support to play their part in what promises to be an intense contest.

“Be as loud as possible, be behind us, be pushing, be creating an energy,” he said. “We can create a place that no-one wants to go.”