Liverpool host Brighton at Anfield, aiming to build on their strong start to the season and stay in close contention with Manchester City at the top of the table.
John Gibson Oct 31
Liverpool’s new era under Arne Slot has gotten off to a promising start, with the Reds sitting second after nine matches, only one point behind Manchester City. They’ve lost just once this season—a narrow 1-0 defeat at home to Nottingham Forest. Liverpool have secured victories in three of their last four matches, with their only setback being a 2-2 draw against title rivals Arsenal.
Next up for Slot is a test against fellow Premier League newcomer Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton. Hurzeler’s Brighton has also had a strong start, currently in sixth place with 16 points and just one league loss, which came away at Chelsea. Unbeaten in their last three games, Brighton faces their toughest test yet as they look to extend this streak against Liverpool.
Liverpool boasts the league’s top defense, having conceded only five goals so far—four fewer than Manchester City. However, they’ve struggled for clean sheets recently, allowing goals in three of their last four matches across competitions, including a 3-2 win over Brighton in the EFL Cup.
Despite Liverpool’s defensive strength, both teams bring formidable attacks. Brighton has scored at least twice in four of their last five matches, with Danny Welbeck scoring in three consecutive league games. For Liverpool, Mo Salah has been essential, starting the season strongly with six goals and five assists.
Recent encounters between these teams have been closely contested. Liverpool won the last two meetings, including their recent EFL Cup clash, while Brighton had two wins and two draws in the previous four encounters. Brighton’s last victory at Anfield came in 2021, with a 1-0 scoreline. Last season, Liverpool won 2-1 at home with goals from Luis Diaz and Salah after a previous draw.
Liverpool’s recent form includes four wins and one draw in their last five matches, continuing their excellent Premier League start. Their run began with a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace, followed by a narrow home victory over Chelsea where Curtis Jones scored the winner. In the Champions League, they won 1-0 away at RB Leipzig, courtesy of a Darwin Nunez goal. Last weekend, they held Arsenal to a 2-2 draw, with Virgil van Dijk and Salah leveling the score twice.
Their latest match, an EFL Cup tie at Brighton, saw Liverpool secure a 3-2 win, with Cody Gakpo netting twice and Luis Diaz adding a third. In contrast, Brighton has had a mixed recent run, winning two, drawing one, and losing two of their last five matches. Their latest result was the narrow EFL Cup loss to Liverpool.
Brighton’s recent results have included a 4-2 loss to Chelsea, despite leading early, and an impressive comeback win against Tottenham after falling two goals behind. They followed up with a 1-0 victory at Newcastle but dropped points against Wolves, surrendering a two-goal lead late on.
Liverpool’s exceptional home record makes them favorites for this fixture, having won eight of their last ten Premier League home games. This season, Slot’s team has won four of their five home games and 11 of their first 12 matches across all competitions. Brighton, on the other hand, has been a resilient opponent under Hurzeler, unbeaten in their last three league games and solidly positioned in sixth. However, their away form has been moderate, with just two wins from their last five away matches.
This matchup promises goals, as four of the last five meetings between these teams have produced over 2.5 goals, with both teams scoring in three of those encounters.
