An amazing team goal! Szoboszlai expertly spreads the play with a sharp diagonal pass to Salah, who instantly relays it to Bradley. Liverpool’s right back nutmegs Adingra, charges to the byline, feints past Webster, and cuts it back for Elliott, who finishes easily from six yards out. It’s a display of pure quality from back to front, particularly from Bradley. Who needs Alexander-Arnold?!
We’re underway at the Amex.
Brighton: Verbruggen, Wieffer, Van Hecke, Webster, Estupinan, Baleba, Ayari, Minteh, Gruda, Adingra, Welbeck.
Subs: Rushworth, Igor, Dunk, Mitoma, Gomez, O’Riley, Veltman, Hinshelwood, Howell.
Liverpool: Alisson, Bradley, Quansah, Konate, Tsimikas, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Salah, Elliott, Gakpo, Chiesa.
Subs: Kelleher, Gomez, Endo, Van Dijk, Diaz, Nunez, Jones, Robertson, Alexander-Arnold.
Brajan Gruda, fresh from his goal against Wolves, starts in the No. 10 role for Brighton. Wieffer remains as a makeshift right back, while Adingra takes over on the left wing ahead of Tariq Lamptey.
Kostas Tsimikas, Jarell Quansah, Harvey Elliott, and Federico Chiesa enter the lineup, with Andy Robertson, Virgil van Dijk, Curtis Jones, and Luis Diaz moving to the bench after the last game vs. Arsenal. This Liverpool side is still strong, just not at its absolute peak.
Liverpool may have taken the term “on the beach” a bit too literally in the past week—manager Arne Slot was spotted at a beach club in Ibiza with former EastEnders actor Dean Gaffney, while the squad seemed to be hopping between various spots like Dubai for Trent Alexander-Arnold’s farewell party. So, this game against Brighton is set to be a real test.
Brighton is a tricky venue, even when the champions are in form. The Seagulls still have a chance for European qualification; finishing in eighth place is a realistic, though not guaranteed, path to the Conference League. A couple of scenarios could see that happen:
1)
If Chelsea finishes seventh and wins the Conference League, the Champions League spots would go to the top five, with Man Utd or Spurs claiming Europa League spots. Meanwhile, Chelsea would take the Conference League place while the eighth spot goes to the 8th-placed team.
2)
If Chelsea finishes sixth and wins the Conference, with Newcastle seventh, the same structure applies for Champions and Europa League spots, while the eighth spot again goes to the 8th-placed team.
Either way, this could lead to ten teams from the Premier League playing in Europe next season. Before kickoff, Brighton sits in ninth but could move into a prime position for eighth with a draw tonight.
For Brighton, this is a significant match, especially given they’ve never won a major trophy. They’d likely be favorites for next season’s Conference League if they qualify. It does raise questions about the financial disparity in minor European competitions, but let’s not delve into that right now!
So, here’s to an exciting evening of football in Sussex, as the top team in England faces off against one of the most thrilling teams in the country.
Kick-off: 8pm BST.
