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Brighton and Liverpool will continue their charge for the top four when they face off on Sunday. Both clubs had Thursday night exertions in the Europa League having qualified last season, Brighton got their first-ever positive result in Europe with a come-from-behind 2-2 draw in Marseille while Liverpool saw off Belgian outfit Union St Gilloise, who have the same owner as Sunday’s opponents.
Jurgen Klopp and Roberto De Zerbi have seen their sides win five of their opening seven league games but enter this one off the back of defeats, Liverpool lost in controversial fashion against Tottenham Hotspur while the hosts were thumped 6-1 at Villa Park.
They may be in Europe’s second tier competition and they may have lost last time out, but there’s little denying that Brighton and Liverpool are two of the finest sides in the Premier League and this has the makings of an epic. For more information on these match previews you should visit our Stats Pack Guide.
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Brighton vs Liverpool predicted lineups
De Zerbi to make changes after horror show
Brighton haven’t often got it wrong under De Zerbi but when they have they’ve tended to in spectacular fashion. The Italian made three changes at half time during their previous outing and alterations are expected for this one. One could come in goal with Dutch keeper Bart Verbruggen starting in Marseille, while Pascal Gross should return to the starting XI having also started that game. It is no coincidence that Jason Steele has started both the 6-1 defeat to Aston Villa and last season’s 5-1 collapse at home to Everton.
Liverpool without suspended pair
Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota will claim innocence but their red cards in last weekend’s controversial loss at Tottenham mean they are absent this weekend. Jones will need replacing with Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch in line to step into the XI while Darwin Nunez could lead the line after playing just 45 minutes of their midweek encounter with USG.
Brighton vs Liverpool team stats
Brighton basketball affairs are good fun
Brighton and Hove Albion are fighting fire with fire and enjoying the benefits of it for the most part. Both teams have scored in all seven of their league matches and both Europa League group stage matches. They have created and conceded over 1 xG in every game, taking a minimum of ten shots per game and conceding 12 in five of those. Cards are a regular feature too, collecting two or more on six occasions and drawing two or more in all seven.
Liverpool similarly all-out attack
Like Brighton, Liverpool are very good going forward but loose defensively. They have scored in every league game but have kept just one clean sheet, perhaps owing to a record of having four or more shots on target in their last six matches and conceding four or more in five of their seven league games. They have managed four or more corners in every game and five or more on five occasions while conceding five or fewer in six games, only faltering against Spurs when they played with ten and then nine men.
Brighton vs Liverpool shots and shots on target stats
Pascal Gross-ly marked down by the market
Recently capped German international Pascal Gross has managed a shot in five of his seven starts, two or more shots in four of those and a shot on target in all seven, perhaps helped by him being Brighton’s chief set-piece taker. Despite that, he’s 1.25 to have a single shot on Sunday, 2.50 to have two or more shots and 2.20 to have a shot on target. Lewis Dunk is also worth a look – he has managed a shot in five of his eight games for Brighton this season and is available at evens to have another.
Szoboszlai Domin-ating midfields
Everybody was a little excited by the arrival of Dominik Szoboszlai and people haven’t been disappointed by the Hungarian, who is having a fine start to his Liverpool career. He has already managed two or more shots in five of his seven league matches and is available at 1.57 to repeat the feat. Virgin van Dijk has also managed a shot in four of his five league starts and is available at 1.40 to have another against Brighton.
Brighton vs Liverpool Goals and Assists Stats
Mitoma key to Kaoru-ying Brighton’s attack
The signing of Japanese international Kaoru Mitoma has been a masterstroke and he’s showing no signs of letting up with six goal contributions already this season. He has contributed to a goal in four of his seven league games and even assisted against Marseille in midweek and you can back him in your Brighton vs Liverpool to score or assist bet builder at 2.38. The other more obvious player is Evan Ferguson, the Irish teen sensation who scored a hat-trick against Newcastle – he’s 2.70 to score anytime.
Salah showing Mo signs of regression
Mo Salah has long been the key man for Liverpool and the distraction of a potential move to Saudi Arabia hasn’t slowed him down, already managing seven goal contributions in the league for the Reds. He’s available at 1.83 to score or assist anytime and you can back the man next to him to do the same at evens – Darwin Nunez shoots like no other player in the Premier League and already has four goals to his name.
Brighton Cards and Fouls Stats
Mitoma and Veltman sly foul committers
Kaoru Mitoma may be seen as one of the good guys but he tops the discipline chart for Brighton with three yellow cards to his name already this season. However, he has only committed a foul in four of his ten appearances across all competitions. Instead, look towards Evan Ferguson – a foul in five of six appearances – and Joel Veltman – a foul in seven of eight appearances – in your bet builder. They are 1.44 and 1.36 respectively.
It helps backing Veltman considering he will be up against Luis Diaz, the Colombian is being fouled two or more times in four of his five league starts. Of course, Mitoma isn’t out of the woods completely with Joe Gomez having been fouled in four of his six matches this season. In midfield, Dominik Szoboszlai has been fouled in all seven league matches, drawing two or more in four of his last five.
Liverpool Cards and Fouls Stats
Liverpool pressing from the front
Alexis Mac Allister returns to his old club and the Argentinian’s record suggests he will be more than up for the battle – he has picked up three yellow cards and committed a foul in every league game, two or more in four of those. Ahead of him, Luis Diaz has committed a foul in his last five 45-minute-plus appearances, twice or more on four occasions and to complete a South American trilogy, Darwin Nunez has committed seven fouls in 5.5 90s across the season, fouling an opponent in five of six appearances.
Joel Veltman will be ready for the battle having been fouled in all six games in which he has played 30+ minutes, two or more times in four of those. Otherwise, it’s who you would expect to be on the end of fouls – Evan Ferguson has been fouled in five of seven appearances, Danny Welbeck in six of seven starts and Mitoma in every appearance for Brighton this season.
Brighton vs Liverpool Key Matchups
Kaoru Mitoma vs Joe Gomez
Joel Veltman vs Luis Diaz
Pascal Gross vs Dominik Szoboszlai
Alexis Mac Allister vs Danny Welbeck
Brighton vs Liverpool Bet Builder Tips and Picks of the Pack
This should be an absolutely fascinating tactical encounter and we have put together an exciting four-fold bet builder for your consideration. You can load it into your betslip via the link below and you can even edit it yourself afterwards if there are other selections you prefer.
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Brighton vs Liverpool
8th October
kick off 14:00Brighton have scored and conceded in every competitive match this season.
Brighton have created and conceded more than 1 xG in every league game.
Liverpool have scored in every league game and kept only one clean sheet.
Dominik Szoboszlai 2+ shots
Szoboszlai has had two or more shots in five of seven league matches.
Brighton have conceded 12 or more shots in five of seven league matches.
Pascal Gross 1+ shotsGross has had a shot in five of seven league matches.
Liverpool have conceded at least nine shots in every Premier League match and 11 or more in five of seven.
Joel Veltman 1+ foulsVeltman has committed a foul in seven of his eight appearances this season/
Diaz has been fouled two or more times in four of five competitive starts.
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