A run of six points from their last five league games is a slightly worrying sign for Brighton and Hove Albion. They are still a comfortable 10th in the Premier League table but could slip further down the table if failing to get a win against in-form Liverpool. Midweek saw a stressful home game for Brighton against bitter rivals Crystal Palace.
Not every home game is preceded by the opposing side’s fans throwing paint over murals and drawing graffiti around the city. The game itself ended in a goalless draw as Brighton became the first side unable to score at home against Crystal Palace. They are still unbeaten at home since the opening day of the season when losing to Manchester City but that’s their fourth straight league home draw.
Brighton haven’t had a home league win since September 24th when beating Newcastle and their next two games are away at Huddersfield and Tottenham. They may be 10th in the table but that’s only three points clear of 15th placed Bournemouth. What is worrying for them is that out of 24 games yet to play, 11 are against sides currently in the top seven and the recent draws may prove to be costly in the long run.
Liverpool have had plenty of problems on their travels this season, so will have been delighted with the clean sheet earned at Stoke City on Wednesday. They could afford to leave top-scorer Mohamed Salah on the bench but just 24 minutes of second-half action saw him score twice as Liverpool won 3-0 making it ten goals in their last three away matches. They have won three of their seven away league games but while scoring 15 on the road, a figure only topped by Manchester City, they have conceded 16 with only West Ham United having let in more.
That win leaves Liverpool in fifth place, two points behind Arsenal who are fourth as they bid for another season in the Champions League. Four days after this game at Brighton, Liverpool host Spartak Moscow in their final Champions League group game and still have a bit of work to do to clinch qualification, so it’s not out of the question that they may rotate their squad for this game, but it still looks one that they are more than capable of winning.
Liverpool have recovered well after that 4-1 hammering at Tottenham. They have 14 goals in their last five league games with just two conceded and it’s that latter figure which must be delighting Jurgen Klopp most. In six of their last seven games in all competitions they have managed to score at least three times and it’s not just Salah who is in good scoring form with a total of nine players scoring in the last seven games. That’s a worrying figure for any side that has to face them at present.
Conclusion
Brighton did well against Manchester United last weekend only losing 1-0 and have only conceded more than once in one of their last seven league games. That was against a Stoke City side comfortably beaten by Liverpool in midweek. Four home draws in a row have seen Brighton slip a little bit down the table but if you’d given them 10th place at the start of December they’d have bitten your hand off in August. There are plenty of tough struggles ahead though and Liverpool can get the three points here.
The Key Stats
Last Five Premier League Results – Most recent first
Brighton and Hove Albion – DLDWD
Liverpool – WDWWW
Head to Head – Last Five League Meetings
22/03/1983 – Brighton 2 Liverpool 2
30/10/1982 – Liverpool 3 Brighton 1
06/03/1982 – Liverpool 0 Brighton 1
17/10/1981 – Brighton 3 Liverpool 3
21/02/1981 – Brighton 2 Liverpool 2
- The last six games between these two sides have all been in cup competitions with Liverpool unbeaten in the last five.
- Their last cup game was in 2012 when Liverpool beat Brighton 6-1 at home.
- Brighton have drawn their last four home league games.
- Four of the last five Brighton home league games have had under 2.5 goals scored in them.
- Brighton have only won two of their last seven league games.
- Mohamed Salah has scored seven goals in his last four league games.
- Liverpool have only lost one of their last eight league and cup away matches.
- Liverpool have scored ten goals in their last three away league and cup games.
- Liverpool’s clean sheet at Stoke in midweek ended a run of conceding in six straight away league games.