After blowing a two-goal lead at Elland Road and ending Matchweek 15 down in 10th place, Liverpool were then hit by the Mo Salah bombshell that threatened to derail their season even further.
Salah was left out of the travelling party to face Inter Milan, ex-Reds pundit Jamie Carragher said his piece and the Liverpool fanbase speculated whether the Egyptian had played his last game for the club.
Taking on an Inter side that hadn’t lost a home Champions League game for over three years was the last thing an under-fire Arne Slot needed and yet Liverpool responded magnificently.
Showing a unity that some had questioned, the Merseysiders stood firm, didn’t drop their heads when a goal that probably should have been allowed was ruled out and then put away the softest of penalties late on to emerge as 1-0 winners.
While all Liverpool’s problems are far from solved, they can now take the glass-half-full viewpoint that, while 10th, they’re only three points off the top four in what is one of the tightest Premier League tables in memory.
Brighton head to Anfield two spots ahead of Liverpool although on the same number of points.
It was looking even better than that after they took 10 points out of 12 in November but December has so far brought a 4-3 home defeat against Aston Villa and a 1-1 home draw with West Ham.
How to watch Liverpool v Brighton
Liverpool v Brighton kicks off at 15.00 GMT on Saturday, December 13 at Anfield.
There is no live coverage in the UK due to the 3pm blackout rule but BBC Radio 5 will provide full match commentary.
Liverpool team news
Is this Mo Salah’s last game for Liverpool? Will he even be in the squad? Bench maybe?
The Inter win shows that life goes on whatever a legend decides to do and Slot may pick the same 4-4-2 formation that worked well in Italy.
Perhaps Milos Kerkez replacing Andy Robertson at left-back in an option while there will need to be a change at right-back with Connor Bradley suspended. Joe Gomez should come in.
Up front, Cody Gakpo remains sidelined and Slot is likely to find a starting place for Florian Wirtz after the German impressed from the bench in the San Siro.
Liverpool expected line-up
(4-4-2) Alisson; Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Jones, Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Isak.
Brighton team news
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has plenty of injuries to deal with ahead of the trip to Anfield.
Adam Webster and Stefanos Tzimas will be out for some time but Solly March, Kaoru Mitoma and ex-Liverpool midfielder James Milner have all returned to training although Saturday may come too soon for all of them.
Yasin Ayari will be given a late fitness test as Brighton look to keep a third straight clean sheet on the road.
Brighton expected line-up
(4-2-3-1) Verbruggen; De Cuyper, Dunk, Van Hecke, Kadioglu; Wieffer, Ayari; Minteh, Rutter, Gomez; Welbeck.
Liverpool v Brighton stats
– Liverpool have lost just one of their eight Premier League home games against Brighton (W5 D2), though it was the only other time they’ve faced them as the competition’s reigning champions (0-1 in February 2021).
– Liverpool have just 23 points (W7 D2 L6) and have conceded 24 goals in the Premier League this season, the worst start by a reigning champion in both metrics after 15 games since Leicester in 2016-17 (16 points, 26 conceded).
– Brighton beat Liverpool 3-2 in their last meeting in May but have never beaten the Reds in consecutive league matches before.
– Brighton have kept a clean sheet in each of their last two away Premier League matches – the Seagulls haven’t kept three in a row since between March and July 2020.
– Liverpool have conceded 48 goals in 35 Premier League games in 2025 – only twice before have they shipped 50+ goals in a year in the competition.
– Brighton are winless in their last eight Premier League matches in December (D5 L3).
– Liverpool haven’t scored in the opening 45 minutes in any of their last five Premier League matches.
Liverpool v Brighton predictions
Brighton have certainly caused Liverpool problems down the years although that’s mainly been on the south coast.
The Reds looked much more solid in a 4-4-2 against Inter and tend to prefer playing footballing sides like Brighton.
In each of the last two seasons, Liverpool have won this fixture by a single goal, scoring 2-1 victories in both.
That looks a decent shout again here so head to the Winning Margin market and back Liverpool to win by 1 Goal at 11/4.
In the Reds’ last home game, Florian Wirtz thought he had his first Liverpool goal but the left-foot strike after a weaving run in the box actually took a deflection on the way.
But it’s surely a matter of time and perhaps there could be a sense of ‘The king is dead, long live the king’ here with Salah departing and The Kop saluting the new main man.
Wirtz is 8/1 to grab his overdue moment and set Liverpool on their way with the opener.