Liverpool 2-0 Brighton: match review
Dominik Szoboszlai and Joe Gomez were both forced off injured in Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Brighton.
Phil Thompson believes that Dominik Szoboszlai is capable of making a swift return for Liverpool.
The midfielder has been the Reds’ standout player of the 2025-26 season. He’s started every Premier League and Champions League game so far, recording five goals and five assists in 24 appearances.
However, Szoboszlai was forced off in the closing stages of last weekend’s 2-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion. The former RB Leipzig man sustained an ankle injury and had to be withdrawn in the 83rd minute.
Speaking on The Official Liverpool FC Podcast, Thompson said: “Dominik, I'd like to think it will be swelling, it will be sore. You get to probably Wednesday and it'll be going down [with] ice treatment and rest. He'll be ready, I'm quite sure, to go out by next weekend.”
However, Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has already admitted it is unlikely that Joe Gomez will be able to face Spurs. Having assisted Hugo Ekitike’s opening goal against Spurs, the defender dropped to his haunches midway through the second half and could not continue.
Gomez’s injury problems over the years have been well-documented and he had to undergo hamstring surgery earlier this year after suffering a blow during the 1-0 FA Cup defeat at Plymouth Argyle.
While Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong (both hamstring) were sidelined, Slot insisted he had to be careful with Gomez. Thompson can understand why Liverpool took that approach.
He added: “You look at Joe and sometimes you worry for him because the muscle injuries and you worry for him. I remember down at Plymouth, he chased the first ball and I went: 'Oh, he's gone'. This was after about 5-10 minutes. You just know and you fear for him. When you always have that doubt in you, it's hard to really express yourself. Look, everyone wants him to play and Joe is a great option but he's got to be very delicate in how many games he gets.”
On the pair’s respective issues, Slot said after the Brighton win: "If I have a player who goes off with a muscle injury like Joe, that's normally not a positive thing.
"I would not expect him to be in the squad next week [at Tottenham Hotspur]. But sometimes you get a positive surprise. "People now maybe understand a bit better why I was always so cautious not to play him so many games. I assume many people thought, 'If you have a defender, if you have a right full-back, why don't you play him?'
"And Dom, it was his ankle. It didn't look great when I just saw him. But he has unbelievable mentality so let's hope for the best.”
Liverpool will be without Mo Salah, who has departed to represent Egypt at the African Cup of Nations, as well as Giovanni Leoni (ACL). Conor Bradley will return from suspension while Jeremie Frimpong (hamstring) remains a doubt.
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