Liverpool pair Joe Gomez and Alexis Mac Allister. (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)Liverpool pair Joe Gomez and Alexis Mac Allister. (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
Liverpool pair Joe Gomez and Alexis Mac Allister. (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Alexis Mac Allister and Diogo Jota absences explained ahead of Liverpool’s clash against Brighton in the Premier League.
Arne Slot has named his Liverpool team for the penultimate game of the season against Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Premier League champions make four changes from the 2-2 draw against Arsenal last time out. And there is a full league debut for Federico Chiesa at the AMEX Stadium. The Italy international has played only five times in the top flight since his arrival from Juventus last summer but has a chance to impress. He comes in for Luis Diaz.
Meanwhile, Harvey Elliott is handed an opportunity in midfield having also been a bit-part player this term. He comes in for Curtis Jones. In defence, captain Virgil van Dijk is handed a rest - the armband is given to Mo Salah - with Jarell Quansah partnering Ibrahima Konate in the heart of the rearguard. Kostas Tsimikas replaced Andy Robertson at left-back.
Joe Gomez makes a return from the bench for the first time in three months after a hamstring injury. Slot has also opted to name Trent Alexander-Arnold in his squad despite being booed by sections of Liverpool fans when coming on against Arsenal. Alexander-Arnold will join Real Madrid on a free transfer in the coming weeks.
Alexis Mac Allister and Diogo Jota are the senior players who are not involved against Brighton. The duo were in training last week and appear they may have been given the evening off with no injuries in the current squad. Mac Allister has played plenty of football to help Liverpool be crowned Premier League champions, while Jota has had injury issues earlier in the campaign.
Slot has confirmed that Dominik Szoboszlai will operate in the number-eight position rather than in an attacking-midfield role. Speaking to Sky Sports, the Liverpool boss said: "He is playing as an eight, with Ryan as a six, with Harvey a bit more forward. I think Dominik sees his best position as an eight as well.”
Slot added on rotating his team: “As you probably saw in the line-up, it’s interesting for me to see a few players that we haven’t seen enough [of] if you look at their quality. I talk about Jarell Quansah, Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa. This is a good moment for them to show where they are against a very difficult opponent. Brighton have had a great season. They were so difficult to play against for [Manchester] City and for Arsenal here in their own stadium. I think it’s good to see all of them but maybe especially these three.”
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