MatchThe opposition lowdown: Brighton & Hove Albion

Recent form

The Seagulls head into this game on the back of a 2-2 Europa League draw at Marseille on Thursday night.

Roberto De Zerbi’s charges were two goals behind after 20 minutes in France but battled back to secure a point courtesy of second-half strikes by Pascal Gross and Joao Pedro (penalty).

In their opening seven Premier League matches this term they have won five and lost two, scoring a division-high 19 goals and conceding 14.

The view from Brighton

Frankie Elliott, Brighton & Hove Albion reporter at Sussex World

On Brighton’s start to the season…

It’s been a strange one to analyse. Off the back of their greatest ever season, Brighton fans would have happily taken sixth place after seven games at the start of this campaign, combined with a Europa League draw that has them planning trips to Marseille, Athens and Amsterdam.

Though they head into the game against Liverpool finding themselves needing a win to get their season back on track. After a flying start in the league, the Sussex side have one win in their last five games in all competitions, including a 6-1 defeat at Villa Park last Saturday.

The Seagulls boss says his side are still getting used to the three-game-a-week schedule associated with playing in Europe, leading the Italian to make close to 40 changes to his starting line-up in the past six games.

On Brighton’s first Europa League campaign…

It has been incredibly exciting for everyone associated with the club. These historic occasions are a reminder of how far the club has come in the last 25 years and also a shining example as to why Brighton is one of the best-run clubs in the country. On top of that, they were given a fantastic draw, allowing them to visit some great cities and play against two of the biggest teams in the competition: Ajax and Marseille.

It also goes to show the mentality De Zerbi has installed in the club, as many fans were disappointed not to have come away with the three points in their opening game against AEK Athens, a lot of them are not content with simply being in the competition.

The second-half fightback in Marseille on Thursday night showed the squad has the character to compete at this level, as a lot of teams would have crumbled in that intense atmosphere after going 2-0 down inside the first 20 minutes, but the Seagulls showed they were made of sterner stuff.

They still have a chance of getting through the group stage but will need two positive results in their double-header against Ajax.

On Brighton’s key men…

The difficulty at the moment is not pointing out the dangermen for Brighton, but knowing which of them will start the upcoming game, given De Zerbi’s recent selection decisions.

Last season, Albion’s winger Karou Mitoma and Solly March caused Liverpool all sorts of problems on their trips to Amex Stadium in both the league and cup. If they start on Sunday and are at their best, Albion always have a great chance of winning games of football. It still feels like we are yet to see the best of new arrivals Joao Pedro and Ansu Fati, but they are also obvious match-winners on their day.

A shoutout must also be given to Evan Ferguson. The 18-year-old is one of the most promising forwards in Europe and demonstrated his talents with a hat-trick against Newcastle this season. He has been struggling with illness since that day but will cause Liverpool’s backline multiple problems if fully fit.

On Brighton’s style of play…

De Zerbi’s brand of football is a joy to watch and one of the most entertaining in Europe. The high-risk, meticulously detailed passing patterns have bamboozled the biggest and best teams in the country, turning Brighton into a free-scoring juggernaut. However, it is not without its imperfections, especially in defence. The absence of talismanic midfielder Moises Caicedo has left De Zerbi’s side more susceptible to counter-attacking teams, as shown by the success had by West Ham and Aston Villa already this season.

Stats

• Liverpool have won four of six previous Premier League visits to Brighton, with one draw and one loss.

• Mohamed Salah needs one goal to become the Reds’ leading scorer in history against Brighton. He has six, currently level with Sir Kenny Dalglish.

• In 38 meetings with the hosts, Liverpool have failed to score on only five occasions.