Liverpool are hoping for a winning start to their hectic pre-World Cup schedule when they host Brighton at Anfield, with Virgil van Dijk aiming to extend one record and Mohamed Salah potentially breaking another.
Van Dijk remains unbeaten in his 67 home league games for Liverpool, having surpassed the record set by Lee Sharpe (59) for Man United in March.
If Salah scores, he will overtake Kenny Dalglish as the player who has scored the most goals for Liverpool against Brighton in all games. Both currently have six to their names.
The Egyptian’s next goal will move him to eighth in the club’s league all-time goalscoring list and move within two goals of Jack Parkinson in seventh. Salah currently has 120 goals in the top flight.
Recent fights against the Gulls
Liverpool have won just one of their last four league meetings with Brighton, scoring five times in that sequence.
The last Anfield meeting between the two teams was a 2-2 draw last October.
The away team are on their longest run without losing at Anfield (two games) since losing 2-1 in November 2019.
This will be the 27th league meeting between the teams: Liverpool have 15 wins to their name and Brighton have three.
Of the previous 35 meetings in all competitions the Reds have won 20 and Brighton five, drawing 10.
New beginnings for Brighton
This is Brighton’s first game in 27 days following the postponement of their games at Bournemouth and at home to Crystal Palace.
Roberto Di Zerbi will take charge for the first time. The 43-year-old has managed more than 300 times in his career with six clubs, most recently Shakhtar Donetsk in the Ukraine.
They have won four of their six league games so far with a draw and a solitary away loss to Fulham.
They beat Man United for the first time in their history and have also beaten West Ham away and Leeds and Leicester City at home.
Their 5–2 victory over Leicester saw them score five goals in a top division league game for the first time in their history, in what was their 364th game at that level.
Alexis MacAllister has scored three penalties this season in his first six league games.
A game of few goals?
Only Brighton (5) have conceded fewer Premier League goals this season than Liverpool’s six. Half of those goals against the Reds have come between the 32nd and 38th minutes.
Brighton have kept three clean sheets in the league this season.
Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 81 league outings at home in front of the crowd and in their last 77 with a packed house, since losing to Crystal Palace in April 2017.
Other Liverpool landmarks
Fabinho could make his 150th start for Liverpool in all competitions on Saturday.
Alisson will turn 30 the day after this match while Roberto Firmino will turn 31 on the same day.
Diogo Jota has scored three goals in his last five games against Brighton.
Finding the net in the Reds’ win over Ajax at Anfield last month, Joel Matip registered a goal for the 14th consecutive season in his senior career.
referee today
Andy Madley will be in charge at Anfield, having never refereed a meeting between these 2 teams before.
He has issued 14 yellow cards in four top flight games this season, overseeing Liverpool’s opening day draw against Fulham in August.
This season’s scorers
Liverpool: Diaz 4, Salah 4, Firmino 3, Alexander-Arnold 2, Carvalho 2, Núñez 2, Elliott 1, Matip 1, van Dijk 1, own goals 1
Brighton: MacAllister 4, Gross 3, Trossard 2, Alzate 1, Caicedo 1, Ferguson 1, Undav 1, own goals 1
*Stats courtesy of LFC statistician Ged Rea (@ged0407).
