Liverpool eager to end two-game winless run as Brighton visits.
Following a narrow victory over Inter in the UEFA Champions League, the Reds host Brighton for this Premier League clash, hoping to end a run of successive draws. Liverpool vs. Brighton kicks off at 15:00 [GMT] on Saturday, December 13, at Anfield.
Struggling Premier League champions Liverpool welcome Brighton to Anfield following a narrow 1-0 win over Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League. Liverpool have lost just one of their eight Premier League home games against Brighton (W5 D2), but that defeat came under similar circumstances—the only previous time they faced the Seagulls as reigning champions, losing 1–0 in February 2021. Their most recent clash in May ended in a 3–2 victory for Brighton, though the Seagulls have never beaten Liverpool in consecutive league matches before. Interestingly, the team scoring first has failed to win any of the last four league meetings between these sides (D1 L3). Liverpool’s form as champions has been a key talking point this season. With just 23 points from 15 matches (W7 D2 L6) and 24 goals conceded, this is their worst start by a defending champion since Leicester City’s 2016–17 campaign. Defensively, the Reds have looked vulnerable throughout 2025, conceding 48 league goals already this calendar year. Only in 2012 and 2014 have Liverpool allowed more than 50 Premier League goals across a full year. Mohamed Salah’s reduced involvement is another storyline; he has been an unused substitute twice in Liverpool’s last three league games, after previously being left on the bench only three times across his first 303 matchday squads. His per-90 attacking output is also at its lowest levels for Liverpool. Meanwhile, Arne Slot’s 10th-placed side would be looking to bounce back to winning ways after back-to-back PL draws [LLWDD]. A 4—2—3—1 formation with Isak in attack is expected against Brighton. Troubled Salah is expected to remain on the bench.
Brighton, meanwhile, enter the match with a mix of promise and lingering concerns. They have kept clean sheets in back-to-back away matches, something they haven’t extended to three in a row since the COVID-era restart in 2020. However, Brighton are winless in their last eight Premier League games played in December (D5 L3). Manager Fabian Hürzeler has won in every other month he’s overseen aside from the festive period. One Brighton player in standout form is Jan Paul van Hecke, who leads the Premier League with 217 line-breaking passes — including a league-high 110 that bypass the opponent’s attacking line. His progression and distribution could be key in unsettling Liverpool’s defensive shape on Saturday. A 4—2—3—1 formation with Welbeck in attack is expected against the Reds.