FA Cup: More South Coast Misery for Liverpool?

Brighton & Hove Albion vs Liverpool

When Liverpool head to Brighton for a fourth-round FA Cup clash on Sunday they may suffer a severe case of déjà vu.

The Seagulls gave the Reds a torrid time, just two weeks ago when the two teams met in a crucial Premier League clash and the home side ran out 3-0 winners. Roberto De Zerbi’s side will take this as a clear chance to beat their famous opponents again, while Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool desperately need to find some form, and then some consistency.

The FA Cup 2023 betting odds pitch Liverpool as the third favourite to win the trophy at a price of 8.00, while the Seagulls are ranked sixth at odds of 15.00. But Brighton had a more comfortable passage to this round, sweeping Championship club Middlesbrough aside while Liverpool needed a replay to edge past Wolves.

Last time out Brighton drew 2-2 away to Leicester City to make it four games unbeaten, while Liverpool drew 0-0 at home to Chelsea and, as we speak, it’s the Seagulls who will come into this game with more optimism.

Talking Points

Goal-happy Seagulls are on song

This is a game which will give us plenty of FA Cup 2023 highlights if Brighton’s recent form is anything to go by. They are on a nice little run and have scored at least two goals in each of their last six games, racking up 19 in total. Argentina’s World Cup hero Alexis MacAllister scored twice in Brighton’s 5-1 win over Middlesbrough, in the third round, with Deniz Undav, ex-Liverpool star Adam Lallana and Pascal Gross all getting on the score sheet as the Seagulls scored at will.

Wide man Lallana came off injured during Brighton’s match with Leicester City last weekend so he is unlikely to feature against his old club, but De Zerbi has options in his team, with Gross likely to step into midfield and MacAllister to move further forward as a flexible attacking player.

Key players out for Liverpool

While De Zerbi may need to tinker, his opposite number Jurgen Klopp has longer-term problems as his team, stranded in mid-table, are missing some big players, with Virgil Van Dijk, Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz, and Roberto Firmino all out injured, weakening the side at both ends of the pitch.

Liverpool’s clash with Chelsea was a high-pressure affair and Reds fans had little to cheer about with goal chances few and far between, and Klopp will try to give his side a sharper cutting edge by recalling Darwin Nunez and Trent Alexander-Arnold back to the starting line-up. Young Harvey Elliott, who scored a screamer to hand Liverpool their win over Wolves, is certain to start, just behind Nunez and Mo Salah; but with just five wins away in all competitions this season, the Reds are in danger of suffering travel sickness.

They may be struggling in the Premier League but the best news for Liverpool fans is that Merseyside rivals Everton are in total disarray. But the players have a responsibility to give their supporters something else to cheer about.

History

Liverpool have won nine of the last 14 meetings with Brighton, though the last two have gone against the Reds, drawing 3-3 at Anfield last October and then suffering the 3-0 spanking at the Amex Stadium just two weeks ago. Solly March scored twice and Danny Welbeck added a third to make it a humbling experience for Klopp’s Reds.

And history in this competition is not on Liverpool’s side. While they have won the oldest cup competition in the world eight times and are current holders, in each of the Reds’ last three FA Cup campaigns as defending champions their run has come to an end in the fourth round. And Klopp’s men also bowed out at this stage in 2017, 2018, and 2021.

Brighton’s aim is to make a second final in their history after losing a replay to Manchester United in 1983. The Seagulls had a golden chance to win the Cup but, at 2-2 and with virtually the last kick of the match, Gordon Smith missed a sitter and the Red Devils won the replay 4-0.

Betting Tip

We can hardly split these two teams with Liverpool the slight favourites at SBOTOP

odds of 2.38, while Brighton are at 2.53 and the draw is 3.16.

It could go either way, of course. But De Zerbi’s team plays without fear while the Reds would struggle to fight their way out of a paper bag at the moment!

 

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