Liverpool will be hoping for an improved performance against Brighton when they take on the Seagulls for the second time in quick succession on Sunday.
Jurgen Klopp’s side were thrashed 3-0 by Brighton in the Premier League earlier this month. They now face Roberto De Zerbi’s team again, this time in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
The Reds have won just once in January – the 1-0 victory over Wolves in the third round of the FA Cup – and are in desperate need of a performance. Klopp has been afforded eight days to prepare for the 1.30pm kick-off, but still has a whole host of injury concerns.
His forward line has been decimated by injuries, with Luis Diaz, Roberto Firmino, Diogo Jota all unavailable, while Fabio Carvalho is a doubt with a knock.
There are further issues in defence, where Virgil van Dijk is injured and Nathaniel Phillips is a doubt through illness. The problems in midfield have cleared up a bit, but Arthur Melo remains some way off returning to the squad.
Arthur is the only central midfielder unavailable, but Klopp has suggested he will go for consistency in selection instead of rotation, following a 0-0 draw against Chelsea last weekend.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Which players should Jurgen Klopp select to face Brighton? Comment below.
“We didn't make these decisions yet,” he said in his pre-match press conference. “We have now a long training week – and after the game again – and that's something what we always use and everybody can show up.
"If the boys who now started the games with the good spells look like they have to go again, then they will start again. If not, thank God [we have options]. Up front not too many, Darwin is in – but in midfield we have a few options, I hope that stays like this and that's always good.”
Caoimhin Kelleher is expected to start in goal instead of first-choice Alisson after featuring in the previous round against Wolves. He is likely to be guarded by the same defence which played against Chelsea last week, barring the inclusion of Trent Alexander-Arnold ahead of James Milner at right-back.
As Klopp noted, he has more options in midfield now, with Jordan Henderson and Fabinho available. However, Stefan Bajcetic may well keep Fabinho out of the team after impressing Klopp recently and signing a new long-term contract this week.
Naby Keita has shown some form of late and could keep his place alongside Thiago Alcantara. In attack, there aren’t many options for Klopp, meaning Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez are very likely to play.
Liverpool predicted XI : Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Konate, Robertson; Keita, Bajcetic, Thiago; Salah, Gakpo, Nunez.
