How Liverpool could line up against Brighton

1:28pm on Tuesday 2nd February 2021
By Martin Macdonald

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will have a new defender available to field this week when the Reds take on Brighton in the Premier League.

Over the past month in the January transfer window, there has been a clamouring from Liverpool fans to sign a new centre-back to solve their current defensive personnel crisis.

Both Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez will miss the majority of the season, while Joel Matip was recently ruled out for the rest of the campaign too after suffering an ankle injury.

Klopp and the club sprung into action on deadline day to sign Ben Davies from Preston and Ozan Kabak on loan from Schalke with the option to buy this summer.

Davies is available to make his debut against Brighton, but Kabak is yet to join up with his new team-mates after international clearance regulations have delayed his arrival.

It is unlikely either would have been thrown in so close to a game, so Klopp may opt for the same defence as the impressive win away at West Ham, so Jordan Henderson could once again be asked to drop in at centre-back alongside Nathaniel Phillips.

With one of the biggest games of the season on the horizon this weekend against Man City, Roberto Firmino may once again be rested on the bench and kept for that match, especially after Divock Origi performed well against the Hammers.

Xherdan Shaqiri, too, impressed versus West Ham and set-up Mohamed Salah's second goal with a gorgeous pass, and with Sadio Mane a doubt for Brighton, he will likely start again.

The only change from the West Ham fixture might see Curts Jones coming into central midfield for James Milner, who has a hamstring issue.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is also pushing for a starting berth.

Fabinho missed Liverpool's last game and is a doubt for this one, with the Brazilian unlikely to be risked before the City clash.