Good news for Liverpool as Klopp welcomes back his best defender ahead of Brighton clash

Brighton & Hove Albion return to Premier League action this weekend when they travel to Anfield to face a Liverpool team that has not been at their best this season.

Liverpool could be handed a major boost ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash against Brighton.

The Seagulls head to Anfield this weekend on the back of an impressive start to the season. Four wins in six games under former boss Graham Potter puts Albion fourth in the table ahead of Roberto De Zerbi’s first game as manager.

Liverpool, on the other hand, has not been at their best. Jurgen Klopp’s side have drawn three of their six games so far and suffered defeat at the hands of arch-rivals Manchester United and a crushing 4-1 loss at Napoli in the Champions League

But the Reds are on a three-game unbeaten run in the Premier League ahead of Albion’s visit, winning 9-0 against Bournemouth and 2-1 versus Newcastle at Anfield before a goalless draw in the Merseyside derby against Everton.

Liverpool is unbeaten at Anfield in the Premier League since Fulham inflicted a sixth consecutive loss at home towards the end of the 2020/21 season. A defeat against Inter Milan in the Champions League has been the only blemish in the 39 games since then, with Liverpool currently at 26 matches without defeat at Anfield in the Premier League.

But Brighton has been a bogey side for the Reds on home soil in recent encounters. Steven Alzate scored the winner in Albion’s 1-0 victory at Liverpool in February 2021 and the Seagulls came from two goals down to snatch in their trip to Anfield last season.

However, Liverpool could have their defensive ranks bolstered this weekend with Ibrahima Konate reportedly set to return to training. The French center-back missed the start of the campaign after picking up a knee injury in pre-season.

French media outlet RMC Sport wrote ‘he has just received the green light from Liverpool medical staff for a possible return to the squad next weekend against Brighton in the Premier League.

Jordan Henderson is most likely available. Due to a hamstring injury, the Liverpool captain missed the Merseyside derby and England’s defeat in Italy, but he returned to action as a substitute in the Three Lions’ 3-3 draw with Germany.

Mohamed Salah should be fresh after missing Egypt’s midweek friendly against Liberia. Brighton is concerned about Tariq Lamptey’s availability after he was left out of Ghana’s matchday squad against Nicaragua.