For the final time this season, Liverpool are on the road and make their second trip to Brighton under Arne Slot in a bid to make it three wins from three against the Seagulls.
Brighton vs. Liverpool
Premier League (37) | AMEX StadiumMay 19, 2025 | 8pm (BST)
And then there were two! The season is winding down and Slot’s side have a trip to the south coast to close out their time on the road this season.
Liverpool have been enjoying the freedom their early title success has gifted them but Brighton are still in need of points if they are to stay in contention for European football next season.
1. A clean bill of health for Liverpool
With Joe Gomez back in training after a lengthy spell out with a hamstring injury, there is no one on Liverpool’s injury list – quite the rarity!
The defender re-joined his teammates prior to Arsenal‘s visit but Arne Slot could not “guarantee” he would see any minutes before the end of the season as “he has been out for a long time.”
With a full squad to pick from, there will be a couple of names left on Merseyside and all eyes will be on whether Trent Alexander-Arnold is selected after the sour reaction last time out.
Slot would not be drawn into making a declaration on Friday but there has been enough time to reflect and many will hope he comes to the right decision.
2. Trips to Ibiza and Dubai
With the title wrapped up, the squad was given the majority of the week off to enjoy as they pleased and that saw the players travel together to Dubai as part of an organised trip.
From hotel pools to a luxury yacht, they were certainly living the high life and not thinking about their latest trip to the south coast.
Slot, meanwhile, flew to Ibiza and was given a champion’s welcome at the island’s O Beach club – he was joined by his staff including assistant coach John Heitinga.
It is out of the ordinary for such trips to take place during the season but Liverpool are prioritising downtime over training after an exhaustive campaign, and you can’t blame them!
3. Brighton still hunting for a European place
The top seven in the Premier League are guaranteed to be playing in Europe next season but it could become eight, and Brighton are in the reckoning.
Currently in ninth place, below Brentford but level on points, the Seagulls have plenty of incentive in the games that remain, unlike the Reds who got the job done early.
They are unbeaten in their last three and will certainly not be at the beach for this fixture!
4. Virgil van Dijk the ever-present
Virgil van Dijk has played every minute of every league game for Liverpool this season in yet another remarkable nod to the best asset any player can have, availability.
He is vying to become the first outfield player of any team to play every minute in two league title-winning seasons since Phil Neal in 1981/82 and 1982/83.
Although there is little to play for now, you expect the captain will want to be involved in every minute that remains of another very special season.
That £75 million price tag continues to look like pittance.
5. No James Milner for Brighton
Joao Pedro is back in contention for the Seagulls after serving a three-game suspension for violent conduct after a red card at Brentford, while Lewis Dunk, Joel Veltman and Igor Julio also return.
As for Kaoru Mitoma, Fabian Hurzeler revealed he has “some minor issues” and he will have to see if he is a “possibility for us in the squad.”
It offers more options for Brighton, who will still be without ex-Red James Milner as he continues to recover from a long-term injury, while Georginio Rutter is also absent.
6. Who will be in Liverpool’s XI?
The obvious starter is Conor Bradley, with Slot having long confirmed that Alexander-Arnold will not be assuming that role in the games that remain – and some will hope he has no role at all.
There are a number of ways Slot could look to set up his side, either with more changes akin to the side we saw at Chelsea or with only a few tweaks from last time out against Arsenal.
Alexis Mac Allister has not started the last two games and ought to be in contention against his former side.
Harvey Elliott, Jarell Quansah and Kostas Tsimikas will hope for at least one more start as too will Darwin Nunez, but the writing is on the wall as the No. 9 has not started any of the last nine.
Predicted Reds XI: Alisson; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Elliott, Mac Allister; Salah, Diaz, Jota
7. “Time to draw a line under” Trent situation
Speaking in his press conference on Friday, Slot discussed the desire to shift focus back on the league title instead of Trent Alexander-Arnold, though he is in control of that with his selection choices:
“Last week, people talked about it to me. Then, of course, we had the reaction of our fans in the stadium which was different, positive and negative.
“Then all the pundits talked about it, the whole country talked about it and I think now it’s time to draw a line under that.
“Let’s focus now on the fact that we won the league and for us to enjoy the upcoming one-and-a-half weeks with that feeling, and not talk and be distracted that much about Trent’s situation.”
8. Remarkable away record on the line
For the 28th and final time this season in all competitions, Liverpool will play away from home.
They are in search of a club record on the south coast, with a single goal needed to become the first side in Liverpool’s history to score in every away game of a league season.
Quite the feat if they can get it done!
A victory, meanwhile, would be the Reds’ 12th away win in the league and in only four of the previous 109 campaigns has that figure been exceeded.
9. Referee: Andy Madley
The referee for the final away game is Andy Madley, who has already overseen Liverpool four times this season – the Reds have three wins and one draw from those games.
He averages 4.1 yellow cards per game in the Premier League this season and has shown only one red card.
Madley will be assisted by Simon Bennett and Dan Cook – who was famously the VAR assistant when a legitimate goal at Tottenham was never awarded.
The fourth official, meanwhile, is Darren Bond and Darren England is lead VAR.
10. How you can follow the match with TIA!
Liverpool’s trip to Brighton will be shown live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League in the UK, which you can stream here, with coverage underway at 6.30pm (BST).
This Is Anfield’s live blog, meanwhile, is the place for you to keep informed and entertained by the unapologetically biased Harry McMullen, who will be live from 7.15pm.
Up the Champions!
