Andoni Iraola has gone strong for Brighton. The club has confirmed four changes from Tuesday’s 4-3 comeback win over Villarreal, with Milos Kerkez back in defence and Bradley Barcola, Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz all starting at Anfield.
Kostas Tsimikas, Trey Nyoni, Lewis Koumas and Rio Ngumoha make way after starting in midweek. Ngumoha was excellent against Villarreal and drops to the bench, so there’s an attacking option there if we need it late on.
How we line up
Ronald Araujo keeps his place and is expected to play at right-back again, with Jeremy Jacquet and Virgil van Dijk in the middle and Kerkez on the left. Ryan Gravenberch, back in the Premier League side after serving his one-match ban at Brentford, partners Alexis Mac Allister. Wirtz plays behind Isak, with Barcola and Cody Gakpo out wide.
Barcola sat out training on Thursday, but Iraola said on Friday he had “trained today normally” and was “fine with no problem”. He starts.
Liverpool: Alisson, Van Dijk, Jacquet, Kerkez, Wirtz, Isak, Mac Allister, Gakpo, Barcola, Araujo, Gravenberch.
Subs: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Endo, Chiesa, Tsimikas, Nyoni, McConnell, Koumas, Ngumoha.
Who’s missing
Dominik Szoboszlai was ruled out by Iraola on Friday and Victor Muñoz isn’t in the squad either, after the knock he picked up at Brentford. Jeremie Frimpong, Giovanni Leoni, Conor Bradley, Jaros and Hugo Ekitike are also out. You’ll find the latest on all of them on our Injury Bay.
Storm Boelo can’t stop it
There were real doubts this morning, with Storm Boelo battering Merseyside, but the club confirmed at 09:45 UK that the game is going ahead as planned. Expect a wild, windy afternoon at Anfield, and give yourself extra time if you’re travelling.
For everything else on today’s game, read our Liverpool v Brighton preview.
Kick-off is 2pm UK (3pm Madrid). Come on you Reds.
