At a Glance
- Liverpool will be without Alisson vs Brighton
- The veteran goalkeeper pulled out of Brazil squad
- Mamardashvili to deputise
Liverpool will be without Alisson Becker for their Premier League encounter with Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday (March 21st). The Brazilian goalkeeper has recently dealt with muscle issues and missed last week’s 1-0 defeat to Galatasaray in the Champions League.
Alisson returned for the 4-0 win over the Turkish giants in the second leg at Anfield on Wednesday. He was also between the sticks for the 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur three days prior.
The veteran shot-stopper was selected for Brazil’s upcoming friendlies ahead of the World Cup. But his national team have confirmed he has withdrawn from the squad.
Alisson to miss Brighton clash
Alisson will also not be included in Arne Slot’s squad for the trip to Brighton. That’s according to Paul Gorst, who claims that Giorgi Mamardashvili is set to deputise.
It’s claimed that the Reds “aren’t prepared to take the risk with their number one goalkeeper.” It’s a massive blow, given the race is on for the UEFA Champions League.
Heading into Saturday’s game, Liverpool sit fifth in the table, a point ahead of Chelsea. They are also two points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa and five points off third-placed Manchester United.
Alisson has missed several important games this season, including during a nightmare October. That included defeats to Chelsea, United, Brentford and Manchester City.
The Brazilian has appeared 25 times in the league this season, keeping eight clean sheets. Mamardashvili will instead be in goal against a Brighton side who beat Sunderland 1-0 last time out.
Salah also sidelined
Alisson won’t be the only high-profile absentee as Slot has confirmed Mohamed Salah will also sit out the Brighton clash. The Egyptian forward played and scored in the win over Galatasaray but was forced off due to a muscle injury.
Slot spoke about Salah’s situation ahead of the game during his pre-match press conference:
“Unusual [he is injured], I think you expect the outcome so he is not available for tomorrow.”
Salah will be a big miss, but Slot could turn to Jeremie Frimpong to play on the right wing. The Dutch wideman has made a somewhat slow start at Anfield but shown glimpses of promise.
The win over Galatasaray was much-needed, not least because it ensured the Reds marched on to the Champions League quarter-finals. But it also helped lift the mood after a dissapointing draw to Spurs.
A win over Brighton is vital as Liverpool continue to chase a top-five finish. Any slip-up could prove costly with Chelsea away to rivals Everton on Saturday evening.
