wataru endo’s injury deepens liverpool’s right-back problems; former players suggest solutions and team sheets hint at how arne slot might respond in the fa cup clash with brighton
Liverpool and Brighton meet in the FA Cup with questions buzzing around both camps — mostly about injuries, selection and how each side will respond under pressure.
The immediate story is Wataru Endo’s scary exit at Sunderland, leaving the pitch on a stretcher with a badly twisted ankle.
Liverpool are waiting on an official medical update, and those headlines will shape a number of selection headaches. Brighton arrive bruised by poor league results and a growing sense that they need a response. The tie suddenly feels less like a routine cup game and more like a test of depth, nerve and tactical flexibility.
Team news and the injury picture
– Liverpool are scrambling for answers in midfield and across the right flank. How long Endo is out — and whether there are any knock-on issues among full-backs — will determine whether Slot sticks to a familiar shape or reshuffles.
– Brighton are smarting from recent defeats and must strike a balance: treat the cup seriously, but avoid piling pressure on a squad that needs league stability.
– Short-term thinking will be about versatility. If Liverpool can’t call on specialist right-backs, they’ll have to choose between makeshift solutions, rotation or a formation that shields the vulnerable side.
Brighton’s form and likely approach
– Brighton haven’t been at their best in the league, but their tactical identity remains clear. They like to build through possession, stretch opponents with wide play and press to force turnovers in midfield.
– With Liverpool potentially weakened on the right, expect Brighton to test that channel: switches of play, overlapping runs and deliveries into the box will all be on the menu.
– A compact central trio that presses high could expose makeshift full-backs. Set-pieces and quick changes of flank are other routes Brighton will use to cause problems.
– How Liverpool’s medical updates land will shape much of Brighton’s tactical planning — they’ll probe the flank that looks most pliable.
Psychological and tactical context
– The mood at Brighton has soured a little; vocal criticism after poor results raises the stakes for starting XI choices and individual performances.
– Tactically, Brighton aim to create 1v1 situations on the wings. If they can isolate whoever fills in at right-back, Liverpool may find themselves making early adjustments.
– Conversely, Liverpool must decide whether to plug the right and sacrifice some attacking thrust, or accept more space there to preserve midfield fluency. Midfield balance will be as vital as defensive shape.
Right-back options and the debate around them
– Liverpool have experimented this season by shifting midfielders into the full-back role. Names floated for this tie include Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones in temporary defensive roles; Joe Gomez is the more orthodox option if he’s fit enough.
– Each choice comes with trade-offs. Deploying Jones suggests a pragmatic, defensively-minded approach and keeps Szoboszlai’s creativity central. Putting Szoboszlai at full-back would help ball progression but invites defensive risk. Starting Gomez offers experience and solidity, provided his fitness is trusted.
– Public voices, including former players, have leaned toward the conservative route: preserve the team’s creative core and plug the right with a robust interim option, then use the bench to shore things up late if needed.
What Slot must weigh
– This is a classic single-elimination dilemma: protect your long-term assets or go for an all-out performance to win now. Choosing a rotated backline helps manage minutes across a congested schedule, but it also hands Brighton potential openings to exploit.
– Expect substitutions and tactical tweaks to be significant. A fluid bench and timely changes could swing momentum within a half, especially if the right flank becomes a battleground.
Match outlook and stakes
– Bookmakers still give Liverpool the edge at Anfield — home advantage and
– The decisive elements will be (1) Liverpool’s adaptation to personnel gaps down the right, (2) Brighton’s ability to target that channel, and (3) how both managers balance the immediate knockout with the longer season ahead.
– In short: if Liverpool can turn depth into defensive solidity, they’ll control the tempo; if Brighton find seams on the right and convert their chances, this tie could swing quickly in their favour.
What to watch
– The first XI, especially who starts at right-back.
– How Brighton structure their wide play and whether they overload that side early.
– Liverpool’s substitution pattern after the first 20–30 minutes — a hint at whether Slot trusts his makeshift options or prefers to shore things up.
This game is less about pure form tables and more about responses: a team coping with injury disruption, and an opponent hunting momentum. Expect chess-like adjustments, and a bench that matters as much as the starting eleven.
