Former Liverpool forward Djibril Cisse has urged his old club not to give up hope of winning the Premier League this season, while warning that Sunday's opponents Brighton could be capable of 'doing a Leicester'.
The Reds have won their last three matches in all competitions, with Champions League victories over LASK and Villarreal either side of a hard-fought 2-1 success at Brentford last Saturday. That result lifted Liverpool to fifth in the Premier League, but they now face a Brighton side sitting third who have won their last six matches in all competitions and scored 23 goals in their seven league games so far.
Cisse sees title opportunity for Liverpool
Speaking to Mr Gamble, Cisse expressed confidence in Liverpool's chances this season. "Can Liverpool win a trophy this season? Yes, we have something to play for this year," he said.
"Defensively, we've strengthened. Up front, Alexander Isak is coming back to his best, and Hugo Ekitike will be back soon too. I think this year we have a real chance to win the Premier League title, alongside Arsenal and Manchester City, without forgetting the other teams. There's a real opportunity this year."
Brighton compared to Leicester City
Cisse drew parallels between Brighton's strong start and Leicester City's surprise title triumph in 2016. "Think of Leicester City. Nobody would have bet a penny on them. I don't think many people expected Brighton to be this high either. It's a very prestigious, very competitive league, and anyone can beat anyone," he said.
He added: "If Brighton beat Liverpool, are they title contenders? Mathematically, with the points they have, the confidence they're building and above all how well they play, yes, they would become serious title contenders."
Wirtz backed to deliver
Cisse also addressed criticism of Florian Wirtz, who scored his first goal of the campaign in the win over Villarreal. "Should Liverpool move on from Florian Wirtz? Every coach and every club has its own way of doing things," he said. "Maybe the coach still hopes to see the best possible Wirtz, still wants to work with him and help him improve so the team can benefit from his talent. That's more a question for the coach."
"Either way, he remains a fantastic player. If he gets back to his best, he's a player you have to keep in your squad because he's magnificent," Cisse concluded.
