Liverpool head into Sunday's Premier League meeting with Brighton on the back of seven wins from their last nine matches in all competitions, a run that continued with Tuesday's 4-3 Champions League comeback victory over Villarreal.
The Reds trailed 2-0 in the opening half hour at Anfield before recovering to claim the win, extending head coach Andoni Iraola's perfect record in the competition. The result came at the end of a demanding run of four matches in 10 days and marked the start of four consecutive home fixtures across three competitions.
Ngumoha impresses in Villarreal comeback
Rio Ngumoha was singled out for praise by supporters after his display against Villarreal, with the Academy graduate's work on the right flank helping to stretch the opposition and create space for others. Playing on the right, he showed willingness to go outside and cross or bring the ball infield, giving defenders more to worry about.
Alexis Mac Allister benefited from Ngumoha's output on Tuesday, while Florian Wirtz also impressed in the second half. The performance came after Víctor Muñoz and Alexander Isak produced decisive finishing in West London on Saturday.
Brighton visit poses stiff test
Sunday's visitors have combined fluency, intensity and solidity this term, and the game represents a chance for Liverpool to secure a first home league victory of 2026/27. The fixture is followed by visits from Arsenal and Chelsea in the Carabao Cup, with all three opponents currently above the Reds in the table.
With injuries mounting, the contributions of Academy graduates Lewis Koumas, Trey Nyoni and Rio Ngumoha have become increasingly valuable. Cody Gakpo also gained minutes against Villarreal, having earlier in the campaign formed an exciting link-up with Isak.
Iraola's side have shown an increasing ability to navigate match-to-match and in-game challenges, and supporters expect further refinements as the season progresses.
