Liverpool are preparing for a crucial FA Cup encounter with Brighton this weekend, with manager Arne Slot indicating potential lineup alterations as the Reds aim to secure silverware this season. The Anfield side will channel all their efforts into the match, determined to avoid a repeat of last year's shock fourth-round exit to Plymouth Argyle.
Silverware Hopes Rest on FA Cup and Champions League
With Liverpool's Premier League title challenge faltering and an early League Cup elimination, the FA Cup and Champions League now represent the club's final opportunities for trophies this campaign. Slot emphasised the importance of the Brighton tie, stating he is "always looking at the younger players" and noting that "a few of them are closer and closer to first-team football."
Dominik Szoboszlai Praised as Liverpool's Vital Asset
Slot singled out Hungarian midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai for exceptional praise ahead of the fixture. The 25-year-old, who joined from RB Leipzig in July 2023 for £60 million, has evolved from a reliable squad member into a talismanic figure for the Reds.
Despite being deployed in multiple positions, including right-back during the team's defensive injury crisis, Szoboszlai has contributed nine goals and seven assists this season. Slot remarked, "Szoboszlai, I cannot stop talking about his qualities, close to ridiculous. On and off the ball, work rate another level, the intensity, he presses, unbelievable technique, game insight. He has been vital for us this and last season."
The midfielder will return for the Brighton clash after missing the Sunderland victory due to suspension from a red card in the Premier League loss to Manchester City.
Kieran Morrison Tipped as the 'New Curtis Jones'
Liverpool academy star Kieran Morrison is on the verge of a first-team breakthrough, having become the first Reds player to win the Premier League 2 Player of the Month award since Curtis Jones in 2020. The 19-year-old secured the honour after scoring five goals and providing an assist in January, a notable achievement given no Liverpool player had received the accolade in six years.
Morrison has already featured in several of Slot's matchday squads this season and is expected to be included again for the FA Cup tie. Under-21s coach Jay Spearing confirmed the youngster has caught Slot's attention, saying, "We speak to the manager most days. If you're playing well and training well, your name is going to get put in front of him, and he will want to see clips. That's what's happened to Kieran."
Spearing added that the academy's goal is to see players progress to the first team, noting, "In the nicest way, we want them to be around the first team and then when they come back, don't want to be around us. They want to get back there as quickly as they can."
As Liverpool focus on their FA Cup ambitions, Slot's blend of experienced stars like Szoboszlai and emerging talents like Morrison could prove pivotal in navigating a challenging fixture against Brighton and advancing in the competition.
