A change in Liverpool’s formation against Brighton & Hove Albion worked as a setback in their chances in the Premier League top four race.
Liverpool lost to Brighton 1-2 on Saturday, March 21, at the Amex Stadium to remain in fifth position with 49 points from 31 matches.
With Chelsea also losing later on that day, they stay behind the Reds, but Liverpool’s loss once again showed the mess they have been in this season.
Liverpool’s formation change caused their 10th defeat in 31 matches this season in the Premier League, which means that they have lost almost a third of their matches.
Liverpool’s Formation Change: Lack Of Planning And Structure
Liverpool’s formation change saw Arne Slot utilise a 4-3-1-2 against Brighton, with Florian Wirtz and Cody Gakpo as the two forwards, and Dominik Szoboszlai sat at the top of the midfield four.
However, Liverpool were out of shape too often. Wirtz did not enjoy playing as a forward and kept falling back to get the ball. Szoboszlai was often seen giving cover to a struggling Jeremie Frimpong, who had a troubled time containing a marauding Yankuba Minteh. Wirtz and Gakpo interchanged their position so many times that they hardly played any passes between themselves.
Wirtz obviously enjoys roaming all around the pitch, and to start him as one of the two forwards restricted his movement clearly, but he refused to be tied down by that and clearly lacked the tactical discipline to play upfront.
That left only Gakpo playing in his position in the final third pretty often. Moreover, Liverpool rarely looked comfortable in possession. They are supposed to deviate from their erstwhile high-energy football to a possession-based style under Arne Slot, but that seems to be more in theory than in practicality.
They struggled to string three or four passes together inside the opposition half, and Brighton looked much more comfortable in possession.
After conceding the second goal, Liverpool’s formation became a 4-2-4 with the introduction of Rio Ngumoha and Federico Chiesa, but that hardly served the purpose.
The Reds probably tried to emulate the Dutch philosophy of total football, where players moved out of their original positions at will.
However, the fundamental aspect of that philosophy is to press hard for the ball and win back possession quickly. Liverpool did not even come close to doing that, and as a result, they looked like a team that lacked structure and shape too often.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Three Key Areas Manchester United’s Summer Transfer Budget Should Be Centred On
Liverpool’s Tough Run Of Fixtures Coming Up
The Reds will face defending champions Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League next month, and they face the task of playing against Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals in April.
Liverpool’s formation against Brighton shifted from their usual 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1, either of which has been used extensively by them during the past decade or so, but that did not work at all.
It now remains to be seen whether Slot decides to bring about a change in the playing style of the team.
As of now, the latest Liverpool loss serves as a stark reminder of how far they have fallen from the high standards set in the previous season.
Unless there is an improvement in their performance, the Reds will find it difficult to qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / Propaganda Photo
Recording Date: 21.03.2026
