Liverpool Line-ups for Brighton: Rio Ngumoha Unleashed and Hugo Ekitike Decision Made

Liverpool gear up for their FA Cup fourth round clash against Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield on Saturday evening, with manager Arne Slot confirming key changes amid injury woes.[1][2]

Slot faces a selection headache after Wataru Endo's serious foot injury sidelined the Japanese midfielder long-term following a recent outing. The coach revealed late-night deliberations over the lineup, balancing rotation with competitiveness in this cup tie.[1] Dominik Szoboszlai returns from suspension, bolstering options, while Joe Gomez is back from a hip issue.[2]

In goal, Giorgi Mamardashvili replaces the rested Alisson Becker, lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. The defense features Gomez, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, and Andrew Robertson (or Milos Kerkez).[1][2][3] Midfield sees Szoboszlai partnering Curtis Jones, with Florian Wirtz in the No. 10 role.[1]

Up front, the bold call is Hugo Ekitike leading the line, flanked by Mohamed Salah and exciting youngster Rio Ngumoha—unleashing the promising winger as hinted in the headline.[1] Federico Chiesa, Cody Gakpo, and Alexis Mac Allister lurk on the bench.[1] Alternative predictions swap in Chiesa or shift Szoboszlai to full-back.[2]

Long-term absentees include Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni, Jeremie Frimpong, and Alexander Isak for Liverpool, while Brighton miss Carlos Baleba, Yasin Ayari, and others.[3] Kick-off is 8 p.m. GMT, with Liverpool aiming for the fifth round.[2]

This predicted XI blends experience and youth, spotlighting Ngumoha's emergence and Ekitike's selection amid Slot's tactical tweaks.[1][2]

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