Jan Molby Previews Liverpool’s Premier League Clash with Brighton
Jan Molby has never been one to sugarcoat a situation, and ahead of Liverpool vs Brighton he delivered another dose of straight, grounded analysis. With Liverpool drifting in mid-table and the Premier League table “such grim reading,” as Trev Downey put it, Molby’s assessment of what comes next was both realistic and surprisingly optimistic.
“Any given 11 should be doing so much better”
Looking at Liverpool sitting 10th, level on points with Sunderland and Brighton and only a point above Tottenham, Molby agreed the situation is baffling. “How has it come to this?” Downey asked, and Molby didn’t shy away from the idea that something is fundamentally off.
He again highlighted the lack of cohesion, the strange dip from senior players and the absence of the intensity that once defined Klopp’s Liverpool. But he also challenged the narrative pushed by some journalists that Slot has “discovered something” that has put Liverpool back on track. Given the “lack of creativity” and “uninspiring football,” Molby said, he simply doesn’t see it.
His example from the Leeds match was telling. When Gomez dribbled forward on a breakaway, “nobody joined in,” forcing him to turn back. That, for Molby, summed up the malaise. “Last year or two years ago, Darwin Nunes and Luis Diaz would have done everything they possibly could to run past him… Where is that?”
Another major warning sign came from those trying to champion the midweek performance in Europe. “Please don’t tell me that Tuesday is how we’re going to be playing European football from now on,” Molby said. Liverpool’s trademark European aura came from intensity, chaos and physicality. Remove that and “we’ll just be like the rest of them.”
Why Brighton will be a serious test
Turning to Brighton, Molby left no room for complacency. “They won’t fear coming to Anfield,” he said, adding that they never fear playing anywhere because of their structure and bravery.
He praised their balance of approach. “They’ll come and they’ll play their stuff… but they’ll also mix it up. They’ll go long. They’ll use Welbeck. They’ll put you under pressure at set pieces.” Brighton’s model, recruitment and coaching impressed him deeply, even if it is a style that would not translate to a club the size of Liverpool.
Crucially, Molby thinks this Liverpool side could find Brighton’s blend of technique, pace and physicality extremely uncomfortable. “It’s got every opportunity of being a really difficult game.”
Molby’s score prediction
Despite his concerns, Molby offered a surprisingly confident prediction. He believes the Anfield crowd will rally behind the team and the manager following the dramatic recent weeks.
“I think the crowd is going to be 100% behind him on Saturday,” he said. He also thinks the performance in Europe, while far from impressive, may still produce a psychological lift.
“I have a feeling there will be some after effect of the result… I’m going to go Liverpool 3-1 Brighton.”
A bold call, but one rooted in Molby’s sense of how Anfield responds when the pressure peaks. Whether Liverpool can deliver the performance to match his prediction is another question entirely — but Molby has stuck his neck out. And right now, Liverpool fans will take any glimmer of confidence they can find.
