Brighton vs Liverpool match delayed at late notice as Seagulls release statement

Brighton vs Liverpool has been delayed by 15 minutes due to heavy traffic outside the Amex Stadium.

The Saturday lunchtime clash – which will be live on talkSPORT – was due to start at 12:30pm.

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However, this has now been pushed back to 12:45pm after a road traffic accident on the A27, giving fans extra time to arrive at the ground.

Brighton released a statement 39 minutes before the match was scheduled to begin.

Earlier on Saturday morning, the club also retweeted a post from Southern Rail reporting a points failure between Littlehampton and Brighton, which resulted in train delays and cancelations.

Crunch time

With the season approaching a crucial stage, both teams head into this clash in need of a win to boost their respective aspirations.

Liverpool arrive on the south coast following their thumping 4-0 win over Galatasaray in the Champions League in midweek at Anfield.

Despite being into a European quarter-final, the Reds have a fight on their hands to qualify for the top tier competition next year.

Arne Slot’s side are currently fifth in the Premier League table – believed to be the cut-off point for Champions League qualification.

Victory at the Amex would see Liverpool leapfrog Aston Villa into fourth place, and open up a four-point gap over Chelsea in sixth – who travel to Everton in the 5:30pm kick-off.

But Liverpool are without some key players, with goalkeeper Alisson Becker and star man Mohamed Salah ruled out through injury.

In their places, Giorgi Mamardashvili starts in goal, while Cody Gakpo has returned to the starting line-up on the wing.

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As for Brighton, they could climb to eighth in the table with a statement win over the Reds.

This would hand them a major boost in their own European aspirations, and take them to within two points of seventh-place Brentford – who face Leeds this evening.

Seagulls boss Fabian Hurzeler has named an unchanged XI from his side that claimed a 1-0 away victory at Sunderland last weekend.

Danny Welbeck leads the line for the home side, as he looks to cause trouble against a leaky Liverpool defence.

The English striker is chasing a personal milestone against the Reds, who can record his best-ever goalscoring season in the Premier League with a goal.

Welbeck has notched 10 goals so far this season, the joint-best of his 17-year top-flight career, having brought up the same figure last term.

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Liverpool and Brighton last met little over a month ago in the FA Cup, with the Reds claiming a commanding 3-0 win at Anfield to advance into the fifth round.