Brighton v Liverpool is a proper FA Cup tie
When it comes to the world’s greatest cup competition, a lot of people would probably name Manchester United as the European Super League Elite Six club most closely associated with the Albion. 1983 and all that. Brighton though have always been more closely entwined with Liverpool in the FA Cup, which is what makes another instalment of Seagulls v Redmen such an enthralling prospect.
Brighton began shocking Liverpool in the competition as long ago as the 1907-08 season. The Albion were a mere Southern League Division One side when they were paired with the mighty Reds at Anfield in the second round, a game Liverpool were expected to win without so much as breaking a sweat.
The visitors through had other ideas, drawing 1-1 through a Jack Hall goal to take Liverpool back to the Goldstone Ground for a replay four days later. That drew a then record-crowd of 12,000 as Brighton gave another good account of themselves before succumbing to a 3-0 defeat.
Fast forward to 1983 and Liverpool had not lost a domestic cup game at Anfield for nine seasons. That was until Gerry Ryan and Liverpool-born Jimmy Case scored in a 2-1 win on Merseyside, after which Liverpool-born Albion manager Jimmy Melia received a standing ovation from the Kop.
When the Reds were sent to the Goldstone by the fourth round draw a year later, it did not look possible that lightning could strike twice.
Liverpool were a stronger outfit who would go on and win a league and European Cup double, Brighton had been recently relegated and sat mid table in Division Two with only five players who made it to Wembley in Chris Cattlin’s starting XI to have another crack at the Reds.
No matter. Two goals in as many minutes from Ryan and Terry Connor saw off the mighty Liverpool 2-0 in the first ever game broadcast live from the Goldstone. The date? Sunday 29th January 1984. That has to be an omen, right?
And if you do like omens, how about this – before Brighton beat Liverpool 3-0 two weeks ago on Saturday 14th January 2023, the Albion’s only previous home league win over the Reds had come on on Saturday 14th January 1961.
If there is something about Brighton only defeating Liverpool in Sussex on specific days and dates, then this latest FA Cup meeting could be another highly enjoyable afternoon at the Amex.
Seven years after their famous 1984 Goldstone win against Liverpool and Brighton again found themselves paired with the Reds, this time at Anfield.
Ask anyone about the Albion’s trip to Merseyside that day and they will give you one abiding memory – John Crumplin looking like the best defender in the world.
John Barnes was one of the most feared wingers in the country at the time but he could not get out of Crumplin’s pocket, leading to the legend of “Johnny Crumplin Football Genius” being born.
Despite Barnes’ struggles and Crumplin’s efforts, the Reds still went 2-0 ahead and looked comfortable until a late Brighton rally saw goals from Mike Small and John Byrne earn a Goldstone replay. Small and Byrne both scored again but Liverpool’s class showed through as they eventually won 3-2 in extra time.
Another trip to Anfield in 2012 saw Brighton score four times in front of the Kop. Unfortunately, three of them were own goals from Lewis Dunk and a Liam Bridcutt brace as Gus Poyet He Who Must Not Be Named’s Albion were beaten 6-1.
Kazenga LuaLua scored a belting free kick whilst Sexy Pete Brezovan kept up his remarkable penalty saving record by denying Luis Suarez from 12 yards.
Not the result Poyet You Know Who or the 6,000 away fans in attendance were hoping for, but still a memorable day out against a side good enough to make it to Wembley that year.
Such has been the rise of Brighton over the intervening 11 seasons that they now face Liverpool sitting above the Reds in the Premier League standings and with that thrashing of a fortnight ago which left Jürgen Klopp dumbstruck still fresh in the mind.
An Albion victory on this occasion would therefore not rank close to the upsets of 1983 and 1984, or that Crumplin-inspired draw of 1991.
Despite Liverpool winning the FA Cup back in May, Klopp does not hide his disdain for the competition by criticising replays and fixture overload at every opportunity.
If Klopp names anything less then a full strength side and Roberto De Zerbi continues his approach from Middlesbrough in the previous round and Charlton in the League Cup of taking every game seriously no matter the competition, Liverpool might find themselves on the end of more Amex anguish.
Other than being a born winner to the point he is still pissed off about the debacle at the Valley, De Zerbi has another good reason to name close to his best XI – Brighton have a bloody good chance of going far in the FA Cup this season.
Chelsea and Glow Up Graham are already out. Arsenal are out. Liverpool would be out with an Albion win. The competition is opening up in a way it rarely does for a club outside the European Super League Elite Six to go all the way to a big semi at Wembley. Why not the Albion?
From there, you are two good performances away from lifting the cup and qualifying for Europe. It is good to dream, right? And De Zerbi has certainly got Albion fans dreaming.
Those dreams have led to a near-sold out Amex for a competition Klopp and plenty of others would want us to believe does not matter. Tell that to Brighton fans, who continue to flock to watch their team in the FA Cup both home and away.
There are of course likely to be plenty of Liverpool fans in home sections. Tickets have seemingly been changing hands for big money online; not that the Albion seem to care.
Making longstanding fans show their papers to prove who they are as if citizens of North Korea rather than people wanting to watch Brighton away at Everton seems more of a priority than stopping away supporters sitting in home sections.
Hopefully, stewards will take a tougher line in turfing those with very clear Liverpool allegiances out of the Amex than they have so far this season. Or alternatively, Brighton could just play the Reds off the park again so that their followers have nothing to cheer.
However strong De Zerbi opts to go to make that happen, we know Moises Caicedo will not feature. Brighton have told Caicedo to stay away until the January transfer window shuts in light of his attempts to force through a move to Arsenal, contrary to what that shyster Fabrizio Romano reported when he claimed Caicedo had simply not shown up for training.
Caicedo’s absence opens the door for someone like Billy Gilmour to come in, or Tariq Lamptey or Joel Veltman if De Zerbi opts to push Pascal Gross into midfield.
Brighton are not short of options and what facing Liverpool in the FA Cup does is present an opportunity for the Albion to remind the footballing world that one player is not bigger than the club.
Marc Cucurella thought he was and Brighton have coped fine without him. Leandro Trossard thought he was and Brighton have coped fine without him. Neither Cucurella or Trossard will be winning the FA Cup this season.
Caicedo won’t in the unlikely event Arsenal or Chelsea make an astronomical bid which Tony Bloom finds too good to turn down before February 1st.
The Albion might though. Beat Klopp’s men and the Caicedo chat will be silenced for at least a few hours, Brighton will be step closer to Wembley and there will be another chapter added to the rich history of Seagulls v Reds in the world’s greatest cup competition.
Brighton v Liverpool – a proper FA Cup tie.
