Phil Thompson urges Arne Slot to ditch tactic as Liverpool 'risk' spotted

Arne Slot has a decision to make at right-back for Liverpool's game against Brighton in the FA Cup, with Wataru Endo, Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong all injured

Phil Thompson has told Arne Slot who should start at right-back for Liverpool against Brighton(Image: 2026 MB Media)

Former Liverpool player Phil Thompson has urged Arne Slot to start Curtis Jones at right-back against Brighton on Saturday.

The Reds are without specialist right-backs Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong through injury, while central midfielder Wataru Endo – who started at right-back against Sunderland on Wednesday – is also unavailable due to injury.

Of the players that are currently fit and available, Joe Gomez, Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones have all played at right-back under Slot. Thompson thinks that Jones would be the right choice against Brighton, due to Gomez's sketchy fitness record as well as Szoboszlai's importance to the midfield.

“There’s so many fixtures now and the squad is thin, so I would go with Curtis [at right-back] because I think Dominik has been such a prominent force in midfield," Thompson said on Liverpool's official podcast.

“He played very well against Man City, but I would certainly go with our strongest team.

"I believe we need a good run in the FA Cup this season.

"It’s been too bitty and giving people an opportunity to have a go at the manager and the staff, so I just think, [go strong] as we did in the last round.

"I would play Curtis and then bring Joe on for the last 20 minutes or half an hour if you needed it, because you can’t risk Joe at the moment with his injury record."

Wataru Endo is expected to be sidelined for some time(Image: Getty Images)

Liverpool will be without five players for the meeting with Brighton, after Endo was added to the injury list in midweek.

The Reds are still waiting to discover the full extent of the Japan international's injury, but it is believed to be serious.

"A foot injury,” Slot said while giving an update on Endo in his pre-match press conference on Friday. “We still need to do some assessments, but it's clear and obvious he will be out for quite a long time.

"Don't forget, he is a good center-back and good midfielder for us as well, and it is not as if in those positions we're quite vulnerable there as well if something happens. Let's try and make sure the players we do have stay fit."

The Reds remain without long-term absentees Alexander Isak, Giovanni Leoni and Bradley, although Isak's return may not be far away after he started doing some work with the ball this week.

Frimpong is still out, too. His injury is not as bad as Liverpool first feared when he was forced off during the Champions League win over Qarabag last month, but the Brighton game will be the fourth in a row that he has missed.