Carlos Baleba's surprise absence explained for Brighton against Liverpool amid eight changes

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All the latest Premier League team news for Liverpool vs Brighton

Fabian Hurzeler made eight changes to the Brighton team that lost 3-2 to Liverpool on Wednesday in the Carabao Cup.

Bart Verbruggen, Joel Veltman, Pervis Estupinan, Jack Hinshelwood, Yasin Ayari, Georginio Rutter, Kaoru Mitoma and Danny Welbeck returned, with

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Jason Steele, Tariq Lamptey, Mats Wieffer, Jakub Moder, Brajan Gruda, Julio Enciso, Simon Adingra and Evan Ferguson all dropping out.

Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba was left out of the starting XI at AnfieldBrighton midfielder Carlos Baleba was left out of the starting XI at Anfield
Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba was left out of the starting XI at Anfield

The main notable absentee from the starting XI was midfielder Carlos Baleba. The Cameroon international has been in fine form for Brighton this term and has started seven of Albion's nine Premier League matches so far.

A tiring Baleba was substituted in the closing stages of Brighton's 2-2 draw against Wolves last weekend and didn't feature at all in Albion's midweek cup defeat to Liverpool.

There has been no mention of an injury and the 20-year-old was expected to return to the starting XI at Anfield but Hurzeler went for a midfield of Hinshelwood and Ayari, with Baleba on the bench. It’s unclear if Baleba is carrying a knock, or Hurzeler is simply managing the minutes of his midfielders.

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He could however still play a key role from the bench at Anfield. Ferdi Kadioglu maintains his place in team despite picking up a minor foot injury in midweek and will likely start on the right of the midfield.

Brighton XI: Verbruggen; Veltman, Van Hecke, Igor, Estupinan; Hinshelwood, Ayari; Kadioglu, Rutter, Mitoma; Welbeck. Subs: Steele, Lamptey, Gruda, Enciso, Adingra, Moder, Baleba, Wieffer, Ferguson.

Liverpool XI: Kelleher, TAA, Van Dijk, Konate, Tsimikas, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Salah, Nunez, Gakpo. Subs: Jaros, Gomez, Endo, Diaz, Jones, Robertson, Quansah, Morton, Bradley.

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