When Liverpool plays Brighton in the FA Cup Fourth Round on Sunday, Adam Lallana will be absent from yet another reunion with his old team.
According to Roberto De Zerbi, three Seagulls players are out this weekend due to injury, including the 34-year-old midfielder. Lallana played for Brighton in the matchup in the Premier League at the AMEX Community Stadium, where they defeated Jurgen Klopp’s club 3-0.
Lallana, though, was forced to leave last weekend’s game against Leicester City due to a muscular ailment and won’t participate. Levi Colwill, who is rehabilitating from a quad injury, is also out of the game, as is Facundo Buonanotte, who developed a spinal condition while representing Argentina’s under-20 national team abroad.
Lallana, a Premier League champion, moved to Brighton from Liverpool in 2020 on a free transfer. He has since established himself as a regular starter for the first team and has already made 16 league appearances this year.
In his Friday pre-game press conference, De Zerbi mentioned Lallana and Colwill “They are indeed unable to play. I anticipate [Lallana] won’t be available for a few weeks. As a member of the team, he is among the most crucial players.”
Virgil van Dijk, Roberto Firmino, Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz, and Arthur Melo are still out of this weekend’s cup game for Liverpool, adding to their list of injured players.
As replays in the Cup are still feasible in the Fourth Round this year, a draw on Saturday would send the match back to Anfield for another shot. Replays are not permitted under the current rules from the Fifth Round on.