Liverpool have confirmed their Premier League fixture against Brighton will go ahead as planned despite severe weather warnings across Merseyside. The club released an official statement at 10am on Saturday confirming both the men's Premier League match and the women's WSL game against London City Lionesses will proceed at 2pm GMT.
The decision follows a safety assessment by the local Safety Advisory Group, which includes the club, Merseyside Police and Liverpool City Council. The group determined that conditions at Anfield and the surrounding area were safe for supporters to attend. Club stewards will be on hand to assist fans at both stadiums.
Weather disruption across Merseyside
The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for Saturday and Sunday, with gusts of 70 to 80mph likely in coastal and exposed areas. Storm Boelo and Storm Austen have swept across the UK, causing widespread event cancellations in the region.
Aintree Racecourse cancelled its Halloween Family Fun Day due to 44mph wind gusts, while the River of Light festival was called off for a second night. Liverpool Cathedral suspended all visitor tours and Knowsley Safari Park closed for the day. Merseyrail ran empty safety-check services before welcoming passengers.
Travel and safety advice
Supporters are advised to monitor official club communications and plan their journeys in advance due to the high winds and heavy rainfall. Travellers should use live travel apps and prepare for potential rail replacement buses. The club specifically advised fans to allow extra time for travel and to take care when moving around the stadium concourses and external areas.
Match context and team news
The confirmation provides clarity for a Liverpool side sitting fifth in the Premier League with 12 points from seven games. Their recent form reads four wins and one defeat from the last five, including a 4-3 victory over Villarreal last Tuesday. The next fixture on the schedule is this key home match against a Brighton side currently third in the table. The last meeting between the sides ended in a 2-1 defeat for Liverpool at the Amex Stadium in March.
Liverpool's top scorer Alexander Isak, with five goals this season, will be available as the team looks to close the nine-point gap to leaders Manchester City. Manager Jurgen Klopp reported a fully fit squad for the match, with no new injury concerns following the midweek European fixture. Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi confirmed key midfielder Pascal Gross is fit to start after a minor training knock.
The club's statement ensures the football calendar proceeds while other local events are disrupted by the storm. A final pitch inspection was conducted at 11am, with the playing surface deemed perfectly playable despite the heavy overnight rain.
First reported at Daily Mirror Football
