Alisson Becker Ill, out for Liverpool vs. Brighton

Liverpool F.C. faced off with Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. on Wednesday evening, a match that the defending Premier League champions needed to win. However, the home team was shorthanded during the 1-0 loss. Goalkeeper Alisson Becker missed the match with what was described as an illness.

Team manager Jurgen Klopp confirmed that the first-choice goalkeeper would miss the crucial match on Wednesday. This news meant that Caoimhin Keller would make his second Premier League appearance. Additionally, Roberto Firmino replaced Divock Origi up front. Brighton also entered the matchup without important players. Joel Veltman and Alexis Mac Allister both suffered minor injuries and missed action.

"Ali is ill – [it's] not Covid, thank God," Klopp said about his goalkeeper prior to Wednesday's match. "Not seriously, but there was no chance. He woke up this morning and was not well and we couldn't bring him."

Liverpool fans hoped that the home team would take care of business and remain on track to defend the 2020 title. The club was coming off back-to-back victories on the road at Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United, returning them to winning ways in the Premier League. However, Brighton & Hove Albion's Steven Alzate scored the game's only goal in the 55th minute and delivered a victory for the visiting team.

Losing Becker and Origi was only the latest blow to the Liverpool lineup. Captain Virgil Van Dijk has remained away from the team since October's Merseyside derby. He has been rehabilitating in Dubai and creating optimism among the fanbase, but Klopp is not expecting him to return.

"I don't know where these things are coming from. No doctor really told me that there is a chance for Virgil to play in this season again," Klopp said, per talkSPORT. "I don't want to say that is absolutely impossible but it is not likely, so we don't have to discuss these things really. If we have space, we will put them all on (the list),"

"Even when all the medical people tell us there is no chance we put them on because we believe in miracles from time to time," he continued. "But if there is no place then we have to consider these types of things and say the chances are not too big so we have to make a decision. But if they are on the list then it is only because we hope for nearly a miracle — that is it."