“In addition to this we also lost Wataru Endo to injury, which is another big setback for him and for us.
“At the time of writing these notes we do not know how long Wata will be out for, so I can only hope that the injury turns out not to be as bad as we fear it might be.
“I was asked earlier in the week whether I feel we have been unlucky this season and that is certainly true in terms of the injuries we have suffered.
“Wataru was the latest player operating at right-back to be affected, but as with all of these situations we have no option other than to accept the situation and get on with it.
“This applies to ourselves as a team but for the individual affected I would like nothing more than to see Wata return as quickly and as well as the injury allows.
“Not for the first time on Wednesday night, he demonstrated the character of a Liverpool player and I could tell because I heard how much he is appreciated by our fans.
“Mentioning the supporters is so important because the impact they can and do have on us when we need them most could hardly be greater.
“This was especially true in Sunderland and although it is not new, it felt even more noticeable and impactful because of the wider situation and also because of the need for us all to stick together.
“There will always be noise on the outside, especially when we have setbacks and tough moments, but the noise from our fans at Sunderland could not have been more positive and supportive.
“Given how bad the weather was and how far away the Stadium of Light is from Liverpool, it is an obligation to thank those who travelled there to support us on a Wednesday night but the nature of their backing only makes my gratitude even greater.
“My expectation is that we will need the same tonight because everyone knows the quality that Brighton will bring and we are also aware that they reached this stage by winning at Old Trafford in the last round.
