Brighton & Hove Albion welcome Southampton to the Amex Stadium this Friday night in a very important Premier League match. Brighton could rise as high as second in the table with a victory, while Southampton hope to stop their losing streak and not suffer a third successive defeat.
Match Preview
Brighton heads into the tie in great spirits following back-to-back victories: a 2-1 comeback against Manchester City and another 2-1 victory against Bournemouth. That’s an excellent comeback, as the Seagulls have now secured four wins in their last six league games – the same number of victories as their previous 19 games.
A goal from Joao Pedro and a second-half strike from Kaoru Mitoma were enough to see Brighton past Bournemouth, despite the late change in momentum due to the red card shown to Carlos Baleba. Brighton’s defense held firm under pressure to secure the points, showcasing their resilience.
Brighton, currently fifth in the table, are level on points with Chelsea and Arsenal and only a point adrift of Manchester City. Manager Fabian Hurzeler urges his squad to keep their feet on the ground while they head toward their European aspirations.
At home, Brighton are unbeaten in six games this season at the Amex Stadium – a feat only matched by Brentford and Liverpool – but their home defensive record could be better with just four clean sheets in 15 matches in 2024.
Brighton have done well in recent meetings against Southampton, beating them three times in their last five encounters. This run includes a 3-1 win against the Saints at the Amex back in May 2023.
Southampton, meanwhile, faced heartbreak in a 3-2 loss to Liverpool last weekend. Despite leading 2-1 midway through the second half, costly errors from goalkeeper Alex McCarthy and substitute Yukinari Sugawara led to their downfall. With 10 league defeats this season, Southampton remains at the bottom of the table, five points adrift of safety.
The Saints have struggled both offensively and defensively, scoring the fewest goals in the league – 9 – and conceding the second-most – 27. However, their away record against Brighton offers a glimmer of hope, with only one loss in their last six visits.
Southampton has also scored in every Premier League clash against Brighton, a record that may boost their confidence as they seek redemption.
Team News
Brighton
Injuries keep piling up for Brighton, as James Milner and Solly March are out with thigh and knee injuries, respectively. Lewis Dunk (calf), Jack Hinshelwood (knee), and Tariq Lamptey (calf) are questionable and will go to a late fitness test.
Midfielder Carlos Baleba is suspended, which could open the door for Matt O’Riley to make his first Premier League start alongside Yasin Ayari or Mats Wieffer in midfield.
Joao Pedro, following his top performance against Bournemouth, should remain at the center of the attack, supported by both Georginio Rutter and Kaoru Mitoma.
Southampton
The Saints’ injury list is pretty long at the moment as goalkeepers Aaron Ramsdale (finger) and Gavin Bazunu (Achilles), defenders Jan Bednarek, Ross Stewart, and William Smallbone have hamstring injuries.
Adam Lallana, a former Brighton player, and Paul Onuachu are the major doubts after being taken off injured against Liverpool last weekend. Joe Aribo could come into midfield to join Matheus Fernandes, who scored last weekend. Adam Armstrong may be handed a leading role up top for support from Tyler Dibling and Cameron Archer.
Predicted Lineups
Brighton & Hove Albion:
Verbruggen; Veltman, Van Hecke, Igor, Estupinan; Wieffer, O’Riley; Rutter, Pedro, Mitoma; Welbeck
Southampton:
McCarthy; Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Downes, Stephens, Manning; Aribo, Fernandes; Dibling, Archer, Armstrong
Prediction
Brighton & Hove Albion 3-1 Southampton
Southampton may keep their scoring record up against Brighton, but all too often, defensive vulnerability and the propensity to be costly in either box makes this the most unlikely of upsets. With Brighton in real rhythms here and bolstered by that home advantage, the feeling is that the Seagulls will outscore and take all three points in
