Brighton & Hove Albion welcome Leeds United to AMEX Stadium as both teams look to bounce back from defeats.
If Arsenal and Wolves both lose in earlier kick-offs, Brighton can climb to fifth until Sunday afternoon at minimum.
Leeds could improve to 14th temporarily with a win if Aston Villa lose at Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon.
Team News
Robert Sanchez is set to return for Brighton after serving an one match ban in last weekend’s defeat at Aston Villa, following his red card against Newcastle earlier this month.
Enock Mwepu (adductor) is a doubt but Steven Alzate (ankle) and Danny Welbeck (hamstring) remain ruled out.
Leeds are set to welcome Raphinha and Rodrigo back from respective knock and foot injuries.
Jamie Shackleton (knock) and Luke Ayling (fitness) are doubts but Robin Koch (groin) and Patrick Bamford (ankle) remain absent.
Stat Attack
- Brighton are unbeaten in two previous Premier League meetings against Leeds without conceding (W2).
- Leeds are winless in their last seven visits to Brighton (D2, L5), during which they have failed to score in their last five trips to AMEX Stadium with three of their five defeats coming in 2-0 results.
- Two of Brighton’s three Premier League goals against Leeds were scored by strikers – Neal Maupay and Danny Welbeck.
- Brighton are winless in their last seven league matches (D5, L2), and will be looking to avoid an eighth consecutive defeat for the first time since losing eight games between November 2020 – January 2021.
- Three of Leeds’ last five league goals have been scored after half-time.
Prediction
Brighton should feel disappointed to have lost at Villa last weekend because they did play well overall after weathering early pressure, yet a mixture of poor finishing and late slips in defensive focus cost them because they eventually were outplayed purely on intensity.
Leeds meanwhile dominated the first half at Tottenham but they seemed to switch off in the second half because defensive errors and slow reaction times proved costly, although they can take heart from having Raphinha and Rodrigo back for this match.
The AMEX Stadium though has been Leeds’ bogey away ground in recent years but they should be able to make a good fight of it here, which hopefully will yield at least a point which be small positive progress in eroding that run of poor luck.
Prediction: Brighton 1-1 Leeds