Brighton & Hove Albion host Brentford at AMEX Stadium in a crucial Premier League clash in the race for European qualification.
Victory or a draw would see Brighton climb to sixth if Liverpool lose in the lunchtime kick-off, whilst Brentford can leapfrog the Seagulls with a win and potentially go sixth themselves.
Team News
Tariq Lamptey could return for Brighton after recovering from a knee injury which had kept him sidelined in recent weeks.
Adam Lallana (hamstring) and Jakob Moder (knee) remain absent.
Brentford will be without Shandon Baptiste after he was red carded in a 1-1 draw against Leicester just before the international break.
Thomas Strakosha could return after he successfully featured in Albania’s defeat against Poland in Warsaw, following his recovery from a hamstring injury.
Mads Roerslev (hamstring) and Vitalty Janelt (knee) are set to be available but Kristoffer Ajer (calf) and Keane Lewis-Potter (knee) remains absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Brighton host Brentford at AMEX Stadium in a 3pm BST kick-off on Saturday 1 April, albeit untelevised live in UK.
Stat Attack
- Brighton have won two of three previous Premier League meetings against Brentford (W2, L1).
- Brentford lost their only previous Premier League visit to Brighton (L1), losing 2-0 in December 2021.
- Two of the three Premier League meetings between Brighton and Brentford have been won by a 2-0 result, with both teams each winning one apiece by that result.
- Kaoru Mitoma has been involved in five of Brighton’s last 13 goals in all competitions, having scored two goals and provided three assists.
- Brentford have lost just one of their last seven away matches (W3, D3, L1).
Prediction
With four confirmed games in hand on their rivals in the run-in due to their FA Cup run, Brighton know that their fate is pretty much in their own hands across the next nine weeks but they know that this game could be a potential slip-up.
Roberto De Zerbi’s Seagulls though can take heart from their dominant FA Cup win over Grimsby a fortnight ago but their end product at times was poor, which is something that can’t afford to happen much from here-on in if they want a top-four finish.
Brentford meanwhile also aren’t entirely out of contention but Europa League qualification looks their best aim, whilst their tendancy to draw games more than win could eventually play a role in their eventual finish especially after poor marking of Harvey Barnes cost them victory over Leicester.
Both teams are also separated by only goal difference so I can’t wait to see what is in store between these two clubs, as I do feel like it will be close and a draw apieece looks the best bet unless Mitoma is at his best for Brighton.
Prediction: Brighton 1-1 Brentford
Result: Brighton 3-3 Brentford
Leave a Reply