NOBARTV NEWS Brighton v Southampton – Brighton & Hove Albion will be looking to close in on second place in the Premier League when they host Southampton at Broadfield Stadium on Friday night. Brighton come into the game with positive momentum, while Southampton are in a difficult situation and looking to avoid a third successive league defeat.
Date: 30 November 2024 Kick-off Time: 03:00 WIB Stadium: Broadfield Stadium, Brighton
Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton come into this game full of confidence after a 2-1 win over Bournemouth last week, which was their fourth win in their last six Premier League games.
Previously, they also managed to beat Manchester City by a similar score. This shows that the performance of the team coached by Fabian Hurzeler is improving rapidly, after experiencing some poor results at the start of the season. The victory over Bournemouth showed the depth of their squad, with João Pedro opening the scoring in the fourth minute and Kaoru Mitoma adding to the lead after the break.
However, Brighton were forced to deal with the threat of Carlos Baleba being sent off just before the hour mark, but they held on for the win until the end. Brighton are currently in fifth place, just one point behind second-placed Manchester City. With six games unbeaten at home, Brighton are now the only team to remain unbeaten at home this season alongside Brentford and Liverpool.
However, they have only kept four clean sheets in 15 home games in 2024, which could prove to be a weak point against Southampton. They will be without James Milner (thigh) and Solly March (knee), while Jack Hinshelwood and Adam Webster are also out. Ferdi Kadioglu and Yankuba Minteh are doubts, and both will be assessed ahead of the game.
The return of Lewis Dunk and Tariq Lamptey provides added strength in defence. The absence of Carlos Baleba through suspension could give Matt O'Riley a chance to start, replacing Baleba in midfield alongside Yasin Ayari or Mats Wieffer.
Brighton Predicted Lineups:
Verbruggen; Veltman, Van Hecke, Igor, Estupiñán; Wieffer, O'Riley; Rutter, Pedro, Mitoma; Welbeck.
Southampton
On the other hand, Southampton are still struggling this season. They are bottom of the Premier League table and have won just two of their first 12 games. The 3-2 defeat to Liverpool at St Mary's was a highlight, considering they led 2-1 until the 65th minute before conceding two goals from Mohamed Salah.
A costly error from goalkeeper Alex McCarthy and a handball by Yukinari Sugawara cost Southampton three valuable points. The defeat leaves Southampton five points adrift of safety and have scored just nine goals this season, the lowest in the Premier League. As well as their attacking woes, Southampton also have major problems in defence, with only Wolves conceding more goals (27) than them.
Manager Russell Martin expressed his disappointment with the goal that was so poor to defend against Liverpool, which showed how vulnerable Southampton's defense is. Southampton will face Brighton without a number of key players, including Aaron Ramsdale (finger injury), Gavin Bazunu (Achilles), Jan Bednarek (knee injury) and several others. In addition, Adam Lallana who recently injured his hamstring is certain to be out for several weeks.
Southampton will be hoping Paul Onuachu can recover from the knee injury he picked up against Liverpool, although it is not a serious one. Lallana's absence could give Joe Aribo a chance to start in midfield alongside Matheus Fernandes, who scored against Liverpool. Adam Armstrong, who also scored last week, could partner Tyler Dibling or possibly Cameron Archer or Ben Brereton Diaz up front.
Southampton Predicted Lineups:
McCarthy; Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Downes, Stephens, Manning; Aribo, Fernandes; Dibling, Archer, Armstrong.
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Southampton: Stats & Form
In their last five meetings, Brighton have recorded three wins, with two draws against Southampton. Last time at the Amex in May 2023, Brighton won 3-1 against Southampton. Meanwhile, Southampton have not won a game at Brighton in their last four, although they have managed to score in each of their visits there.
Brighton have the better record at home this season, while Southampton are still looking for consistent form. With just two wins in their last six games, Southampton are likely to struggle against an in-form Brighton.
Brighton's Recent Premier League Form:
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Southampton's Recent Premier League Form:
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Brighton & Hove Albion vs Southampton Score Prediction
Looking at the current form of both teams, Brighton is clearly more favored to win. The home team has a sharp attack and a more solid defense than Southampton who often make fatal mistakes.
Although Southampton have scored in every game they have played at Brighton in recent seasons, their shaky defence is likely to make it difficult for them to keep Brighton's attacking prowess at bay.
Brighton is predicted to win 3 - 1 over Southampton, strengthening their position at the top of the table and continuing their quest for a European spot this season. Meanwhile, Southampton must quickly improve their defense if they are to escape the relegation zone.
The match streaming link can be found here: football link
