Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford will aim to take a step closer to the top-four places when they meet at the Amex Stadium on Saturday.
The 2022/23 Premier League season resumes this weekend with Gameweek 29, an elongated round of fixtures. The latest matchday begins with the marquee tie between Manchester City and Liverpool at the Etihad. And the action will then continue when Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford clash at the Amex Stadium.
Brighton & Hove Albion have continued from where Graham Potter left only a month into the new season. Roberto De Zerbi replaced the Englishman and has arguably outdone his predecessor. The Seagulls have risen to seventh on the Premier League table, seven points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur with three games in hand. So a top-four finish is on the cards.
On the other hand, Brentford’s advent under the tutelage of Thomas Frank has continued this term. And the Bees are in the same boat as Brighton, with the two teams coming into this game level on points in the Premier League standings. And the visitors are in contention to secure European qualification at the end of the 2022/23 season.
The reverse fixture saw Brentford clinch a 2-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion, with Ivan Toney scoring a match-winning brace. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Brighton & Hove Albion
"We don't have any concerns on fatigue but tomorrow will be a difficult game due to the opponent and for our players who have been away.
"It's an important test for us. We have the possibility to change our future and we want to achieve our targets." #BHAFC pic.twitter.com/1AKjYnkiij
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) March 31, 2023
Roberto De Zerbi has greeted a positive update on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture. Against Brentford on Saturday, the Brighton & Hove Albion manager will be bereft of the services of three first-team players.
Tariq Lamptey has resumed training after recovering from a knee injury. That leaves Jakub Moder (knee) and Adam Lallana (thigh) on the sidelines. But Jeremy Sarmiento is a long-term absentee after picking up a foot injury during the international break. Otherwise, De Zerbi has a full-strength squad at his disposal this weekend.
Jason Steele has usurped Robert Sanchez in the last few games, with the 32-year-old suiting De Zerbi’s system better. And Brighton will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him against Brentford.
The fit-again Lamptey should start on the right flank, with Pervis Estupinan picking himself in the left-back slot. Lewis Dunk and Levi Colwill are automatic picks in the central defensive partnership, with Adam Webster missing out.
Moises Caicedo has bounced back from the disappointment of failing to seal a move to Arsenal in January. And the Ecuadorian international will shore up things in the middle of the park, with Pascal Gross starting alongside him in the double pivot.
Alexis Mac Allister will be the most advanced midfielder for Brighton, with his ball progression enabling the runners. Kaoru Mitoma and Solly March will be the two wide men, with the duo impacting play with their directness. Finally, the in-demand Ferguson will spearhead the Brighton attack against Brentford.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Steele; Lamptey, Dunk, Colwill, Estupinan; Caicedo, Gross; March, Mac Allister, Mitoma; Ferguson
Brentford
Like his counterpart in the Brighton & Hove Albion dugout, Thomas Frank has seen a player regain fitness ahead of the trip to the Amex Stadium. The Brentford manager will be without three first-team players.
Mads Roerslev Rasmussen (thigh) and Vitaly Janelt (knee) will be in contention to feature after regaining fitness. But Kristoffer Ajer (calf) and Keane Lewis-Potter (knee) will be unavailable due to their respective injuries. And Shandon Baptiste will miss out due to a suspension.
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"They try to dominate on the ball. We need to handle that with a combination of high pressure and then, at times, a well-structured low block. We need to minimise their threat and look into their big threats and be aware of how we can create goals and score"#BHABRE pic.twitter.com/gC3RBj7JFM
— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) March 30, 2023
David Raya picks himself between the sticks, with Brentford set to line up in a 4-3-3 formation in front of him. Roerslev will return to the starting eleven, taking his spot on the right flank. And Rico Henry is an automatic pick in the left-back slot, with Ben Mee and Ethan Pinnock forming the central defensive partnership.
Christian Norgaard will sit at the base of the midfield unit, looking to keep things tight in the middle of the park. The Dane will be crucial in keeping Alexis Mac Allister quiet. Mathias Jensen and Mikkel Damsgaard will accompany Norgaard in the midfield trifecta.
The duo will push Brentford forward during transitions, carrying the ball deep into the final third. As for the offensive unit, Ivan Toney will lead the line, with Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa being the two wide men.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Raya; Roerslev, Pinnock, Mee, Henry; Jensen, Norgaard, Damsgaard; Mbeumo, Toney, Wissa
Key Stats
- Brighton & Hove Albion have alternated between victory (3) and defeat (2) in their last five home league games against Brentford, winning this fixture 2-0 last season.
- Brighton & Hove Albion have won four of their last five Premier League home games (L1), keeping a clean sheet in each victory. Only twice have they won three in a row at the Amex Stadium in the Premier League (March 2018 and November 2019), never without conceding.
- Five of Brighton & Hove Albion’s seven Premier League defeats this season have come against London clubs, including three of their four home losses.
- Brentford have lost just one of their last 15 Premier League games (W7 D7), a 1-0 defeat at Everton last month. Away from home, the Bees have won three of their most recent six league games (D2 L1), having been winless in their first seven on the road this term (D4 L3).
- Solly March has created six chances following a take-on in the Premier League this season, more than any other player. March has also been involved in six goals following a ball carry (four goals, two assists), with no player being involved in more.
Player to Watch
Ivan Toney
With a potentially impending lengthy ban in the pipeline, Ivan Toney might be playing some of his final games this season. And the English international comes into this game on the back of earning a call-up to the national side. Meanwhile, his away record is impeccable.
Toney has been involved in ten goals in his 12 games on the road in the Premier League this season (eight goals, two assists). Only Erling Haaland and Harry Kane (10 each) have scored more on the road than him. The 27-year-old will thus be in contention to find the back of the net and get Brentford something from the game.
Prediction
Brighton & Hove Albion 2-2 Brentford
Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford have been the two most improved teams in the Premier League this season. And there has barely been anything to separate the two sides up until this stage of the 2022/23 campaign.
The Seagulls might fancy their chances at home, considering they hardly lose a game at the Amex Stadium. On the other hand, Brentford’s form in the last few months has been sensational, with the Bees losing just once in 15 matches. So the two teams might have to suffice by sharing the spoils. And The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-2 draw between Brighton and Brentford this weekend.