Two teams enduring vastly different campaigns will clash on Friday when Brighton & Hove Albion host Southampton at the Amex Stadium.
The 2024/25 Premier League season resumes this week with Gameweek 13. The action will kick off on Friday night with Brighton & Hove Albion vs Southampton, with the latter desperate to get off the foot of the table and the former eager to remain in the title race.
Brighton & Hove Albion have been exceptional in the first few months of the Fabian Hurzeler era. The 31-year-old has belied his age and showcased a tactical masterclass one after the other since taking charge of the Premier League. The Seagulls have hardly missed a step in the top flight, losing only twice while racking up 22 points, with the tally placing them in the fifth spot in the standings, a point behind second-placed Manchester City.
As for Southampton, the Saints have endured a trial by fire since returning to the Premier League by winning the EFL Championship promotion playoffs last term. Russell Martin’s men have won only once while losing ten of their 12 games thus far, leaving the manager on a slippery slope.
The most recent Premier League game featuring Brighton and Southampton at the Amex Stadium ended in a comfortable 3-1 win for the Seagulls, with Evan Ferguson 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
Fabian Hurzeler has greeted a mixed bag of updates on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest figure. The Brighton & Hove Albion manager will be bereft of the services of only four first-team players vs Southampton on Friday.
Lewis Dunk (calf), Tariq Lamptey (calf), and Yankuba Minteh (illness) are fit and available after recovering from their issues. In addition, Jack Hinshelwood (knee) and Ferdi Kadioglu (toe) are close to returning and might be in the matchday squad.
So, Adam Webster (thigh), James Milner (thigh) and Solly March (knee) are the only players in the treatment room. Meanwhile, Carlos Baleba will serve a one-match suspension after seeing red last weekend against Bournemouth.
Bart Verbruggen will take his spot between the sticks, with Brighton & Hove Albion lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Southampton. The backline should feature Joel Veltman, Jan Paul van Hecke, Pervis Estupinan, and the returning Lewis Dunk.
As for the midfield unit, Mats Wieffer and Matt O’Riley should pair up in the double pivot, looking to keep things tight in the middle of the park while initiating swift transitions. Joao Pedro will reprise the no. 10 role, with Georginio Rutter and Kaoru Mitoma being the two wide attackers. Finally, Danny Welbeck will lead the line for Brighton against Southampton.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Verbruggen; Veltman, van Hecke, Dunk, Estupinan; Wieffer, O’Riley; Rutter, Pedro, Mitoma; Welbeck
Southampton
Unlike his counterpart in the Brighton & Hove Albion dugout, Russell Martin has new issues to worry about ahead of the trip to the Amex Stadium. The Southampton manager might be without seven first-team players on Friday.
Last weekend’s defeat to Liverpool came at another cost as Adam Lallana picked up a hamstring injury, while Paul Onuachu sustained a knee issue. While Onuachu might have the chance to return, Lallana has joined Aaron Ramsdale (finger), Gavin Bazunu (Achilles), Jan Bednarek (knee), Ross Stewart (thigh), and William Smallbone (hamstring) in the treatment room.
Alex McCarthy should take his spot between the sticks, with Southampton lining up in a 3-4-3 formation in front of him vs Brighton & Hove Albion. The system will morph into a 5-4-1 in the defensive phases, with the wing-backs and wingers dropping. Meanwhile, the central defensive unit should feature Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Flynn Downes, and Jack Stephens.
Kyle Walker-Peters and Ryan Manning should be the two wing-backs, with the duo flanking Joe Aribo and Mateus Fernandes in the middle of the park. Finally, Cameron Archer will likely lead the line for Southampton against Brighton, with Tyler Dibling and Adam Armstrong completing the numbers in the offensive trifecta.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): McCarthy; Harwood-Bellis, Downes, Stephens; Walker-Peters, Aribo, Fernandes, Manning; Dibling, Archer, Armstrong
Key Stats
- After failing to win their first seven Premier League games vs Southampton (D4 L3), Brighton & Hove Albion have won three of their last five outings against them (D2). The Saints have lost only one of their six Premier League away games against Brighton (W3 D2), although it was a 3-1 loss on their most recent visit in May 2023.
- Southampton have scored in all 12 of their Premier League games vs Brighton. That is the most they have faced an opponent while scoring every time in the competition. Meanwhile, the Seagulls have only faced Manchester City (15) more without keeping a clean sheet.
- Brighton & Hove Albion have won their last two Premier League games, most recently winning three successive top-flight matches in September 2023. The Seagulls are also unbeaten in all six home league games this term (W3 D3), their longest run from the start of a campaign since 2015/16 (10 in the Championship).
- Brighton & Hove Albion are the only team to be unbeaten when conceding the first goal in Premier League games this season (W2 D2). Meanwhile, Southampton have lost all eight games in which they have conceded first, with only Nottingham Forest having a 100% loss rate (2/2).
- Adam Armstrong has scored in his last three home appearances for Southampton in all competitions. Charlie Austin was the last player to score in four successive matches at St. Mary’s with Saints as a top-flight side (in September/October 2016).
Player to Watch
Joao Pedro
Joao Pedro has been a breath of fresh air since recovering from his fitness issues. While the highly-rated attacker showed flashes of brilliance last season, he struggled for consistency. That has changed this term, especially in his recent outings.
The Brazilian international has been involved in six goals in his last five Premier League outings (G4 A2). After scoring and assisting against Manchester City and Bournemouth, he became the first Brighton player to score and assist a goal in consecutive Premier League matches. Pedro will hope to continue his hot streak, and he cannot ask for a better opponent than Southampton to do so.
Prediction
Brighton & Hove Albion 3-1 Southampton
Southampton might have had the upper hand on Brighton & Hove Albion, but they do not have the quality to cause an upset. While the Seagulls have shown a soft underbelly and have some defensive deficiencies, Joao Pedro and Danny Welbeck’s incredible form is good enough to ensure they cruise to a victory this week.
The Saints have lost only one of their last seven Premier League games on a Friday (W4 D2), going down 1-0 at Aston Villa in September 2022. However, that solid record will witness a blemish, even though the visitors will likely continue their scoring run against Brighton. The Hard Tackle predicts a straightforward 3-1 win for Fabian Hurzeler and his charges, completing a ten-game away losing run for Southampton in the Premier League.
