Brighton & Hove Albion will be looking to bring an end to their three-match winless run in the Premier League when they host newly-promoted Sunderland at Amex Stadium.
Sunderland have been doing wonders in the English top flight, and they will be eager to continue their excellent run when they lock horns with Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
While not many expected them to survive in the Premier League, the Black Cats are eyeing a top-half finish. Regis Le Bris and his charges will look to strengthen their position in the top half when they hit the road to face Brighton, who have been a touch inconsistent of late.
The home team are tenth on the points table with 23 points in their 16 outings. The Seagulls were doing just fine, but things have not been that great for them in recent weeks. Not only have they failed to win any of their last three league games, but two of those fixtures have also resulted in a defeat.
Fabian Hurzeler’s men were completely outplayed by Liverpool (0-2 defeat) in their last outing. While Brighton will be eager to return to winning ways, they will be going up against a Sunderland team that are high on confidence and tends to go all out for the three points.
The Black Cats are eighth on the table with 26 points in their 16 outings. The newly promoted outfit have already secured seven wins and are just two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea. They are heading into this fixture on the back of a sensational 1-0 win over rivals Newcastle United in the derby.
The Black Cats will certainly be optimistic about putting up another strong performance against Brighton on the weekend. Given their recent form, it won’t be much of a surprise if the away side do take down the Seagulls away from home. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Brighton & Hove Albion
Fabian Hurzeler remains without the services of Stefanos Tzimas, Adam Webster, and Solly March. Meanwhile, Lewis Dunk and Diego Gomez are suspended for this fixture, while Carlos Baleba is away on international duty.
The Seagulls will stick with the 4-2-3-1 formation, where Bart Verbruggen should continue in goal. Mats Wieffer and Ferdi Kadioglu will be the full-backs, while Jan Paul van Hecke will partner with Olivier Boscagli in the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Yasin Ayari and Jack Hinshelwood will form the double pivot in the middle of the park. They will look to shield the backline and ensure they dictate the pace of the game.
Georginio Rutter will take up the number ten role, while Maxim De Cuyper and Yankuba Minteh are expected to take charge on the flanks. Finally, Danny Welbeck will lead the line for Brighton & Hove Albion against Sunderland on Saturday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Verbruggen; Wieffer, Van Hecke, Boscagli, Kadioglu; Hinshelwood, Ayari; Minteh, Rutter, De Cuyper; Welbeck
Sunderland
Regis Le Bris will be without the services of Noah Sadiki, Chemsdine Talbi, Reinildo Mandava, Bertrand Traore, and Arthur Masuaku as all of them are away on international duty. Meanwhile, Luke O’Nien and Aji Alese are suspended for this outing.
The Black Cats will line up in a 5-3-2 formation, where Robin Roefs will take charge in goal. The back three will be made up of Omar Alderete, Dan Ballard, and Lutsharel Geertruida.
Meanwhile, Nordi Mukiele and Trai Hume should be the two wing-backs providing support to the backline. In the centre of the park, Chris Rigg will start alongside former Arsenal skipper Granit Xhaka and Enzo Le Fee. The trio will look to ensure Brighton do not dominate the proceedings. In the final third, Wilson Isidor will partner with Brian Brobbey.
Probable Lineup (5-3-2): Roefs; Mukiele, Geertruida, Ballard, Alderete, Hume; Rigg, Xhaka, Le Fee; Isidor, Brobbey
Key Stats
- Both Sunderland and Brighton & Hove Albion have won just two out of their last six league outings.
- Since the start of last season, Brighton & Hove Albion have only lost four out of their 27 home league games.
- This is set to be the first league meeting between Sunderland and Brighton & Hove Albion since February 2005, when they faced each other in the Championship.
- 11 out of Brighton & Hove Albion’s 13 league wins over Sunderland have come on their home turf.
- The Black Cats’ tally of 26 points in their 16 league outings is the best for a newly promoted side since Hull City in 2008/09 (also 26).
Player to Watch
Granit Xhaka
The former Arsenal skipper returned to the Premier League in the summer to help Sunderland survive in the top flight following their hard-fought promotion. Xhaka has not only helped bolster their midfield, but the 33-year-old has also been one of their standout performers this season.
The Swiss midfielder has featured in all 16 of their league games, and he has even contributed towards five goals. His experience and his ability to control the tempo have helped the Black Cats significantly. With quite a few of their players leaving for the AFCON, all eyes will be on Xhaka to step up and help his team go past this phase.
Prediction
Brighton & Hove Albion 1-1 Sunderland
Brighton & Hove Albion will be eager to halt their recent slump and make the most of home advantage, especially given their strong record at the Amex Stadium. Despite a number of absentees,
Fabian Hurzeler’s charges still have enough quality in attack to trouble Sunderland and should enjoy plenty of the ball as they look to dictate the tempo and create openings. Sunderland, however, arrive full of confidence after their derby win over Newcastle United, and they will not be short of belief.
Well-organised and energetic in midfield, the Black Cats are capable of frustrating the hosts and striking on the counter. If they remain compact and disciplined, they could once again prove difficult to beat, making a share of the spoils a realistic outcome. The Hard Tackle predicts a hard-fought 1-1 draw.