Brighton & Hove Albion and Leeds United will be eager to return to winning ways when they face off at the Amex Stadium on Saturday.
Gameweek 3 of the 2026/27 Premier League season will continue on Saturday with seven games. The action on Saturday will kick-start with the tie between Newcastle United and Bournemouth at St. James’ Park before continuing with five simultaneous games, including Brighton & Hove Albion vs Leeds United at the Amex Stadium.
Brighton & Hove Albion were the most in-form Premier League team following their pre-season preparations and showed that with a 4-0 rout of Aston Villa before securing UEFA Europa Conference League qualification in style. However, Chelsea exposed their defensive frailties by beating them 4-3 in Gameweek 2, though the Seagulls showed their fighting spirit by taking the game close in injury time.
On the other hand, Leeds United have shown little signs of the infamous “second season syndrome” after enjoying an unbeaten run at the start of the 2025/26 season. The Whites beat Nottingham Forest in successive games at the onset of the campaign (a 1-0 win in Gameweek 2 and a 2-0 victory in the EFL Cup second round). Their second Premier League outing showcased the team’s spirit, as they came from a goal down to hold Brentford to a 1-1 draw.
The corresponding fixture last season ended in a 3-0 win for Brighton, with Danny Welbeck and Diego Gomez (brace) finding the back of the net. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Brighton & Hove Albion
Fabian Hurzeler has received positive updates on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Brighton & Hove Albion manager may be bereft of the services of only five first-team players vs Leeds United on Saturday.
Yasin Ayari (ankle) and Georginio Rutter (knock) are closing in on returning from their minor issues, and they should be available to take on Leeds United. However, Jack Hinshelwood (ankle), Yankuba Minteh (calf), Kaoru Mitoma (hamstring), Stefanos Tzimas (knee), and Evan Ferguson (ankle) remain in the treatment room.
Bart Verbruggen is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Brighton & Hove Albion lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Leeds United on Saturday. The backline will feature Mats Wieffer, Luka Vuskovic, Lewis Dunk, and Ferdi Kadioglu.
As for the midfield unit, Olivier Boscagli will line up alongside Pascal Gross in the double pivot again if Yasin Ayari is not fit enough to start. Malick Yalcouye will reprise the no. 10 role, with Diego Gomez and Maxim De Cuyper being the two wide attackers. Finally, Georginio Rutter will lead the line for Brighton, with deadline-day signings Chema Andres and Femi Azeez starting on the bench.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Verbruggen; Wieffer, Vuskovic, Dunk, Kadioglu; Boscagli, Gross, Boscagli; Gomez, Yalcouye, De Cuyper; Rutter
Leeds United
Unlike his counterpart in the Brighton & Hove Albion dugout, Daniel Farke has a new injury concern that is hampering his preparations ahead of the trip to the Amex Stadium. The Leeds United head coach will be without three first-team players on Saturday.
Joe Rodon is the latest absentee after sustaining a hamstring injury in the Gameweek 2 clash with Brentford last weekend. The Welsh defender has joined Ilia Gruev and Mateo Joseph in the treatment room, with the duo recovering from knee injuries.
James Trafford is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Leeds United lining up in a 3-4-3 formation in front of him vs Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday. The central defensive unit will feature Nico Elvedi, Jaka Bijol, and Tarik Muharemovic. Meanwhile, Jayden Bogle and James Justin will start as the two wing-backs, though deadline-day arrival Melvin Bard is also an option for the left flank.
The wide duo will provide width in the final third and protect the three centre-backs. As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Anton Stach and Ethan Ampadu in the central areas, with the duo keeping things tight in the middle of the park. Finally, Dominic Calvert-Lewin will spearhead the away side’s attack, with Harry Wilson and Noah Okafor featuring on the flanks.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Trafford; Elvedi, Bijol, Muharemovic; Bogle, Stach, Ampadu, Justin; Wilson, Calvert-Lewin, Okafor
Key Stats
- Brighton & Hove Albion are unbeaten in their last 10 home league games vs Leeds United (W7 D3), keeping eight consecutive clean sheets against the Whites at the Amex. The Whites won their last league game against Brighton in May, a 1-0 win at Elland Road. They have not won consecutive league games against the Seagulls since a run of three between October 2008 and November 2009 in League One, while they have never done so in the top flight.
- Following their 4-0 win against Aston Villa in Gameweek 1, Brighton & Hove Albion will aim to win both of their opening two home games in a league season for the first time since 2016/17, and for the first time ever in the top flight.
- After beating Nottingham Forest 1-0 in Gameweek 1, Leeds United are hoping to win both of their first two away games in a league season for the first time since 2019/20, and for the first time in the top flight since 1973/74.
- Brighton have benefitted from two own goals already in the Premier League this season, one against Aston Villa and one against Chelsea. The only team to benefit from an own goal in three consecutive games are Everton in March/April 2014.
- Leeds United have won both of their away games in all competitions this season, beating Nottingham Forest 1-0 in the Premier League and 2-0 in the League Cup. That is just one fewer away victory than they managed in 23 games last term (W3 D12 L8).
Player to Watch
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
While Pascal Gross, Diego Gomez, and Harry Wilson were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Dominic Calvert-Lewin as the Player to Watch for Saturday’s Premier League clash between Brighton & Hove Albion and Leeds United at the Amex Stadium.
All 15 of Calvert-Lewin’s Premier League goals for Leeds have come from inside the box, including his first goal of the season in the Gameweek 2 clash with Brentford last week. That is the joint most of any Leeds United player without scoring from outside the box, along with Lee Chapman.
Calvert-Lewin has applied 104 high-intensity pressures in the opposition half this season, with only Hull City’s Oliver McBurnie (105) doing so more often. With the Englishman starting to show some form, he will be pivotal to Leeds United’s fortunes at the Amex Stadium this weekend.
Prediction
Brighton & Hove Albion 2-2 Leeds United
Leeds United have not been happy visitors at Elland Road, having played more matches without winning at the Amex than any other stadium in their entire history (P10 D3 L7). In their eight goalless games there since 2013/14, 34 players have taken a shot without success.
With Leeds often drawing a blank at the Amex Stadium, Saturday’s clash will pose a challenge to the away side. However, they have shown tremendous resolve at the onset of the 2026/27 season, which bodes well ahead of a tricky encounter in Gameweek 3. That should help them secure a point, with the game expected to end in a 2-2 draw.