Two of the Premier League’s overachievers this season bump heads at the Amex Stadium as Brighton prepare to host Brentford, with both sides holding realistic European ambitions.
Brighton have navigated the departure of Graham Potter perfectly with Roberto De Zerbi maintaining their levels of performance as they currently sit seventh in the table, with at least one game in hand on all sides above them and two on those sides challenging their position from below.
The Seagulls are in with a serious shout of European football next season, while they can also look forward to an FA Cup semi-final .
Brentford are below Saturday’s opponents only on goal difference, although they have played two games more, with Thomas Frank’s side having had no problems with second-season syndrome.
The Bees have been outstanding, and have bounced back from seeing their 12-match unbeaten Premier League run ended by Everton by securing four points from their subsequent two games.
Brighton vs Brentford Betting Tips
Team news
Brighton may be able to welcome back Tariq Lamptey after he returned to training following a knee injury.
Jakub Moder and Adam Lallana are long-term absentees while De Zerbi faces making late calls over a spate of South American players who were with their countries on international duty, such as Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister.
Evan Ferguson is likely to retain his starting spot after a period of excellent form that has seen him linked with a move away.
Brentford are without midfielder Shandon Baptiste, who serves a one-match ban following a red card against Leicester last time out.
Keane Lewis-Potter, Vitaly Janelt, Kristoffer Ajer and Aaron Hickey are all on the sidelines with Mads Roerslev set to take the latter’s place at right-back.
Draw and both teams to score @ 4/1
Both teams are tough to beat and therefore it is a tricky game to call at the Amex Stadium.
Brighton are seventh in the table and level on points with Liverpool, having played a game less, meaning a place in the Europa League next season remains within their grasp.
They have lost only twice since the resumption of the season after the World Cup, with one of those losses coming against table-toppers Arsenal, while they were arguably unfortunate to lose the other, having dominated Fulham for long periods.
Brentford travel to the south coast in great form themselves, having lost only one of their last 15 games in the Premier League.
They are incredibly difficult to get the better of, losing only five of their 27 league games this season, and no other team has drawn more matches than the Bees with 12 of their games ending all square after 90 minutes.
#PickYourPunt – Evan Ferguson and Ivan Toney to score @ 4/1
Ferguson’s ascent this season has been rapid and now he is a fully-fledged international player with the Republic of Ireland.
Already there are reports linking him with a move away from the Amex as well as being offered a new contract by Brighton to fend off such interest.
He has scored seven goals for Brighton this season, including a brace against Grimsby in the FA Cup a few weeks ago.
Toney has been outstanding for Brentford scoring 17 in 28 games this season, and has also made his international bow with England.
Both sides have been in good scoring form with Brighton having failed to score only once in their last 15 games in all competitions, while Brentford have been blanked twice in their last 15, and a 1-1 correct score is worth considering at 7/1.
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