Sports Mole previews Sunday’s Premier League clash between Brighton & Hove Albion and Tottenham Hotspur, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Five for five since their North London derby defeat to Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur endeavour to extend their hot streak when they head to the Amex to face Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.
Ange Postecoglou‘s side return to top-flight action after a hard-fought 2-1 Europa League win over Ferencvaros, while Fabian Hurzeler‘s men have had a week to mull over their 4-2 loss to Chelsea.
Match preview
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Albeit with a second-string XI, Tottenham were given a much rougher ride against Ferencvaros than they were in last weekend’s Premier League clash with Manchester United, but Postecoglou’s hotchpotch team survived a late scare to make it two for two in this season’s Europa League.
Pape Sarr and the red-hot Brennan Johnson were on target before Barnabas Varga cut the arrears in half right at the death, but there would be no late reprieve for the Hungarian champions on an evening where the kids were more than alright for Tottenham, who started four teenagers at the Groupama Arena.
A more experienced contingent should now be tasked with earning Spurs’ sixth successive victory across all tournaments, and their third straight success in the Premier League after beatings of Brentford (3-1) and Man United (3-0), although they were aided by Bruno Fernandes‘s wrongful dismissal in the latter fixture.
Even before the Portuguese was dismissed, Tottenham were teaching Erik ten Hag‘s men a footballing lesson en route to eighth spot in the table, as the Lilywhites slowly creep up on the European places following a stuttering start to the 2024-25 campaign.
Tottenham have hardly ever consistently produced the goods away from home under Postecoglou’s wing, though, as if they manage to prevail at the Amex Stadium, it will mark the first time in 12 months that they have won back-to-back Premier League games on their travels.
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Spurs’ upcoming hosts were briefly in dreamland on the road in gameweek six, as Georginio Rutter made the net ripple with just seven minutes gone against Stamford Bridge, but little did the Frenchman know that he had just set the Cole Palmer wheels in motion.
Indeed, Brighton were bamboozled by a record-breaking performance from the former Manchester City product, who became the first Premier League player in history to score four goals in one half, and a Carlos Baleba response in between his third and fourth strikes meant little.
Despite witnessing individual excellence in West London, Seagulls boss Hurzeler still lamented the ‘gifts’ that his side presented to Chelsea as they suffered their first defeat of the 31-year-old’s reign, one which leaves the ninth in the standings, just one point and one spot adrift of their upcoming visitors.
Showcasing a commitment to entertainment, Brighton have both scored and conceded multiple goals in each of their last three games in all competitions but only have two wins to show from their last eight Premier League matches at the Amex, drawing their last two to Ipswich Town and Nottingham Forest.
However, Brighton were on the correct end of a 4-2 scoreline in this exact fixture against Tottenham last season, only for Spurs to exact revenge with a 2-1 home triumph in February, and none of the last 13 meetings between the visitors and the Seagulls has ended level.
Brighton & Hove Albion Premier League form:
Brighton & Hove Albion form (all competitions):
Tottenham Hotspur Premier League form:
Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions):
Team News
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Tottenham captain Son Heung-min and first-choice left-back Destiny Udogie were both left at home for the win over Ferencvaros due to their recent knocks, and the former is not expected to make the cut here, but Postecoglou has confirmed that Udogie ought to be fine.
Should Son miss out once more, Spurs fans will no doubt implore Postecoglou to start 17-year-old Mikey Moore over the wasteful Timo Werner after the teenager’s bright performance in midweek, but their pleas will likely fall on deaf ears.
Two other attacking options – Wilson Odobert and Richarlison – are still out injured, and Dominic Solanke leads the Tottenham line after his first call-up to the senior England squad in seven years.
Radu Dragusin is also back from his Europa League ban, but Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven – who produced an exceptional solo run for an assist at Old Trafford – are immovable at the back.
As for Brighton, Hurzeler delivered a mixed fitness update on Friday morning, confirming that James Milner (thigh), Brajan Gruda (unspecified), Joel Veltman (illness) and long-term absentee Solly March (knee) could all be in contention for Sunday’s match.
However, there will still be no Joao Pedro (ankle), Matt O’Riley (ankle) or Jan Paul van Hecke (unspecified), while Simon Adingra is also touch-and-go but should only be on the bench at best.
Palmer was not the only player to make history at Stamford Bridge last weekend; 20-year-old Brighton midfielder Baleba became the youngest Cameroonian to score and assist in a Premier League match, and he will man the engine room with fellow protege Jack Hinshelwood once more.
Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:
Verbruggen; Veltman, Dunk, Igor, Estupinan; Enciso, Baleba, Hinshelwood; Rutter, Welbeck, Mitoma
Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:
Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Kulusevski, Bentancur, Maddison; Johnson, Solanke, Werner
We say: Brighton & Hove Albion 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Both sides have scored in each of the last three fixtures between Brighton and Tottenham, and Sunday’s affair should be no different, especially given the Seagulls’ recent propensity for high-scoring contests.
No side in the top flight has had more shots on target than Spurs’ 45 so far this season, though, and with a bunch of well-rested regulars back in the fold, Postecoglou’s men have our vote to continue their wonderful winning sequence.
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