How Brighton Have Bounced Back From Their 7-0 Hammering at Forest

Brighton were beaten 7-0 by Nottingham Forest at the beginning of February but their response has fired them into contention for a Champions League place and they are in with a chance of lifting the FA Cup.

Fabian Hurzeler’s extra time win over Newcastle at the weekend means they have now won their last five competitive matches. Now is the time to back them with crucial games against Fulham, Manchester City and Aston Villa to come in the Premier League. 

Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.

Forwards in Fine Fettle  

The appointment of Fabian Hurzeler has yet another astute decision from the Brighton board. Replacing Roberto De Zerbi, who was a hugely popular manager, with the Premier League’s youngest ever manager was a risky decision but it has proven correct. The Seagulls have a talented squad and continue to reap the rewards of successful recruitment. This has enabled the manager to continue the success on the pitch and a return to Europe could be on the cards. 

Hurzeler’s predecessor led the club into Europe for the first time but making it into the top four isn’t out of the question this season. Brighton come into the weekend just four points behind Manchester City, who currently occupy 4th place. The new manager also has the chance to take his team to the FA Cup semi-final by beating Nottingham Forest at the end of March, avenging the beating they took at the City ground in February. 

Since the 7-0 drubbing at the hands of Nottingham Forest, Brighton have beaten Chelsea twice, Bournemouth and Newcastle as well as a comprehensive victory over Southampton. They have conceded just three goals during that impressive run, indicating that they have tightened things up at the back but it is the Seagulls’ dynamic attack that has caught the eye. 

Kaoru Mitoma and Yankuba Minteh have been key figures in Brighton’s post Forest revival. The mercurial wide men have been in scintillating form. Mitoma, who was the subject of a hefty bid from Saudi Arabia in January, has netted five goals in his last nine games and assisted another. He scored in both wins over Chelsea and looks set for a fruitful finish to the season.  Minteh has scored three and assisted one in Brighton’s four match winning run. The pair should prove to be a handful for opposition full-backs in the months to come. 

Danny Welbbeck is also enjoying a purple patch. He scored the winner at St. James’s Park, making it two goals and two assists in his last four games. Joao Pedro has matched Welbeck’s goals and assist tally during Brighton’s winning run. The manager will be hoping his forwards continue to shine this weekend. 

Brighton Have the Edge Over Top Six Rivals

Brighton need to continue their momentum with a win this weekend, but they have a poor recent record against Fulham. The Seagulls have triumphed over the Cottagers since they met in the Championship at the start of 2017. The teams have played nine competitive matches since then, with Fulham winning five. 

Nevertheless, Hurzeler will have confidence in his team given their scoring form. Brighton have an average xG of 1.64 per game over the course of the Premier League season. This increases to 1.98 in their last five matches across all competitions. The Seagulls have an xGA of just 0.96 in their last five home matches in the league so they should have more opportunities than Fulham here. Their confident attack has the quality to take those chances and a win would put them in good stead in the race for Europe.

A win this weekend would move Brighton four points ahead of Fulham and put the pressure on Newcastle and Chelsea in the race for a place in the top six. The Magpies have one win and three defeats in their last four competitive matches, the same as the Blues. Both have suffered defeats against the Seagulls in that time so Hurzeler’s men look to have the edge ahead of this crucial phase of the season. 

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