European-chasing Brighton & Hove Albion welcome a doomed Leicester City outfit to the Amex Stadium for a Premier League clash on Saturday afternoon.
The Seagulls and the Foxes played out a 2-2 draw in the reverse fixture at the King Power Stadium in December, with Ruud van Nistelrooy's side coming from two goals down in the final four minutes to rescue a point.
Match preview
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Since enjoying a six-game winning run across all competitions, including four straight Premier League victories, Brighton have failed to come out on top in any of their last four matches, with a penalty-shootout defeat to Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup quarter-finals followed by consecutive league losses to Aston Villa and Crystal Palace.
Three days after suffering a disappointing 3-0 home defeat to fellow European hopefuls Aston Villa, the Seagulls were beaten 2-1 in the M23 derby by Crystal Palace last weekend, with head coach Fabian Hurzeler left disappointed that his side did not win the personal duels in a "very emotional" and "very wild game" in which three players were sent off.
Brighton are one of several clubs who have been boosted by the news that finishing fifth in the Premier League will secure a place in next season's Champion League, and as things stand, the Seagulls sit ninth in the table, just outside the European spots and six points behind the top five with seven games remaining.
After losing six of their first eight Premier League games against Leicester (D2), Brighton head into Saturday's contest unbeaten in their last five top-flight meeting with the Foxes (W2 D3), winning their most recent on home soil by a 5-2 scoreline in September 2022.
Brighton are now seeking to avoid losing at least three consecutive Premier League games for the first time since March 2022 under former boss Graham Potter (six), while they are also searching for their first victory in the month of April since hammering Wolves 6-0 in 2023, having failed to win their last seven such matches since then (D2 L5).
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Southampton were officially relegated from the Premier League last weekend and Leicester's fate is on the verge of being sealed, as they sit 15 points adrift of safety following a woeful run of form, with just seven games left to play.
Ruud van Nistelrooy has been unable to turn the club's fortunes around, as the Foxes have lost a staggering 15 of their last 16 top-flight matches, including each of their last eight in a row without reply. A 3-0 home defeat to Newcastle on Monday condemned Leicester to a record-breaking eighth successive home loss without scoring, an unwanted feat never before achieved in the top four tiers of English football.
Amidst uncertainty over his future, Van Nistelrooy has reaffirmed his commitment to Leicester despite feeling the pain of "blow after blow" in the Foxes hotseat, but the Dutchman has revealed that talks over his long-term future at the King Power Stadium are yet to be held.
Leicester, who cannot be relegated this weekend, are now seeking to avoid becoming the first team in top-flight history to lose nine consecutive games without reply, while only Crystal Palace (nine games in 1995) have ever endured a longer scoring drought in the Premier League than the Foxes' eight.
Only basement club Southampton (five) have collected fewer away Premier League points than Van Nistelrooy's side this season (eight), while Leicester have not won a top-flight away game against a team starting the day in the top half of the table since May 2021 at Man United (201) - they have accumulated just four points in 24 matches since then (D4 L20).
Team News
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Brighton's packed treatment room includes Ferdi Kadioglu (toe), Igor Julio, Adam Webster, James Milner (all hamstring), Georginio Rutter, Joel Veltman, Tariq Lamptey (all ankle) and Jason Steele (shoulder), while Kaoru Mitoma (knock) is a doubt and will be assessed ahead of kickoff.
Jan Paul van Hecke is suspended after being sent off late on in the defeat to Palace, so Hurzeler may hand January signing Eiran Cashin his full debut at centre-back alongside captain Lewis Dunk. Hurzeler has revealed that Mats Wieffer and Carlos Baleba are two other options that he will consider starting at the heart of his defence.
Matt O'Riley started in an advanced central role behind Danny Welbeck last time out, but he could be replaced by Joao Pedro this weekend, while Yankuba Minteh - who scored in the reverse fixture against Leicester - is set to continue on the right ahead of Simon Adingra and Solly March.
As for Leicester, Abdul Fatawu (knee) remains a long-term absentee, and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte is ineligible to face his parent club, while Wout Faes has picked up a "small injury" and has emerged as a doubt.
Harry Winks missed the defeat to Newcastle and has been banished from the Foxes squad by Van Nistelrooy for refusing to compromise on his 100-mile daily commute to training. The midfielder is therefore unlikely to feature in Saturday's game.
Van Nistelrooy may recall Caleb Okoli at the expense of Faes at centre-back, while Stephy Mavididi, Bobby De Cordova-Reid, Jordan Ayew and 15-year-old Jeremy Monga - who made his senior debut and became the second-youngest Premier League player in history against Newcastle - will all be hoping to force their way into the Foxes' attack.
Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:
Verbruggen; Hinshelwood, Cashin, Dunk, Estupinan; Baleba, Ayari; Minteh, Pedro, Mitoma; Welbeck
Leicester City possible starting lineup:
Hermansen; Okoli, Coady, Thomas; Justin, Ndidi, Soumare, Kristiansen; El Khannouss, Ayew; Vardy
We say: Brighton & Hove Albion 3-0 Leicester City
Leicester did well to fight back and earn a draw in the reverse fixture with Brighton, but it is difficult to back the Foxes picking up any points this time around considering their dire run of form, defensive vulnerabilities and struggles in the final third.
Brighton have suffered a slight dip in form in recent weeks, but they should have too much for Leicester this weekend, despite the absence of several players, with Hurzeler still able to call upon several Seagulls stars who can cause the Foxes problems.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Oliver Thomas
