Brighton & Hove Albion vs Southampton
Date: 30/03/2019
K/O: 15:00
Venue: Amex Stadium
Referee: Michael Oliver
It’s been a long, gruelling international break, however Chris Hughton will ensure the Seagulls are at their sharpest for the visit of Southampton on Saturday as Brighton attempt to record their fourth win in as many games at the Amex.
This fixture will be Ralph Hasenhuttl’s first encounter with Brighton and a game of such magnitude in terms of the relegation battle will be relished by the Austrian.
The international break could not have come at a worse time for the Saints, as a huge win over Tottenham could have been the beginning of the type of momentum that they require to stay in the Premier League. Hasenhuttl will be confident as the Saints are unbeaten in nine out of their last 10 meetings with Brighton and will be looking to take all three points on Saturday.
Their last encounter saw an intense 2-2- draw, Glenn Murray becoming the hero for Brighton in the dying minutes, sparing a point after being 2-0 down. However, Southampton have really turned their season around.
After losing points from winning positions against sides such as Brighton and Manchester United, they are now winning points against sides such as Spurs even after being in a losing position. While Southampton are very far away from their desired position, Hasenhuttl is taking them in the right direction and the squad seemed to have pulled together.
This encounter will be vital in terms of the relegation battle as a win for the Saints could bring them level on 33 points with Brighton, despite their game in hand. Cardiff are currently the side sitting in that dreaded 18th place. With only two points separating them, Southampton and Burnley, any of these three sides could find themselves occupying the final relegation spot in just under two months time, with the Bluebirds in particularly poor form having lost three of their last five in the Premier League.
Brighton
Brighton will be without their main man, Pascal Gross, this weekend as he is still unavailable through an injury picked up earlier in the season. He will be a huge loss as his creativity is pivotal within the Brighton midfield, scoring nine and assisting ten in his 57 appearances for the club.
These figures may not do the man justice as his dogged nature on the pitch combined with his vision really gives teams problems. Florin Andone and Beram Kayal will also be unavailable for this fixture through injuries sustained earlier in the season.
Brighton will want to capitalise on the next few weeks as their game in hand could be used fully to their advantage. Three points against the Saints would increase the gap to six points, still with that game in hand. This would almost guarantee safety for the Seagulls which is ultimately the goal at this stage of the season.
Southampton
The Saints will be without strikers Michael Obafemi and Shane Long through injury. The two Irishmen missed their international fixtures which would be nothing short of frustrating as both would have had a very good opportunity to get into the Ireland team, bringing a blend of youth and experience into the side.
Danny Ings has had another stop-start season filled with injuries. However, none have been as severe as his previous season-long injuries, providing a glimmer of hope for the Englishman as his career could be on the rise once again. He is doubtful to start for the Saints however he may make an appearance from the bench.
Mario Lemina is back in training for Southampton but is not expected to play against Brighton. His route back into the first team may be a difficult one considering the relative success of the current midfield, most notably the form of James Ward-Prowse.
Southampton’s place in the league doesn’t reflect their recent form, huge wins against Fulham and Tottenham have made their push for survival seem a lot more realistic than earlier on this season under Mark Hughes.
Both teams will be looking to take three points, however it could be argued that both sides are not the worst in this relegation battle and that both will be safe, but it shouldn’t be taken for granted as Cardiff will be hot on both of their heels.
Predicted Starting XIs
Brighton (4-3-3): Ryan; Bernardo, Duffy, Dunk, Montoya; Bissouma, Stephens, Propper; Jahanbakhsh, Murray, Knockaert.
Southampton (3-4-2-1): Gunn; Bednarek, Yoshida, Vestergaard; Bertrand, Hojbjerg, Romeu; Redmond, Ward-Prowse; Austin.
Prediction: Brighton 1 Southampton 3
The style of football that Hasenhuttl has been playing recently is exceptional and the players seem more than up for a war at the bottom of the Premier League. Brighton seem relatively safe in comparison to the Saints, and with one eye on their FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, I expect Hasenhuttl’s men to secure an important away win at the Amex.
