Match Preview: Brighton and Hove Albion v Brentford | OneFootball

Brentford face Brighton and Hove Albion at the American Express Stadium on Friday (7.30pm kick-off GMT), in the Bees' final game of 2024.

Thomas Frank's side are still winless away from home, but they head to a Seagulls side that has failed to win any of their last five games.

Analysis, team news, match officials and more. Here's everything you need to know ahead of the fixture.

Pre-match analysis

Richard Cole, Playmaker Stats: Brighton's key threats ahead of Christmas clash

Brentford will look to get back on track following a first home defeat of the season when they travel to the Amex Stadium after Christmas to face an out-of-sorts Brighton.

The Seagulls are now on a run of five games without a win (three draws, two defeats) in the Premier League following the 1-1 stalemate at West Ham last time out. Brighton probably could have snatched a win in the capital with some of their many chances, but eventually had to settle for a point.

Besides the missed chances, what will really concern manager Fabian Hürzeler is that it was yet another game in which his team had been in front without going on to secure the win.

That draw was the third time in recent weeks that Brighton had opened the scoring before eventually drawing. The very same thing happened at home to Southampton at the end of November, as well as away to Leicester City after being two goals to the good going into the 86th minute earlier this month.

Should Brentford go behind first on Boxing Day, they'll know that there is certainly a way back into the game.

While the Bees would love to finally get an away win in the Premier League this season, draws are generally par for the course in Brighton. The south coast team have played eight league games this season with exactly half of those ending in draws.

Brighton's last victory at home came in early November in the 2-1 over Manchester City - only that time it was the Seagulls who came from behind to win.

Of course, a winless December will mean that Brighton will be all the more motivated and there are plenty of dangers for the Bees to worry about.

Kaoru Mitoma had probably the best chance of the game for his team as they looked to restore their lead against the Hammers on Saturday. The Japanese winger's talents are well-known and he continues to impress.

In fact, Mitoma is behind only Jeremy Doku for progressive carries (86 compared to the City forward's 89) in both the Premier League and in Europe's top five leagues this season. Similarly, the wide man ranks sixth in the English top flight for successful take-ons (33) and progressive third for progressive passes received.

Brentford will need to be on their toes to deal with Mitoma - but there are other dangers. Pervis Estupiñán is perhaps lucky to be able to feature against Brentford after only receiving a yellow card for his lunging tackle late on against West Ham, and the Bees' backline will have to be wary of his balls from the left, with only Dwight McNeil managing more crosses per game on average than the Ecuadorian (2.1 crosses per game).

In the build-up to this one, Hürzeler has highlighted Brentford's dangers from set-pieces, but Brighton are no slouches in this department either.

Although a doubt for this game, Danny Welbeck has scored half of his six leagues from set-pieces - no one in the Premier League has more set-piece goals this season (the forward is tied with Arsenal's Gabriel Magalhães).

To add to that, Brighton have five goals from headers this season (the same as Brentford), which means that the defence will have to stay tall again to counter any aerial threats or bombardments from the wing.

Scout Report

Dan Long, Sky Sports: Some improvement needed for Seagulls to hit exceeded expectations

Brighton have become model students in the Premier League since promotion in 2017, consistently improving, breaking club records and setting an impressive example to clubs outside the top six or seven as to what can be possible.

They finished sixth in 2022/23, which brought European football for the first time in their history, though - as expected - the extra demands brought new challenges to solve and new obstacles to navigate.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side played eight extra games on the way to the Europa League last 16, which provided memories for life for Seagulls fans, who had seen their club finish 18th in League One as recently as 2007.

But the 43 separate injuries - the third most of any Premier League side last term - took their toll.

Had it not been for their electric start of five wins from the first six league games, the fact they won only four of the 20 after Christmas might have been fatal - but they got through and still managed to finish 11th.

Following the struggles towards the end, it was announced prior to the final game of the season against Manchester United that De Zerbi would be leaving. "We have mutually agreed to end Roberto’s contract at a time that suits both parties allowing us the earliest opportunity to plan for next season, and Roberto plenty of time to consider his next move and his future,” said Brighton chairman Tony Bloom.

One month later, 31-year-old Fabian Hürzeler - fresh from winning the 2. Bundesliga title with St Pauli - was appointed as his successor on a three-year contract. When the news was announced, Bloom said: “From the start of the process to appoint our new head coach, Fabian was always a standout candidate and one who had caught our attention with his exceptional work at St Pauli.”

Brighton did a great deal of business to prepare the squad for the German’s first season in charge. In fact, they spent the third-most in the league. The signings of Georginio Rutter and Yankuba Minteh from Leeds and Newcastle respectively cost a reported £70 million alone.

With the halfway mark of the season approaching, it is fair to say that, while there are no real concerns - they are only six points behind surprise package Nottingham Forest in fourth - many would have expected slightly more as a result. The level of anticipation has risen sharply in recent years.

In 17 Premier League games so far, they have taken the lead on 10 occasions but only held on to win four of those games. Three of those 10 leads have come in the last five games, from which they have taken only three points.

As Andy Naylor referenced in Hot off the Press, the Seagulls have, at times, missed the leadership that could well have been a key factor in a climb further up the table. Joël Veltman’s return from injury has come at a pivotal point in that respect.

But Hürzeler rued his side’s lack of a “killer instinct” after a 3-1 defeat to rivals Crystal Palace recently; the six goals scored across the aforementioned run of five without a win show he certainly has a point.

Carry on as they have been and Brighton should be assured of a mid-table finish. But this club has become accustomed to bigger and better things, so they need to step up again if their goal of getting back into Europe is to be realised.

In the Dugout

Fabian Hürzeler

Born in February 1993, during the time his Swiss father and German mother were working in the USA, Fabian Hürzeler started out as part of Bayern Munich's youth system after returning to Europe aged two.

He spent the best part of a decade with Die Roten, working his way up to play for Bayern Munich II, while also representing the German national team at U15, U16, U17 and U19 levels.

Hürzeler moved on in 2013, first to Hoffenheim II, then to 1860 Munich II a year later, before dropping to the fifth tier of German football with Pipinsried, where he combined playing with the role of head coach, while also working as assistant manager of the German U18s and U20s. His coaching credentials were clear from the start, as Pipinsreid won promotion from the Bayernliga Sud in his first season.

After four years, he left the club in the summer of 2020 and was appointed assistant at St. Pauli. Two-and-a-half years later - aged just 29 - he became head coach after the departure of Timo Schultz, four months before he was granted his UEFA Pro Licence, and led the club to a fifth-place finish in the 2. Bundesliga in 2022/23.

Hürzeler's side flourished in 2023/24, though, and went unbeaten in their first 20 games of the season, on the way to pipping Holstein Kiel to the title by a single point to secure a return to the Bundesliga after 13 years away.

Just three months after signing a new contract at St. Pauli, Hürzeler took over from Roberto De Zerbi at Brighton, becoming the youngest permanent manager in Premier League history at the age of 31.

The Gameplan

With Andy Naylor, Brighton correspondent for The Athletic

Andy Naylor, Brighton correspondent for The Athletic, explains how Fabian Hürzeler's side are likely to be set up to face the Bees.

"Primarily, the system that has been used this season is 4-2-3-1," said Naylor. "That is in contrast to when Hürzeler took St. Pauli up from the Bundesliga 2 last season, when they won the title.

"Not all the time, but he predominantly played with a back five, or back three, there. Brighton have only done that very occasionally, so the main system tends to be that 4-2-3-1."

Read our full interview with Andy Naylor here.

Pre-match press conference

Frank gives injury update

Thomas Frank has given an update on the injured members of the Brentford squad - and revealed that none of them will be back for the Bees' trip to Brighton.

Frank stated: "On the injury situation, Ethan [Pinnock] is the same as last week: it's a bigger one, it'll be weeks with a hamstring injury.

"Sepp van den Berg is minor but it's going to be too short a turnaround for Brighton... let's see for Arsenal."

"Kristoffer Ajer went off injured and, unfortunately, picked up an ankle injury. It's a similar one to the Yoane Wissa earlier this season and Ethan Pinnock's last season. [Ajer] will also be out for weeks.

"Mathias Jensen is positive, he's getting closer, but, again, that will be too short for Brighton."

He added: "[Mads] Roerslev was a precaution, he's ready again.

"[Igor] Thiago still has the joint infection. I don't know exactly a time frame... but it'll be weeks."

Match Officials

Madley the man in the middle at the Amex

Referee: Andy Madley

Assistants: Nick Hopton and Craig Taylor

Fourth Official: John Busby

Video Assistant Referee: Chris Kavanagh

Andy Madley took charge of a Premier League game for the first time on 31 March 2018: a 2-2 draw between Watford and Bournemouth.

Last season, the 41-year-old officiated 35 matches, including four Brentford fixtures. The official showed 122 yellow cards and one red card last term.

This season, he has been the man in the middle for 11 matches, showing 48 cards in that time - five of those were in Brentford's clash with Wolves at Gtech Community Stadium in October.

Memorable meeting

Brentford 2 Brighton 0 (Premier League, 14 October 2022)

Ivan Toney celebrated his 100th game for Brentford with a brace to secure all three points for the Bees at home to Brighton and Hove Albion.

The striker netted either side of the break, his first an impudent flick and his second a trademark penalty, to secure a third home win in five for Thomas Frank’s side.

It was a milestone night for the head coach, too. The Dane became only the fifth man in club history to take charge of 200 games, reaching that mark with more wins than any of those to get there before him.