Brighton vs Southampton predictions: Saints no match for in-form Seagulls
- Brighton are fifth in the table
- Southampton are bottom
- Recommended bet: Brighton to win and both teams to score
Brighton can temporarily move up to second in the Premier League with victory over rock-bottom Southampton on Friday evening.
The Seagulls are fifth, level on 22 points with Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City above, but can jump up three places if they secure three points against Saints, who are already five points adrift of safety at the bottom.
Team news
Brighton will be without James Milner, Solly March and Ferdi Kadioglu, who are all injured, while Lewis Dunk, Jack Hinshelwood, Tariq Lamptey, Adam Webster and Yankuba Minteh are all major doubts.
Carlos Baleba is suspended for the hosts.
Southampton keepers Aaron Ramsdale and Gavin Bazunu are both still absent so Alex McCarthy will again start in goal.
Jan Bednarek, Will Smallbone and Ross Stewart have also been ruled out for the visitors, while Adam Lallana and Paul Onuachu seem highly unlikely to feature after sustaining injuries against Liverpool last weekend.
The stats
Brighton are unbeaten at home in the league this season, with three wins and three draws so far.
Southampton have lost all six of their away games.
Both teams have scored in seven of Brighton's last eight Premier League matches.
Southampton have conceded 24 goals in their 12 league games with only Wolves (28) letting in more in the division.
Southampton have scored in defeats to Brentford, Bournemouth, Arsenal, Leicester and Liverpool this term.
There have been goals at both ends in the last seven meetings between the Seagulls and Saints.
Prediction
Brighton continue to impress under new boss Fabian Hurzeler and the Seagulls come into Friday's home clash with struggling Southampton on the back of consecutive 2-1 wins over Manchester City and Bournemouth.
The comeback win over the champions earlier this month is the highlight of a hugely encouraging campaign so far, which has also seen Hurzeler's men beat Manchester United and Tottenham at home and Everton and Newcastle away.
Throw in a draw picked up at Arsenal and it is easy to see why Seagulls fans are beginning to dream of a sustained challenge for a top-four finish.
Southampton supporters, on the other hand, are bracing themselves for a tough relegation scrap. Russell Martin's men have won just one game and they are continuing to look far too vulnerable at the back, conceding soft goals with alarming regularity.
Saints have been competitive in plenty of games — Martin's men were only beaten 1-0 by Man City and were 2-1 up against leaders Liverpool last weekend with 25 minutes to go only to lose 3-2 — to suggest they will have their moments at Brighton.
However, the Seagulls are on the up and they should have too much for their fellow south coast side.
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