Premier League Preview: Brentford vs Brighton- Friday, December 27, 2024

Still looking for their first away win in the league, Brentford travel to the south coast for a challenging clash against Brighton on Friday, December 27th, at the American Express Stadium.

Brentford and Brighton played out a goalless draw in their last meeting in April. Despite their recent struggles against the Seagulls, the Bees will look to turn the tide. Brighton have had the upper hand in recent clashes, as Brentford have failed to beat them in their last three competitive encounters, though the Seagulls themselves only secured one victory in that span.

Brighton Betting Preview (-167 at EveryGame)

Brighton, much like their visitors, are dealing with a spate of injuries that have hindered their form. After a bright start to the season under new manager Fabian Hurzeler, the Seagulls have hit a rough patch and are winless in their last five Premier League matches (three draws and two losses).

In their most recent outing, Brighton were held to a 1-1 draw at West Ham United before Christmas. While the Seagulls showed promise in patches, their inability to hold onto leads has been a recurring problem. Similar scenarios unfolded in their recent draws against Leicester City (2-2) and Southampton (1-1), where defensive lapses proved costly.

Brighton’s home form has also been inconsistent. They’ve played eight top-flight games at the Amex this season, with four ending in draws (3-4-1 record). Yet, their last home victory was an impressive 2-1 comeback against Manchester City in early November.

Fabian Hurzeler will take some comfort from the return of Joel Veltman, whose presence has bolstered Brighton’s defense. Before his return, the Seagulls had conceded eight goals in three games – a statistic they’ll be keen to improve upon. 

Veteran James Milner remains sidelined for Brighton, while a number of first-team players will be assessed, with the list including the likes of Adam Webster, Jan Paul van Hecke, Ferdi Kadioglu, Solly March, Jack Hinshelwood, Mats Wieffer and Danny Welbeck. 

Brentford Betting Preview (+400 at EveryGame) 

Brentford are coming off a disappointing 2-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest last weekend, marking their first home loss of the season. The Bees are now on a three-game losing streak across all competitions, which adds to the urgency of ending the calendar year on a positive note.

Currently sitting 12th in the Premier League at Christmas, Brentford’s position seems relatively secure for now. However, their form away from the Gtech Community Stadium continues to be a major concern. Thomas Frank’s men have the worst away record in the division, picking up just a single point from eight matches – courtesy of a 0-0 draw at Everton last month.

Despite this, Brentford boast the league’s best home record (7-1-1), making their January schedule at the Gtech particularly intriguing. The Bees will host Arsenal on New Year’s Day, followed by matches against Manchester City and Liverpool within the first three weeks of 2025.

Unfortunately, injuries are mounting for Brentford, further compounding their struggles. First-team players such as Ethan Pinnock, Josh Dasilva, Aaron Hickey, Rico Henry, Mathias Jensen and Igor Thiago remain unavailable, with several others – defensive duo of Sepp van den Berg and Mads Roerslev – also doubtful for the trip to Brighton. Thomas Frank will need to rely on his squad depth to navigate this tough period.

Possible Starting Lineups of Brighton and Brentford

Brighton: Bart Verbruggen – Joel Veltman, Jan Paul van Hecke, Lewis Dunk, Pervis Estupinán – Carlos Baleba, Yasin Ayari – Brajan Gruda, Georginio Rutter, Kaoru Mitoma – Joao Pedro. (4-2-3-1) 

Brentford: Mark Flekken – Mads Roerslev, Nathan Collins, Ben Mee, Keane Lewis-Potter – Vitaly Janelt, Christian Norgaard, Mikkel Damsgaard – Bryan Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa, Kevin Schade. (4-3-3) 

Spooky Express Betting Prediction 

This matchup presents a battle between two inconsistent sides, each with contrasting records at home and away. Brentford’s abysmal away record makes them underdogs, but Thomas Frank’s men are known for their resilience.

Brighton, meanwhile, have proven difficult to beat at the Amex, even if their propensity for draws has frustrated fans. With half of their home games ending level, and Brentford’s lack of cutting edge away from home, another stalemate could be on the cards.

Expect a closely fought contest where Brighton are EveryGame’s favorites to edge proceedings but face stern resistance from the Bees. A low-scoring draw or a narrow Brentford victory seems the most likely outcome for us, despite Brighton’s home advantage. We believe that the Bees will end their poor away form, rather sooner than later. 

Spooky Express Free Play: Outcome and Totals – X2 (Brentford or Draw) and Over 1.5 Goals +175 at EveryGame for 4/10 Units