Posted: Sep 23, 2021 | Updated: 2 years ago
After the first five fixtures in the Premier League, Brighton has won four & lost one. This record has seen them enjoy their best start to a Premier League campaign & thrust them into the top four. Although it’s still early days, Brighton’s promising performances have been highlighted, as they have kept two clean sheets & scored 7 goals. The Seagulls have been creating chances, defending as a unit & playing creative football.
Although Brighton didn’t have a busy transfer window, they lost their star centre back, Ben White, to Arsenal for £50 million. However, Duffy has come back from being out on loan, filling the gap in the squad left by White. Potter has adopted a flexible 5-2-1-2, 5-3-2-1 and 4-4-2 formation which has seen Duffy feature alongside Lewis Dunk & Adam Webster. Brighton’s main aim in the transfer window was holding onto their highly-rated midfielder, Yves Bissouma, despite interest from Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool.
How Does Brighton & Hove Albion’s Start Compare to Last Season’s?
This season’s start compares favourably to last season’s. Brighton had only picked up 4 points in their opening 5 fixtures of the 2020/21 campaign. Their haul in the opening five games this season has tripled that tally. However, they faced two of the big-six sides last year, Chelsea & Manchester United, whereas this season the Seagulls haven’t played against any of the traditional big-six.
The south-coast side has currently faced Burnley, Everton, Leicester, along with newly promoted teams Brentford and Watford. They’ve been fortunate to emerge from these fixtures as handsomely as they have after controversial decisions went in their favour. Against Leicester, Brighton benefitted from a controversial penalty decision going their way while two Leicester goals were dubiously ruled out.
Can Maupay maintain his goal-scoring form?
Embed from Getty ImagesBrighton signed Neal Maupay aged 23, for a fee of £20 million from Brentford back in August 2019. Since then he has scored 21 goals and contributed five assists in 75 games. He reached double figures for Brighton with 10 goals in the 2019/20 season and last season scored 8 goals for Potter’s side.
The former French U21 international has enjoyed a great start to the season, scoring three goals in five Premier League games. Maupay is the Seagulls’ top scorer in the league and in all competitions this season, proving himself worthy of the number 9 shirt. Brighton’s talisman has been clinical in the box and is currently the 11th highest scorer in the Premier League.
This raises the question: Is Neal Maupay the striker that can get 15 goals and spearhead a top-10 finish? If this season’s stats are anything to go by, then it’s possible, especially considering Brighton boss, Graham Potter, has underlined his importance to his plans after their loss to Everton.
Is Mac Allister Worthy of the Number 10 Jersey?
Embed from Getty ImagesBrighton midfielder, Mac Allister, 22-years-old, joined the Seagulls back in January 2019 for £7.2 million from Argentinos Juniors and had a few loan spells back to his native Argentina. Although Mac Allister made 21 appearances in the Premier League, providing one goal and one assist, during a season ravaged by the pandemic.
Mac Allister has started five games this season, four in the Premier League and one in the League Cup. In his five games this season, Mac Allister has scored one goal and registered 3 assists, 2 coming from his appearance in the EFL match against Swansea in Brighton’s 2-0 victory at the Amex.
What Does This Mean For Brighton ahead of the A23 Derby?
Embed from Getty ImagesCrystal Palace, currently 14th and have recently lost 3-0 to Liverpool, at Anfield face Brighton at Selhurst Park in the A23 Derby. Both teams have youthful and exciting squads, however, these teams have a lot to prove on Monday the 27th.
On-form Brighton look like favourites, however, Crystal Palace has history on their side heading into this fixture. In the Premier League, Brighton and Crystal Palace have clashed on 8 occasions. The Eagles have won 3 times against the Seagulls, twice at the Amex and once at Selhurst Park. The South coast-side have triumphed on two occasions, winning both at the Amex and at Selhurst Park.
The debate coming into this fixture is whether Benteke or Edouard will start for Crystal Palace and whether Irish striker Aaron Connolly will start or come on and impact this match.
Coming into this fixture it seems like Crystal Palace will play a 4-3-3 formation and Brighton and Hove Albion will start a 4-4-2 formation based on their previous starting XI against Leicester and Swansea.
The Nifty Fifty Lotto is a popular lottery game known for its exciting draws and substantial prizes. Let's delve into the recent results of the Nifty Fifty Lotto and explore its impact on players and enthusiasts.
Continue Reading...
0 Shares More Posted: Mar 22, 2024 | Updated: 6 days ago Sports have always been a significant part of our lives, bringing people together and inspiring a sense of unity and passion. However, sports’ influence extends far beyond the playing field. In fact, the world of sports has the…
Continue Reading...
Dame Laura Kenny, Britain's most successful Olympian has decided to hang up her bike after a 13-year professional cycling career. The five-time Olympic gold medallist was planning to feature in the Olympics in Paris this Summer, but the struggle of parenthood is the reason for this decision.
Continue Reading...
11 Shares More Posted: Mar 6, 2024 | Updated: 3 weeks ago There is still so much work to do in the world of sports in relation to protecting participants from brain injury. There has been repeated calls in football, for instance to limit the amount of headers players must…
Continue Reading...
2 Shares More Posted: Mar 2, 2024 | Updated: 4 weeks ago A healthy lifestyle is crucial for students as they navigate the multifaceted demands of academic life. Amidst assignments, exams, and social commitments, the significance of physical activity often takes a backseat. However, integrating regular exercise into the daily…
Continue Reading...
Sports scholarships offer students opportunities to combine their athletic and academic careers. These financial aids help in that they reduce the financial barriers many face when seeking higher education. Through providing a way out to higher education institutions and universities, sports scholarships recognize athletic skills and motivate good academic performance.
Continue Reading...
Receiving education is an important step in the life of any person. However, this is not the only essential aspect of our lives. Sports must be part of the life of any student, too. But how can you find a balance between these two critical aspects? In this article, you…
Continue Reading...