Premier League | Gameweek 28

Mar 8, 2025 at 3pm UK

Broadfield Stadium

Brighton vs Fulham

Match preview

Since suffering a heartbreaking 7-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest in early February - the club's heaviest league loss for 67 years - Brighton have responded well, winning five in a row in all competitions.

Victories over Chelsea (3-0), Southampton (4-0) and Bournemouth (2-1) in the Premier League were followed by FA Cup fourth and fifth round victories over Chelsea and Newcastle United respectively, with the latter beaten 2-1 after extra time last weekend thanks to goals from Yankuba Minteh and Danny Welbeck.

Fabian Hurzeler's side will renew their acquaintance with Nottingham Forest in the quarter-finals later this month, but will now turn their attention back to the Premier League and their quest for European football. The Seagulls currently sit eighth in the table, just four points adrift of the top four with 11 games remaining.

Brighton go into Saturday's clash looking to win four top-flight games in a row for only the second time in their history, the last time being in April/May 1981. The only team in English top-flight history to win four straight immediately after losing by seven goals or more are Grimsby Town, who lost 9-1 to Arsenal in January 1931 before winning their next four games.

The Seagulls will have their work cut out if they are to continue their winning run, as they have never beaten Fulham as a Premier League club in nine attempts (D4 L5), which is both their longest run without a win and their longest run without a defeat in the division.

After winning four out of five games in all competitions in February, Fulham started March on a positive note when they knocked out FA Cup holders Manchester United in the fifth round last weekend, winning 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes at Old Trafford.

A home quarter-final against Crystal Palace, the only team to beat Fulham in the last four weeks (2-0), awaits later this month and the Cottagers "deserve to be in the next round" according to head coach Marco Silva, who is hoping to lead the club to their first piece of silverware.

Fulham are now focused on improving their position in the Premier League; they currently sit ninth, just one point and one place behind Brighton, and know that victory over the Seagulls this weekend could see them move up to sixth if other results go their way.

The Cottagers have won their last three Premier League away games against Leicester (2-0), Newcastle (2-1) and Wolves (2-1), and the last time they won more consecutive top-flight games was in March/April 1966 (five). Fulham's six away wins this season are already the second-most in a single Premier League campaign (seven in 2022-23).

Silva's men have won their last two Premier League meetings with Brighton by scores of 3-0 and 3-1, and the only team to have beaten Fulham in three successive top-flight encounters, scoring three or more goals on each occasion, are West Ham (between 1965 and 1966).

Recent Performance

Brighton & Hove Albion Premier League form:WLLWWW

Brighton & Hove Albion form (all competitions):LWWWWW

Fulham Premier League form:WLWWLW

Fulham form (all competitions):WWWLWW

Team News

Brighton's Ferdi Kadioglu (toe), Igor Julio (thigh), James Milner (hamstring), Joel Veltman (knock), Jason Steele (shoulder) and captain Lewis Dunk (rib) remain sidelined with injuries, while Matt O'Riley has recovered from illness but remains a doubt with a minor knee problem and will be assessed before kick-off.

Kaoru Mitoma is fit after coming off with cramp against Newcastle, but Tariq Lamptey is suspended after picking up two yellow cards last time out, meaning Jack Hinshelwood could be called upon to fill in at right-back, while either Yasin Ayari or Diego Gomez could partner Carlos Baleba in midfield.

Minteh, who has scored three goals in his last four games and was nominated for the Premier League's Player of the Month award in February, will start again on the right flank, while Welbeck will push for a start up front, which could see Joao Pedro move into a deeper attacking role and Georginio Rutter drop to the substitutes' bench.

For Fulham, Reiss Nelson (thigh), Kenny Tete (knee) and Harry Wilson (broken foot) remain sidelined through injury, while Adama Traore (ankle) is a doubt and will be assessed before kick-off.

Sasa Lukic picked up his 10th booking of the season last time out and will now serve a two-match ban. Andreas Pereira is the most likely candidate to start in a deeper midfield role alongside Sander Berge, although Harrison Reed and Tom Cairney are also options for Silva.

While Alex Iwobi could move to the right flank if Willian is recalled to start on the left in Traore's possible absence, Raul Jimenez is set to replace Rodrigo Muniz up front; all nine of the Mexican's PL goals this season have either put Fulham ahead (six) or levelled the scores (one), the most of any player with a 100% record in both categories this season.

Possible starting lineup

Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:

Verbruggen; Hinshelwood, Van Hecke, Webster, Estupinan; Baleba, Ayari; Minteh, Pedro, Mitoma; Welbeck

Fulham possible starting lineup:

Leno; Castagne, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson; Berge, Pereira; Iwobi, Smith Rowe, Willian; Jimenez