Everything on... Brighton & Hove Albion
All you need to know ahead of Saturday’s game.
Fri 21 September 2018, 17:03|
Tottenham Hotspur
We return to Premier League action with a trip to the south coast as we bid to respond to back-to-back Premier League defeats and Tuesday night’s Champions League setback against Inter.
Chris Hughton’s men provided two stern tests last term in their first season in the top flight since 1982/83. Goals late in each half from Serge Aurier and Heung-Min Son gave us a 2-0 home victory in December while Harry Kane scored as we drew 1-1 at the Amex Stadium in April.
Team news
Pascal Gross is Brighton’s only expected absentee, with the midfielder nursing an ankle injury. Winger Jose Izquierdo and forward Florin Andone have returned to fitness and are awaiting their first appearances of the season.
One to watch
Glenn Murray will celebrate his 35th birthday next week but he remains a vital component in this hard-working Brighton outfit and goes into this game in a rich vein of form.
Murray’s cute finish set the Seagulls on their way to a 3-2 victory against Manchester United in their home opener and he struck twice in their only other league game at the Amex Stadium, the 2-2 draw with Fulham, to take his career tally to 200 goals. He also netted a late penalty in Monday night’s 2-2 draw at Southampton.
The indomitable forward previously played for the club between 2008 and 2011 before continuing to find the net at Crystal Palace, Reading and Bournemouth. He returned to Brighton, initially on loan, at the start of the 2016/17 season, signing permanently in the January 2017 transfer window.
Last five meetings
17 April, 2018 – Brighton & Hove Albion 1-1 Spurs – Premier League
13 December, 2017 – Spurs 2-0 Brighton & Hove Albion – Premier League
29 October, 2014 – Spurs 2-0 Brighton & Hove Albion – League Cup fourth round
8 January, 2005 – Spurs 2-1 Brighton & Hove Albion – FA Cup third round
2 April, 1983 – Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 Spurs – Division One
Previous clash
We earned a point at the Amex Stadium in April as we pushed for a top four finish last term.
Harry Kane turned in his 26th league goal of the season after good work from Heung-Min Son but the lead only lasted two minutes as Serge Aurier tripped Jose Izquierdo and Pascal Gross fired in the resulting penalty.
We were unable to push on and find a winner though.
Brighton’s form
Albion have been impressive in front of their own fans in the Premier League so far, beating Manchester United 3-2 thanks to first-half goals from Murray, Shane Duffy and Gross, then coming from two down to draw 2-2 against Fulham. They were, however, knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Southampton.
Away from home they have found life tougher, failing to score in consecutive defeats against Watford and Liverpool, but they did come back from two goals down to exact a measure of revenge on the Saints by snatching a 2-2 Premier League draw on Monday.
Magic moment
Serge Aurier’s first goal for the club had a fair slice of fortune about it – but it was the catalyst for us to go on and beat Brighton in our first meeting of the Premier League era at Wembley last December.
Having been frustrated by the visitors, we took the lead when the full-back’s cross from out wide on the right flank sailed all the way over goalkeeper Mat Ryan and in at the far post five minutes before the break.
Heung-Min Son completed a 2-0 win shortly before full-time.
Played for both
Chris Hughton arrived at Spurs as a 13-year-old schoolboy in 1972 and went on to become one of the most decorated players in the club’s history.
He broke into the first team in the 1979/80 season and went on to make 398 appearances for us, winning back-to-back FA Cups in 1981 and 1982 then tasting European glory when we lifted the 1984 UEFA Cup.
From 1993 to 2007, Chris spent time as a coach and assistant manager at White Hart Lane before successfully moving into management, winning promotion to the Premier League with both Newcastle United and Brighton.
Of the current Brighton squad, goalkeeper David Button spent nine years at Spurs after joining our academy in 2003. He made a single appearance, as a substitute against Doncaster Rovers in the 2009/10 League Cup, before a permanent move to Charlton Athletic.
What they’re saying
Brighton boss Hughton hopes his side can be consistent across the full 90 minutes after their 2-2 draw with Southampton on Monday.
“We’re playing in a division that’s a very tough one for us,” he said. “The Manchester United performance was probably as good a performance during my time here, but it’s very difficult to always hit those levels, which we showed in the last couple of games.
“If you’re summing up what this league can be like, then there isn’t a bigger example of that than Southampton away. I thought we were very poor in the first half and very good in the second. It’s about trying to be as consistent as we can, but we’re playing against very good teams.”
