Wed 16 March 2022, 09:00
Tottenham HotspurWe are back in Premier League action this evening as we make the trip down to the south coast to take on Brighton & Hove Albion (7.30pm kick-off).
Here in the Notebook, take a look at all the game’s key points of note…
1 - A huge week ahead
After the disappointment of Saturday’s defeat to Manchester United, we have the chance to make amends with a duo of crucial games in the Premier League this week ahead of the March international break. That begins this evening as we visit the Amex Stadium to face Brighton & Hove Albion before we then take on West Ham United on Sunday afternoon at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
2 - Amex declines
In recent years, we have endured difficult moments at Brighton’s home. On our last two trips to the Amex Stadium, we have fallen to defeat without registering a goal, losing 3-0 in October, 2019, and 1-0 in January, 2021. However, those disappointing results came after having been unbeaten following our first two competitive visits – a 1-1 draw in April, 2018, and a 2-1 win the following September. We were also the first team ever to make the trip to the Seagulls’ current home, having played in its inaugural game in July, 2011. We triumphed that day, with goals from Younes Kaboul, Vedran Corluka and Jake Livermore seeing us to a 3-2 win.
3 - On top
Despite those recent frustrations at the Amex, we have generally enjoyed our meetings with Brighton. In our 33 encounters to date in all competitions, we have won almost half of them, winning 17 times and losing just eight.
In our eight meetings in the Premier League so far, we have won five of them. However, on the three occasions that we have been unable to take all three points (D1 L2), they have all come on the south coast.
4 - Last meeting
That bright run of results against Brighton also includes victory in our last encounter as we defeated them 3-1 in the FA Cup last month. Facing them in the fourth round of the competition at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 5 February, we made a superb start with Harry Kane curling in our opener from range on 13 minutes before Solly March diverted Emerson Royal’s cross into his own net 11 minutes later. The Seagulls did go on to halve their deficit on 63 minutes with Yves Bissouma firing in, but their fightback lasted mere moments as, on 66 minutes, Harry turned the ball home once more, booking our place in the next round.
5 - Midweek troubles
Interestingly, both teams have struggled in recent years in midweek games. Hosts Brighton have won just four of their 34 Premier League games that have been played on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday (D14 L16). This season they have failed to win any such match (D3 L2).
We, meanwhile, have lost four of our last seven league matches that have been played on a Wednesday (W2 D1). That is after having fallen in just three of our previous 17 such games (W14). So far in 2022, we have lost two of our three Wednesday games in the Premier League, falling to both Southampton (3-2) and Burnley (1-0) having previously defeated Leicester 3-2.
6 - 7.30pm hits
This game kicks-off at the unusual time of 7.30pm, but it is a kick-off time we seem to enjoy. Having faced nine Premier League games to date at 7.30pm, we have won six of those (L3). So far this season, we have faced three such games, winning two and losing one (victories over Brentford (2-0) and Leicester (3-2) with a defeat at Burnley (1-0)). Of our last five such games, we have picked up four wins, having previously defeated Aston Villa 2-0 in March, 2021, and Norwich City 2-1 in January, 2020.
7 - Seagulls’ struggles
Brighton made a storming start to the 2021/22 season but, in recent weeks, they have come unstuck. With four wins from their first five games, they were flying high, sitting third in the Premier League table come mid-September however, from there, the wins did dry up as they picked up just three more from their next 18 games (D12 L3). And, since their 2-0 victory at Watford on 12 February, they have lost each of their last five games with defeats against Manchester United, Burnley, Aston Villa, Newcastle and Liverpool. They haven’t lost six league games on the trot since the 2005/06 season – a campaign which saw them relegated to League One.
8 - Home difficulties
While we have endured tough times at the Amex Stadium as of late, since the start of the 2018/19 season, so have owners Brighton. Having lost just four home games in their maiden Premier League campaign in 2017/18, the Seagulls have failed to win 75 per cent of their following 71 matches at the Amex and have lost more than a third of them (38 per cent).
In addition to that, since the start of the 2019/20 season, they have also failed to score in more than a third of such matches (36 per cent). Since their promotion to the top flight in 2017, they have failed to score in 29 matches at home – no team has failed to do so more often than the Seagulls in that time. This term, they have recorded just three wins at home with six of their nine defeats in the competition having come there.
Own goal benefits
This season, we have benefitted from a considerable number of own goals. In all competitions this term, nine of our goals have come via the opposition – and that includes five in the Premier League. In the history of the competition, we’ve never benefitted from more in a single campaign (also five in 2013/14 and 2019/20).
Harry’s away form
We have also benefitted from the goals of Harry Kane this season – especially on the road. In scoring at Manchester United on Saturday, that was our number 10’s 11th league goal of the season (21 goals in all competitions), moving him level with Heung-Min Son in this term’s competition. It was also his seventh strike away from home in the league this campaign and his 94th in the history of the competition – no player has scored more away goals than Harry in the Premier League (joint with Wayne Rooney on 94).
