It took a long time for Brighton Hove Albion to make it to the Premier League. The Seagulls built slowly but surely and on numerous occasions failed to win promotion from the Championship by the narrowest of margins.
However, last season the south coast club finally sealed promotion to the top-flight under likeable boss Chris Hughton. Albion were written-off as one of the favourites for relegation at the start of the season, but nine games into the Premier League campaign and they have not looked out of place.
On Sunday afternoon, Albion face a home derby against Southampton, in a game that the Seagulls are underdogs at odds of 9/4 to win.
Strange that they are underdogs
Those odds surprised me majorly, to be honest. Brighton are at home and they will be confident of beating a Southampton team that have won just one of their last four games in the Premier League.
Hughton’s team are strong on home soil. Only league leaders Manchester City have won at the AMEX Stadium this season in the top-flight. Brighton have seen off West Brom and Newcastle, while coming within minutes of winning against Everton in their last home game, only for a last-gasp Wayne Rooney penalty to rescue a 1-1 draw for the Toffees.
Southampton are still struggling to find their form and an identity under boss Mauricio Pellegrino. The Saints are certainly not formidable opponents for the Seagulls. The visitors have an inconsistent away record in the league of late.
Pascal Gross a key man for the Seagulls
Brighton’s German playmaker Pascal Gross’ summer arrival on the south coast rather went under the radar. However, the 26-year-old has proven to be a highly influential player for Hughton’s side since joining as a free agent from Bundesliga side Ingolstadt.
Gross has scored twice and picked up four assists already this season. He has already matched his assist record for the whole of last season in the Bundesliga. Those are not terrible stats for a player playing for a newly promoted team.
The midfielder’s performances should not come as a major surprise, as no player created more goal-scoring opportunities for their side in the Bundesliga last season.
Chris Hughton targeted a new number ten in the summer. Pulling off the signing of Gross could turn out to be a masterstroke from the Seagulls boss.
The big surprise for me was that Gross was not in-demand in the summer. His team may have suffered relegation, but on a personal level, he produced impressive displays.
If Brighton are to avoid a relegation battle, then the performances of their German playmaker could well be the key. He is the sort of player that every team fighting relegation needs, the sort of player that can be a matchwinner.
Brighton can move above Southampton in the table
A win for Brighton would move Hughton’s side above the Saints and likely into the top half of the Premier League table. Everybody connected with the south coast club will have been happy with that at the start of the campaign.
Contrary to the betting odds, I cannot see Brighton losing against Mauricio Pellegrino’s side on Sunday afternoon. Under Chris Hughton, they are a very well drilled side and I just do not see Southampton having enough of an attacking threat to win at the AMEX Stadium.
Brighton are certainly no pushovers and their more experienced Premier League neighbours could be the latest top-flight team to find that out on Sunday afternoon.
Can Brighton defeat south coast neighbours Southampton?
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