Good night and welcome to dwell protection of the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and the champions Manchester Metropolis. Since their promotion below Chris Hughton in 2017, Albion have performed Metropolis 13 occasions in league matches, successful one, drawing one and dropping the opposite 11. Even the victory, on the fag finish of the 2020-21 season, got here when Metropolis had already gained the title however Dan Burn’s winner on the Amex nonetheless had Sussex by the Sea elevating the rafters for Graham Potter’s aspect as they solid forward of Burnley to complete sixteenth.
That was the final season of wrestle for Brighton whose upward curve took a steeper trajectory in Potter’s last season with the membership and below De Zerbi till the previous couple of months. Since Metropolis had been crushed by Villa on Dec 6, they’ve gained 13 and drawn 4 within the league. In contrast the Seagulls/Dolphins in the identical span have gained 4, drawn seven and misplaced six. De Zerbi all the time will get a tune out of his gamers however with an damage checklist comprising Estupiñan, Enciso, Ferguson, Lamptey, Gilmour, Milner, March, Mitoma and Hinshelwood, it’s going to be very powerful tonight notably contemplating Danny Welbeck has but to interrupt his duck in opposition to Metropolis after 18 video games for Man Utd, Arsenal, Watford and Brighton in opposition to them.
Metropolis, against this, have solely Erling Haaland unavailable and, after Liverpool’s defeat yesterday and 4 days’ relaxation and preparation after overcoming Chelsea at Wembley, will relish the prospect to go second with a victory that might put them a degree behind Arsenal with a recreation in hand. An emphatic efficiency with a contact of the previous swagger understandably absent within the Cup semi-final would go a protracted technique to shorten their title probabilities, at present about 8/13 in response to the tic-tac males, even additional.Â
