Brighton vs Leicester Preview

• Brighton to win
• Welbeck to score

Brighton’s push for European football has taken a hit following back-to-back Premier League defeats. Those setbacks leave the Seagulls in ninth place entering the round, with minimal room for error if they are to finish in a continental qualification spot.

Last weekend’s 2-1 defeat to rivals Crystal Palace was a particularly bitter pill to swallow for manager Fabian Hürzeler, especially given that their opponents were reduced to nine men. Brighton not only failed to capitalise but also ended the match with ten themselves after Jan Paul van Hecke received a red card.

Seagulls eye bounce-back win

Those two recent defeats matched Brighton’s total number of losses from their previous 13 Premier League outings (W6, D5), showing just how untimely their current slump is. However, the Seagulls have an ideal opportunity to return to winning ways as they welcome a Leicester side currently rooted to the foot of the table. Brighton are unbeaten in the last five Premier League head-to-heads with the Foxes (W2, D3), and should they emerge victorious here, they will make history by winning three consecutive home league encounters against Leicester for the first time ever.

Revenge may also be on the cards for Brighton, who let a two-goal lead slip late on in this season’s reverse fixture, which ended in a 2-2 draw. With European qualification still a realistic ambition, a focused performance will be expected on home soil where Brighton have generally been tough to beat this season.

Leicester’s nightmare season continues

For Leicester City, their miserable return to the top flight continued on Monday as they became the first side in English Football League history to lose eight consecutive home league matches without scoring. A limp 3-0 defeat to Newcastle did little to ease the pressure on manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, whose position at the club appears increasingly untenable.

The Foxes are now all but relegated, sitting adrift at the bottom and with little sign of a late-season resurgence. They have also lost each of their last eight Premier League matches overall without scoring a single goal. Should they draw another blank here, they would set a new unwanted record as the first English top-flight team to fail to score in nine straight league games.

Leicester’s only glimmer of hope may come from their marginally better record on the road. Fourteen of their 25 Premier League goals this season have been scored away from home, and their last league win came on their travels in a surprise 2-1 victory at Tottenham back in January.

Key players to watch

Danny Welbeck continues to be a key figure for Brighton and made history last weekend by becoming the club’s all-time leading Premier League scorer (31 goals).

The former England international has two goals in seven league appearances against Leicester, with the Seagulls registering two wins and three draws across those matches.

For the visitors, Jamie Vardy remains one of the few shining lights in an otherwise dismal season. He has an excellent record against Brighton, with 11 direct goal contributions in 12 Premier League meetings (seven goals, four assists).

The veteran forward both scored and assisted in the reverse fixture earlier this season, and his experience could be vital if Leicester are to spring a surprise.

Head-to-head stats and recent form

• Brighton are unbeaten in the last five league meetings with Leicester (W2, D3).
• The Seagulls are aiming for a third consecutive home win in this fixture for the first time ever.
• Leicester have lost eight straight league games without scoring.
• Brighton’s last defeat at home to Leicester came in March 2021.

Prediction

With Brighton looking to arrest a two-game slide and Leicester on the brink of relegation, this fixture heavily favours the home side. The Seagulls are strong at the Amex Stadium, and against a Leicester team low on morale and goals, they should have enough quality to secure the points.

Score prediction: Brighton 2-0 Leicester

Expect Brighton to control proceedings and keep a clean sheet against the Premier League’s lowest scorers.

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Brighton v Leicester, 2024/25 | Premier League