Brighton & Hove Albion will be looking to ease any lingering relegation fears when they welcome Leeds United to the Amex in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.
The Seagulls are currently 17th in the table, seven points above 18th-placed Fulham, while Leeds, who are unbeaten in their last six games in England's top flight, occupy ninth position.
Match preview
Brighton's 1-0 defeat to already-relegated Sheffield United last weekend means that the Seagulls will be looking over their shoulder at a vital stage of the campaign.
Graham Potter's side are currently the team closest to the bottom three, but there are seven points separating them from 18th-placed Fulham, and a lot would have to go against them in the coming weeks to drop into the relegation zone.
Brighton have simply not won enough matches this term, picking up maximum points in just seven of their 33 Premier League fixtures, and a defeat here, coupled with a Fulham win over Chelsea, would certainly make things interesting at the bottom of the division.
The Seagulls have only won two of their 16 home league matches this term and will be coming up against a Leeds side that have been victorious in half of their 16 away fixtures in 2020-21.
Potter's team ran out 1-0 winners over Leeds at Elland Road back in January, though, and they have actually been triumphant in seven of the last eight league meetings between the two sides.
Leeds, meanwhile, continued their strong run of form with a point against Manchester United last weekend, with the two teams cancelling each other out in a goalless draw.
The Whites have taken five points from their last three league games against Manchester City, Liverpool and Man United, while they are unbeaten in England's top flight since the start of March.
An impressive run of results has seen Marcelo Bielsa's side move into ninth position in the table, one point clear of 10th-placed Arsenal on the same number of matches.
Leeds, as mentioned, have won eight times on their travels in the league this term, but they have also suffered eight defeats, and it is difficult to know what to expect from them on a game-to-game basis.
The Whites have also found Brighton to be tough opposition in recent years, but they will enter this match in a confident mood due to their impressive form, which has helped them sit in the top half of the division.
- W
- W
- L
- D
- D
- L
- D
- W
- W
- W
- D
- D
Team News
Brighton boss Potter revealed on Thursday that Adam Lallana is a slight doubt due to a calf problem, but the experienced midfielder is expected to recover in time to start, providing that he trains on Friday.
Percy Tau is also back in contention for the Potters, but Solly March and Tariq Lamptey are still unavailable for selection through injury.
Ben White is back after serving a suspension against Sheffield United, and the centre-back is expected to feature against his former club, while there should also be starts for Neal Maupay and Danny Welbeck.
As for Leeds, Liam Cooper will complete a three-match suspension this weekend, while Raphinha and Adam Forshaw have been ruled out of the contest by their head coach.
Bielsa revealed on Thursday afternoon that Rodrigo Moreno was available for selection following a spell on the sidelines, while Helder Costa is fit despite picking up a back problem last time out.
As a result, the Whites could be unchanged from the side that started against Man United, with Tyler Roberts again acting as the support to lone forward Patrick Bamford.
Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:
Sanchez; White, Dunk, Webster; Gross, Lallana, Bissouma, Moder; Trossard; Welbeck, Maupay
Leeds United possible starting lineup:
Meslier; Ayling, Llorente, Struijk, Alioski; Costa, Phillips, Dallas, Harrison; Roberts; Bamford
We say: Brighton & Hove Albion 1-1 Leeds United
Leeds have not drawn a single match on their travels in the Premier League this season, but Brighton have shared the points on eight occasions in the league at the Amex; we are expecting a tight match on Saturday afternoon and have ultimately settled on a low-scoring draw here.
Top tip
Video prediction
Watch the Sports Mole Football Shorts prediction for this game below:
body check tags ::
Previews by email