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MATCH PREVIEW | AFC Bournemouth vs Brighton & Hove Albion

Bournemouth travel to one of the most in-form teams in the league this weekend, Brighton has won their last two games in comfortable style. Bournemouth will have taken positives from their goalless draw with Chelsea but the glaring issue is still struggling in front of goal.

The Cherries picked up their third point of the season in a game that could have seen either side walk away with all three points. Bournemouth managed 13 shots but with only four being on target the issue is clear. Despite a great game from Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, Bournemouth simply did not give him enough to worry him.

Opposition analysis

Brighton have had a great start to the season sitting just outside the Champions League places and being the league's highest goalscorers finding the net 15 times. Their only loss of the season came at home to West Ham, the Seagulls have won all their other games so far defeating Chelsea and Luton as well as Manchester United and Newcastle United.

Brighton has shown that last season was not a fluke and they are a team ready to challenge the established ‘Top 6’. Outside of the Premier League, Brighton have just lost their opening game of the Europa League at home to AEK Athens 3-2. The Seagulls had gone behind twice but two Joao Pedro penalties brought them back level before an 84th-minute winner broke the hearts of the Brighton fans.

Could this loss affect the team coming into Sunday's fixture against Bournemouth?

Head to head

Bournemouth struggled last season when facing Brighton, the latter coming away with two wins a 1-0 win at the Amex, and a 2-0 win at the Vitality Stadium. Bournemouth will be hoping that this Sunday is more of a return to form of the past games. The two have faced off 16 times with Bournemouth coming away victorious eight times, Brighton on four occasions and the points being split four times.

The last time Bournemouth won at the Amex stadium was in April 2019 when the Cherries dominated in a 5-0 demolition. Andoni Iraola will be hoping his side will rediscover their scoring form this Sunday.

Team news

With regards to injuries Tyler Adams and Ryan Fredricks will likely miss this Sunday’s face-off with injuries that ruled them out for last week's game against Chelsea. Emiliano Marcondes will miss the game through a foot injury and Alex Scott will not be seeing the pitch until late October at the earliest.

The home side have almost their entire squad available to choose from, only Jakub Moder will be out with a cruciate ligament injury. Brighton's top goalscorer Evan Ferguson missed their game against AEK Athens through being unwell he was a big loss but should be back for the game at the weekend.

Brighton & Hove Albion League Form:
W W L W W

AFC Bournemouth League Form:
D L L D D

Match Prediction:

We predict that Brighton will continue their fine league form and will have too much for the Bournemouth defence to deal with. For Bournemouth to come out with anything from the Amex they may want to take some inspiration from AEK Athens and just play boring.

Athens came away victorious from their Europa League clash due to shutting up shop and counter-attacking. Brighton had no way of breaking down the Greek wall and aside from two sloppy defensive errors, they would have come away with a clean sheet.

It is unlikely that Bournemouth will sit eleven men behind the ball in hopes of replicating AEK Athens, but the game plan for how to beat Brighton has been shown.