Brighton started their league campaign on an impressive note, and right away they raced to the top of the table. However, they are now experiencing some loss in momentum, and are becoming desperate to get back into their groove.
Counterparts Brentford also have an almost similar story to share. They are on an inconsistent run at the moment, and are letting in goals in quite big numbers. However, one area where they have really been disciplined is their performance at home. In spite of their poor results when overall form is considered, the team has done really well in home games.
Brentford coach Thomas Frank has praised new Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi and is aware of the Seagulls’ quality ahead of our clash on Friday night.
De Zerbi was named as Graham Potter’s replacement last month. Potter joined Chelsea.
“We’ve looked at his first two games and then we look more at the manager,” Frank said.
“I think he did a great job at Sassuolo, he also did fine at Shakhtar, but Sassuolo is where he did most of his good work.
“He inherits a good squad, a well-drilled team, and now he needs to put his own ideas in. I think it’s an interesting signing for the Premier League.
“We know what Brighton will come with. They’ll try to dominate possession, try to be flexible – we need to be able to close that down.”
Meanwhile, Brighton earlier enjoyed a spot in the top-four of the table, but currently they are placed below at the seventh position.
They are desperate to climb back – and they have an opportunity coming up this weekend. The fifth-placed Manchester United are pitted against the sixth-placed Newcastle this game week, and at least one of the two will drop points.
Note that the fifth-placed Red Devils have a surplus of just one point over Brighton.
Brighton coach De Zerbi says his side will need to “suffer” in order to get a result against Brentford.
“Brentford are a good team. We will have to suffer, they have a good style of play, second balls, and long balls, but we can play our football and they will have to suffer as well [because of] our skills and ability, our players, our style of play,
“They [Brentford] are a good team, they can play with five defenders or four. The last game against Newcastle, they played with five defenders and they can play with three attackers but we are ready to play against every style.”
