Brighton will be looking to jump into the top six when they take on Tottenham on Saturday.
The Seagulls have won their last three consecutive Premier League matches and are currently just two points off sixth place. However, it’s a crowded pack, with Chelsea, Brentford, Everton, and several other clubs vying for that single Europa League spot.
Tottenham, on the other hand, are fighting for survival. They sit in 18th place as they enter Premier League Matchweek 33, trailing West Ham by two points and Nottingham Forest by three. Roberto De Zerbi’s side will need to avoid defeat to keep their chances of survival alive.
While Spurs seem a side crushed by injuries heading into this match, Brighton are in much better shape. Club captain Lewis Dunk remains suspended, and James Milner has suffered a knock. Otherwise, Fabian Hurzeler should have a full selection of players to choose from at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The Brighton Base takes a look at how the Seagulls side may line up on Saturday afternoon…
Brighton predicted XI vs Tottenham (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper – Bart Verbruggen
Brighton’s No. 1 has been a mainstay in the squad this season, so there’s no reason to expect he won’t start again this weekend. The Dutchman made four saves against Burnley last weekend to take his clean sheets tally for the season up to eight.
Defence – Mats Wieffer, Jan Paul van Hecke, Olivier Boscagli, Ferdi Kadioglu
With Dunk serving the final match of his suspension, Boscagli is likely to, again, step up in his absence against Tottenham. The 28-year-old impressed against Burnley and will be hoping to deliver another strong performance to secure a spot in Hurzeler’s starting lineup beyond this weekend.
Boscagli has also shown his leadership qualities heading into this match, telling the BBC that his teammates should not be overawed by seeing their old manager. “The only thing is to win,” he said.
The rest of Brighton’s defence is expected to be business as usual, with Tottenham-linked Van Hecke playing his normal right centre-back role, with Wieffer and Kadioglu out wide as full-backs. This stability could make a difference for the Seagulls, as Spurs are yet to fully adapt to De Zerbi’s tactics.
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Midfield – Yasin Ayari, Pascal Gross, Jack Hinshelwood
Hurzeler confirmed on Friday morning that Milner remains out with a knock. Ayari replaced the experienced Englishman last week against Burnley and is likely to start again.
Carlos Baleba is another potential option to play alongside Gross in Brighton’s double pivot. However, Hurzeler doesn’t seem to be one to change from a winning formula. Additionally, Ayari assisted one of the Albion’s goals at Turf Moor and, arguably, deserves to start again.
Similarly, Gross and Hinshelwood excelled against the Clarets and will almost certainly get the nod again over the likes of Charalampos Kostoulas and Georginio Rutter.
Attack – Diego Gomez, Danny Welbeck, Yankuba Minteh
Over the course of the season, Brighton have settled on a fluid front three, with Welbeck leading the line and Gomez playing on one of the two wings in place of Kaoru Mitoma or Minteh. All four players are fit this weekend, and there’s an argument to be made for each of them starting.
Welbeck, as the only natural striker, will surely get the nod up front. Gomez has been one of the most reliable players under Hurzeler and likely will again start on the right wing, which leaves one big decision: Mitoma or Minteh.
Hurzeler went with Minteh against Burnley and praised the Gambian during his pre-match press conference on Friday, highlighting his excellent link-up play with Kadioglu. On the other hand, the Albion boss said that Mitoma is ‘an option’ to start.
Both players could exploit the space behind Spurs’ back line that was there against Sunderland. However, Minteh’s directness may give him the edge. As Brian Brobbey did for the Black Cats, Welbeck should be able to pull strings with his back to goal. Minteh running in behind during those situations could create big chances for the Seagulls.