Brighton will bid to keep their European hopes alive when they travel to Burnley this weekend.
The Seagulls have won four of their last five Premier League matches, though it remains to be seen whether the ill-timed international break will impact their momentum.
Burnley, in contrast, are somewhat playing for pride for the remainder of the campaign, sitting in 19th place in the table and 10 points adrift of safety.
Brighton will need to pick up all three points at Turf Moor if they are to truly throw their hat into the ring for European football, but Fabian Hurzeler’s side will be without captain Lewis Dunk for the clash.
The Brighton Base takes a look at how the Seagulls side may line up on Saturday afternoon…
Brighton predicted XI vs Burnley (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper – Bart Verbruggen
The Dutchman will be eyeing his eighth clean sheet of the campaign this weekend. The 23-year-old made a series of smart stops against Liverpool last month, but he was unable to replicate that level of display against Norway whilst on international duty.
Defence – Mats Wieffer, Jan Paul van Hecke, Olivier Boscagli, Ferdi Kadioglu
With Dunk suspended for the next two matches, Boscagli looks set to be offered the chance to stake his claim for improved minutes during the remainder of the campaign and beyond. The Frenchman has made eight league appearances so far this season, last featuring in Brighton’s most recent defeat against Arsenal.
Wieffer and Kadioglu remain Hurzeler’s first-choice full-back pairing, and the two will be expected to offer plenty in possession against a Burnley side that are willing to get numbers behind the ball and pounce on the counter.
If you enjoy The Brighton Base’s content, click here to learn more about our new site.
Midfield – James Milner, Pascal Gross, Jack Hinshelwood
There is no reason for Hurzeler to change a winning formula in midfield. Gross and Milner provide a solid foundation for Brighton to build from, and the duo won’t allow emotions to run high at Turf Moor if things don’t go to plan from the off.
Hinshelwood’s connection with Welbeck in recent weeks cannot be understated, and thus it is hard to envision the Englishman being dropped for the likes of Charalampos Kostoulas or Georginio Rutter as it stands.
Attack – Diego Gomez, Danny Welbeck, Kaoru Mitoma
Brighton’s front line has picked itself over the past few months due to injuries. But with Yankuba Minteh and Mitoma now fit and firing, Hurzeler now has some big decisions to make in the final third.
Gomez’s role on the right remains instrumental in how Brighton operates, but there are question marks over whether the Paraguayan will start, given that he is just one booking away from a two-game suspension, with trickier fixtures on the horizon.
Mitoma highlighted just how instrumental he can be whilst on international duty with Japan, and he could be given the nod ahead of Minteh, who is capable of providing electric energy off the bench.