The Roberto De Zerbi derby kicks off at 5.30pm on Saturday evening, when Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion lock horns in gameweek 33 of the 2025-26 Premier League season.
The Lilywhites' new era began in familiar fashion with a 1-0 loss to Sunderland last weekend, while the Seagulls continued on their upward trajectory with a 2-0 triumph at Burnley.
Match preview
Ironically plunged into a deeper sense of darkness at the Stadium of Light, Tottenham's De Zerbi days could hardly have started any worse; one defeat, no goals, and one more serious injury to contend with.
On an afternoon where Spurs lost captain Cristian Romero to a season-ending knee problem, the Lilywhites were condemned to a harrowing 16th loss of the Premier League campaign, as Nordi Mukiele's deflected effort sparked Sunderland pandemonium.
Marginal improvements may have been visible in Spurs' play, but marginal improvements do not put points on the board for the relegation-battling hosts, who remain two points below the dreaded dotted line in the Premier League table with a mere six games left on the calendar.
Winless in 14 Premier League matches since 2026 rolled around, Tottenham have now endured the fourth-longest winless run in the competition at the start of a single calendar year - the three sides to endure longer such streaks were unsurprisingly all demoted come the end of the season.
The Lilywhites did at least stun Atletico Madrid 3-2 on their own turf not so long ago - even if that Champions League triumph was inconsequential - but with a paltry 10 home points on the board in the 2025-26 Premier League, Tottenham's home record is the worst of its kind.
© Imago / Pro Sports Images
Brighton have picked up just one fewer point in their last three games, than Spurs have collected at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium all season, as the soaring Seagulls have collected nine points from the last nine on offer in the top flight.
Sunderland, Liverpool and most recently Burnley have succumbed to the visitors' superiority in recent weeks, and an unlikely source in Mats Wieffer was at the double when the South Coast side strode to a 2-0 victory at Turf Moor last weekend.
Also taking down Brentford and Nottingham Forest over the past couple of months - while only succumbing to defeat against leaders Arsenal - Brighton have collected 15 points from their last six Premier League showdowns, the best record of any team in that time.
Just two points adrift of Chelsea in sixth spot, the ninth-placed Seagulls now seek a historic club first - four successive Premier League away victories - while each of their last three successes on the road have also arrived with a clean sheet.
Speaking of travel triumphs, Brighton memorably demolished Tottenham 4-1 in the capital during the final gameweek of 2024-25, before extending their unbeaten run against Spurs to three matches in September's 2-2 stalemate.
Tottenham Hotspur Premier League form:
L
L
L
D
L
L
Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions):
L
L
D
W
L
L
Brighton & Hove Albion Premier League form:
W
W
L
W
W
W
Team News
© Iconsport / PA Images
While Tottenham have not yet come out with an official statement on Romero, it has been well-reported that the centre-back will sit out the rest of the campaign with a partial MCL tear, albeit one that should not derail his World Cup chances.
For now, Romero joins fellow knee victims Dejan Kulusevski, Wilson Odobert and James Maddison in the treatment room, as well as Mohammed Kudus (thigh), Ben Davies (ankle), Rodrigo Bentancur (thigh) and Guglielmo Vicario (hernia), but the latter may have a slim chance of returning for the weekend.
Kevin Danso is primed and ready to fill the Romero void for the rest of the season, while Mathys Tel and Xavi Simons should stick their hands up for starts after Spurs' ineffective attacking display at the Stadium of Light.
De Zerbi and Hurzeler can sympathise when it comes to the absence of an integral defender, as Brighton skipper Lewis Dunk must serve the second of a two-game ban for accumulating 10 yellow cards this weekend.
Adam Webster (knee) and Stefanos Tzimas (knee) are keeping Dunk company on the sidelines, but Hurzeler could welcome James Milner back from a "minor, minor injury" that the 40-year-old sustained in training before the Burnley success.
However, the Seagulls are still blessed with the talents of another veteran midfielder in Pascal Gross, who has created 24 chances since rejoining Brighton in January - the fourth-most in the division over that time period.
Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:
Kinsky; Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Udogie; Gray, Gallagher; Tel, Simons, Richarlison; Solanke
Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:
Verbruggen; Wieffer, Van Hecke, Boscagli, Kadioglu; Ayari, Gross; Gomez, Hinshelwood, Minteh; Welbeck
We say: Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 Brighton & Hove Albion
Spurs may have had more bark about them in De Zerbi's debut, but there is still an alarming lack of bite from the Europa League holders, who are now facing the most in-form team in the Premier League over the last six games.
Coupled with Tottenham's atrocious home form and Brighton's exceptional displays on the road of late, the Seagulls have our backing to haunt former coach De Zerbi and push Tottenham further towards the trapdoor.
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