- Pascal Gross is a fitness doubt after sustaining a muscle injury during Thursday’s Europa League defeat by AEK Athens.
- Lewis Dunk, James Milner, and the recently ill Evan Ferguson will also be assessed, with head coach Roberto De Zerbi planning “a lot” of changes.
This means that Brighton could be without several key players for their upcoming match. Gross is a regular starter and one of the team’s most creative players. Dunk is the club’s captain and an important leader on the pitch. Milner is a versatile and experienced player who can play in a number of different positions. And Ferguson is a talented young striker who is starting to make a name for himself.
It will be interesting to see how De Zerbi nicopes with these absences. He may have to give some of his younger players a chance, or he may have to change his tactics. Whatever he decides, it will be a big test for his Brighton team.
Here are some possible changes that De Zerbi could make:
- He could start Adam Webster alongside Joel Veltman in central defence.
- He could play Alexis Mac Allister in a more advanced role, behind the striker.
- He could give Kaoru Mitoma a start on the wing.
- He could play Danny Welbeck as a lone striker.
Brighton & Hove Albion
- Brighton are vying to win five of their opening six top-flight matches in a season for the first time.
- They can equal the club Premier League record of three consecutive victories, set in October 2018 under Chris Hughton.
- Albion have scored in 21 league games in a row since a 1-0 home defeat against Fulham on 18 February.
- The Seagulls go into the weekend as the division’s 15-goal top scorers, having attempted an unrivalled 44 shots on target.
- Brighton have gone 10 matches without a clean sheet in all competitions.
- Bournemouth have failed to win any of their opening five league games for the first time since 2008-09, when they faced Gillingham, Aldershot, Exeter, Port Vale and Notts County.
- They have equalled the club Premier League record of nine consecutive matches without a win, set from February to July 2020.
- Their fixture against Chelsea last week produced the first 0-0 draw in the Premier League this season.
- The Cherries can keep successive Premier League clean sheets for the first time since a run of three from October to November 2019.
- Marcus Tavernier has been directly involved in eight goals in his last eight Premier League starts, scoring four and providing four assists.
It will be interesting to see what De Zerbi decides to do.