Not Quite A Relegation Dog Fight As Bournemouth Have Reached The Magic 38 Points Already But Brighton Desperately Need Three Points: Manager Comments. Team News. Stats and Prediction.
By: Marc Gingell
Bournemouth have been poor for most of the season apart from the first quarter when they picked up 20 points from ten games. That early season form almost certainly guarantees another season in the Premier League.
Brighton have enjoyed a couple of purple patches during the season, one in October with three wins in a row and one later November and early December with two wins and a draw, but most of the time they’ve been scrapping for points.
Anthony Knockaert won goal of the month for March but he only has two all season. Chris Houghton might prefer a scrappy six goals as opposed to the occasional wonder goal.
Match Details
| 13/4/2019 | Amex Stadium | Brighton and Hove Albion (16) | v | Bournemouth (14) |
| KO:15:00 | REF: K Friend | |||
Brighton and Hove Albion Team News
- 75% Chance of Playing: Solomon March Calf injury. Pascal Groß Lack of match fitness.
Bournemouth Team News
- Unknown Return Date: Steve Cook Groin injury. Charlie Daniels Knee injury. Simon Francis Anterior cruciate ligament. Diego Rico Ankle injury. Andrew Surman Calf injury. Lewis Cook Anterior cruciate ligament.
Chris Houghton Comments
“The group have felt good about our performance last weekend,” Brighton boss Chris Hughton said. “To run a top class side fairly close speaks volumes for this group of players.
We want to start well, particularly being at home. Sometimes, if that doesn’t happen, it’s just the way the game goes. As much as we can, we always want to start well. Nobody knows a points total that will keep us safe. Our attitude has to be to keep fighting and getting as many results as we can between now and the end of the season.”
Eddie Howe Comments
“We owe them a performance this weekend, and we are doing everything we can to deliver that.
We have been disappointed with what we have delivered in the last two games. How we played, and performance-wise, I think we dipped below the standards we know we are capable of.
Naturally, when you do that, you have to review yourself – as in me personally – to produce better for the players to give a true performance we know we are capable of.
That’s what we have tried to do, go back to basics, in terms of how we play and our identity. Hopefully that will show this weekend.”
Opta Stas
- Brighton are looking to win consecutive competitive matches against Bournemouth for the first time since January 2008, following their 3-1 win in the FA Cup third round in January.
- Bournemouth are unbeaten in their last nine league games against Brighton, winning five and drawing four.
- Brighton have lost only one of their last 14 home matches in all competitions against Bournemouth (W7 D6), losing 0-2 in April 2015 in the Championship.
- Brighton have lost three of their last five Premier League home games (W1 D1), as many as they had in their previous 17 at the Amex Stadium (W9 D5 L3).
- None of Bournemouth’s last 19 away league games have ended level (W5 L14), with the winning side netting at least two goals each time in those games.
- Bournemouth won six of their opening 10 Premier League games this season (D2 L2), taking them up to sixth in the table at the end of October. Since then, they’ve won just five of their 23 league games (D3 L15) with only relegated Fulham (17) and Huddersfield (18) losing more Premier League games than the Cherries since November.
- Only Fulham (44) have conceded more away Premier League goals this season than Bournemouth (37).
- Bournemouth’s Callum Wilson has scored in both of his league appearances against Brighton at the Amex stadium, netting two goals.
- Brighton striker Glenn Murray has failed to score in his last eight Premier League home games – he last had a longer goalless run at home in the English leagues (excluding play-offs) between October 2011-April 2012 with Crystal Palace (14 games).
- Bournemouth’s Ryan Fraser has provided more assists away from home than any other player in the Premier League this season (6), with the Scotsman setting up four of Bournemouth’s last eight goals on the road.
Prediction
Nerves will be jangling at the Amex Stadium and this could work in Bournemouth’s favour.
Brighton and Hove Albion 0 – 2 Bournemouth
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