With eight games left in the Premier League, Brighton is seeking to improve its current placement in England’s topflight football. With unfruitful results in the EFL Cup, FA Cup, and UEFA Europa League, the Seagulls should put their focus and force a top-seven finish to secure a possible spot in the UEFA Europa Conference League next season. At this point, what are the challenges that are being put against the Albion?
Pre-2023-2024 Predictions
Despite being in the Prem for just seven years, Brighton has managed to break the Premier League odds. During the 2022-2023 campaign, Brighton finished at sixth place in the Premier League, the club’s highest position in English football. In addition to that, the club reached the FA Cup semifinals, losing to Manchester United on penalties after a goalless draw, and got stopped at the fourth round of the EFL Carabao Cup after losing to Charlton Athletic.
With European football now added to their schedule, Brighton have their hands full for the 2023-2024 season. Along with departures of crucial players and the task of maintaining their top six placement, the current campaign will pose a challenge to Roberto De Zerbis’s squad.
That’s why it comes to no surprise that bookmakers placed Brighton to finish ninth or tenth, getting them a low chance to lift the English Premier League trophy this season.
Current Form and Placement
Before the season started, Brighton said goodbye to the likes of Alexis Mac Allister, Robert Sánchez, Moisés Caicedo, Deniz Undav, and Jeremy Sarmiento. Despite their departures, Brighton welcomed new members such as Ansu Fati, João Pedro, James Milner, and Bart Verbruggen.
Right now, the pre-season predictions are somewhat accurate, as Brighton have a slim chance in contending for the title. The Seagulls are currently in ninth place with 43 points, winning 10 games and drawing nine in 30 matches played.
They are ahead of Chelsea, Wolves, Bournemouth, and Fulham by just a few points. The Albion can still challenge Manchester United, West Ham, and Newcastle for a European placement, as they have 48, 45, and 44 points, respectively.
Brighton had a poor showing in the Premier League Summer Series held in USA. Also, they reached the fifth round of the FA Cup before folding in the fifth round to Wolverhampton Wanderers. They also lost to Chelsea in the third round of the EFL Carabao Cup. In the Europa League, Brighton topped Group B over the likes of Marseille, Ajax, and AEK Athens, but the Seagulls by Roma in the knock-out stage.
Schedule for the Remaining Weeks
With eight games left in the Prem, the Seagulls are also in a bad spot after a goalless draw to Brentford and a 2-1 loss against Liverpool. As Brighton navigates the remaining games in the English league, there is still hope in securing at least a seventh spot.
Brighton will have a home game against Arsenal, Man City, Aston Villa, Chelsea, and Manchester United. The home games are a bit shaky, but Brighton might just be able to secure draws against Arsenal and Chelsea and even pull a great win over Manchester Unite. That gives them five possible points from these matches.
Moreover, Brighton will also have a travel to Burnley, Bournemouth, and Newcastle. With their fast-paced playstyle and knack for scoring goals, the Seagulls can secure the wins from these three teams and secure all nine possible points.
Nevertheless, Brighton remains unstoppable if they are on a great mood during the day. Possible upsets against Arsenal, Manchester City, and Aston Villa will definitely be a delight to Brighton fans, but a draw against these three will also be considered as good results.
If by some stroke of luck, the Man U Red Devils, Newcastle Toons, and West Ham Hammers slip up on some crucial games, then the Seagulls can definitely string some wins and get a European placement next season. But for now, they must take these games one at a time and play in their comfort zone.
