Brighton vs Bournemouth Premier League preview, team news and prediction

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The weekend's Premier League action wraps up with an intriguing south-coast clash on Monday night, as Brighton & Hove Albion host Bournemouth at the Amex Stadium. The Seagulls recently knocked out managerless Manchester United from the FA Cup , while the Cherries suffered the agony of a penalty shootout defeat to Newcastle United.

Few teams manage to avoid defeat at both the Etihad and Old Trafford within days of each other, but Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton side achieved just that, earning a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Manchester City before securing a thrilling 2-1 FA Cup victory over Manchester United—thanks in part to another goal from former Red Devil Danny Welbeck.

December proved disappointing for Brighton, as they failed to win any of their six Premier League fixtures during the festive period. However, the hosts have started 2026 on a positive note, claiming two wins from their last three matches in all competitions and extending their unbeaten run to four games. Brighton began the week in 11th place, and regardless of other results, a win on Monday would keep them within striking distance of the European qualification spots.

Hurzeler’s men will be glad to return to the Amex, where they have collected 19 of their 29 Premier League points this season. The Seagulls have lost just twice in their last 18 top-flight home games—both defeats coming against Aston Villa. Under Hurzeler, Brighton have become synonymous with entertaining football, having both scored and conceded in 41 of his 59 Premier League matches—the highest such ratio among managers with at least 50 games in the competition.

Bournemouth, meanwhile, have also provided plenty of excitement for neutrals. Their last seven matches have produced a remarkable 35 goals, including a thrilling 3-3 FA Cup draw at Newcastle. However, their spirited comeback was ultimately undone in the penalty shootout, bringing them back down to earth after their 3-2 win over Tottenham ended an 11-match winless streak.

Currently three points behind Brighton in the lower half of the table, Andoni Iraola’s side are desperate to end a dismal nine-game winless run on the road. Their only away victory this season came against Tottenham back in August. Since then, Bournemouth have conceded at least twice in every away match and are on a four-game Premier League losing streak at the Amex. As a result, their 2-1 home win over Brighton in September may offer little comfort ahead of this encounter.

The major news for Brighton is the return of highly sought-after midfielder Carlos Baleba from the Africa Cup of Nations. However, manager Fabian Hurzeler delivered a firm message in his Friday press conference, warning the Manchester United target that competition for places remains fierce. Baleba’s comeback is one of two boosts for the hosts, who also welcome back Yankuba Minteh after a dead leg, while Diego Gomez appears to have recovered from a knock picked up at Old Trafford.

Despite these positives, Brighton will still be without Mats Wieffer (toe), Solly March (knee), Adam Webster (knee), and Stefanos Tzimas (knee). Hurzeler also revealed that the squad has been dealing with an illness this week, though he did not specify which players were affected.

On the Bournemouth side, Enes Unal and David Brooks both picked up injuries during the cup defeat to Newcastle. Unal is set to miss a couple of weeks with a groin problem, while Brooks is a major doubt due to an ankle issue. The Cherries will also be without Will Dennis (ankle), Tyler Adams (knee), Justin Kluivert (knee), and Ben Gannon-Doak (thigh) for Monday’s match. However, manager Andoni Iraola is hopeful that Ryan Christie will recover from a knee concern in time to feature.

With this being Bournemouth’s first Premier League match since Antoine Semenyo’s departure, Alex Jimenez could be deployed in an advanced attacking role if Brooks is unavailable.

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