Champions League qualification could officially be sealed for Aston Villa at the Amex Stadium on Sunday, where an out-of-sorts Brighton & Hove Albion side await for a Premier League showdown.
The Lions return to domestic duty after being stunned by Olympiacos in the first leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final, while the Seagulls were crushed 3-0 by Bournemouth last weekend.
Match preview
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A South Coast battering was on the Vitality Stadium menu in last weekend's clash between Bournemouth and Brighton, where the Seagulls' dampening end to the campaign continued in a three-goal defeat to Andoni Iraola's men, who needed just 13 minutes to break the deadlock through Marcos Senesi.
Further strikes from Enes Unal and Justin Kluivert boosted Bournemouth's top-half bid while plunging Roberto De Zerbi's side further down the rankings; the Seagulls now occupy 12th spot amid their downturn in fortunes and can almost kiss goodbye to any wafer-thin hopes of European qualification.
Since posting an inconsequential 1-0 win over Roma en route to Europa League elimination, Brighton have accrued just two points from the last 18 on offer in the Premier League; a shoddy spell which has severely harmed De Zerbi's chances of working his way up the managerial ladder.
Only two goals have been scored by the men in blue and white in that time, and from their last 12 matches across all tournaments, the toothless Seagulls have struck just a paltry five times, as many as they managed in one game against Sheffield United in the middle of February.
That 5-0 humiliation marks the last time that Brighton notched multiple goals in one game, and the curtain closing on the season cannot come quickly enough for the Seagulls faithful, whose side also have to take on Newcastle United, Manchester United and Chelsea in their final three matches.
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While Brighton's continental pilgrimage ended some time ago, serial Europa League winner Unai Emery is still chasing success in the Europa Conference League, but the Lions are on the brink of semi-final heartbreak thanks to Olympiacos' astounding Villa Park success in Thursday's opening tie.
No strangers to shocks on English soil - as Emery's former club Arsenal are all too aware - the Greek giants took a two-goal lead back to base thanks to an Ayoub El Kaabi hat-trick and late Santiago Hezze effort; Moussa Diaby and Ollie Watkins's efforts meant little on the evening.
Douglas Luiz also fluffed his lines from the penalty spot late on, thereby forcing Villa to produce an Athenian miracle if they are to turn the tie around next week, but the Lions should not require the coveted Europa League place that triumphing in the tertiary competition would bring.
Despite blowing a two-goal lead in last weekend's top-flight clash with Chelsea, Villa still possess a seven-point lead over Tottenham Hotspur - who have a game in hand - in fourth spot, so they will be assured of Champions League qualification with victory at the Amex if Spurs lose to Liverpool later on Sunday afternoon.
While failing to tighten up at the back, the 4-2 loss to Olympiacos marked the seventh game in a row that Emery's men have notched multiple goals, and they ran riot against Brighton in a 6-1 Villa Park triumph earlier this season, their fifth straight Premier League win over Sunday's shot-shy hosts.
Team News
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Brighton can point to their packed infirmary as a reason for their end-of-season struggles, as Solly March (knee), Evan Ferguson (ankle), Jack Hinshelwood (foot), Kaoru Mitoma (back) and Pervis Estupinan (calf) have all been ruled out for the remainder of the term, while Adam Lallana is a fresh absentee too.
Tariq Lamptey (muscle), James Milner (thigh) and Jan Paul van Hecke (thigh) have also been ruled out by De Zerbi, who boldly handed Irish teenage striker Mark O'Mahony his maiden Premier League start in the loss to Bournemouth.
However, the 19-year-old only lasted until the break before coming off for Danny Welbeck, who will surely be reinstated to the XI this week, while Odel Offiah's place at right-back should also come under threat from Joel Veltman.
Similarly, Villa boss Emery is ruing the absences of a few men with season-ending issues, as Tyrone Mings (knee), Boubacar Kamara (knee), Emiliano Buendia (knee) and Jacob Ramsey (toe) have seen their campaigns curtailed.
During the four-goal stalemate with Chelsea last weekend, number one goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez (thigh) and Youri Tielemans (groin) both sustained problems that ruled them out of the Olympiacos defeat, while Alex Moreno (calf) was on the cusp of returning but ultimately did not make it.
Emery will likely avoid risking the trio with the UECL second leg in mind, so Robin Olsen will continue to guard the sticks in Martinez's place, but Pau Torres and the fit-again Nicolo Zaniolo are viable options for rotation.
Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:
Verbruggen; Veltman, Dunk, Igor, Barco; Gilmour, Gross; Adingra, Buonanotte, Pedro; Welbeck
Aston Villa possible starting lineup:
Olsen; Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Digne; McGinn, Luiz; Bailey, Zaniolo, Rogers; Watkins
We say: Brighton & Hove Albion 0-1 Aston Villa
Villa could be forgiven for being pre-occupied with thoughts of Piraeus, and the Lions' European exertions coupled with Brighton's alarming lack of attacking firepower gives rise to a low-key Amex affair this weekend.
The visitors' affinity for goals remains alive and well, though, and with potentially just one more win required for a guaranteed top-four finish, Emery's men can carve their way through a permeable Brighton backline and bolt the back door shut to hit the 70-point mark.
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Ben Knapton
