Following their scintillating start to the new Premier League season, Brighton & Hove Albion will host Crawley Town in an EFL Cup tie on Tuesday.
The Seagulls soared to a last-gasp victory over Manchester United last time out, but their League One visitors are also in good form, having won four games from five so far.
Match preview
© Imago
After a stellar run of results in pre-season, as they seamlessly adapted to life under new boss Fabian Hurzeler, Brighton's return to top-flight action has continued in the same vein, with back-to-back wins to start the 2024-25 campaign.
Hurzeler's reign began in style, as the Seagulls cruised to a 3-0 victory against 10-man Everton, but the 31-year-old coach claimed an even bigger scalp on Saturday, as his side toppled Manchester United at the Amex Stadium.
Ex-United striker Danny Welbeck gave the hosts a first-half lead with his fifth league goal against his former club, before they conceded a second-half equaliser and looked like settling for a point.
However, Joao Pedro then headed home a dramatic stoppage-time winner to maintain Brighton's 100% start to the season, sparking wild celebrations and boosting belief in the Premier League's youngest-ever manager.
Albion face a tough final fixture before the international break puts a stop to club football next month, as they must visit an Arsenal side also on two wins from two.
First, they return to knockout competition, and as a top-flight club, Brighton have won all six of their League Cup ties against lower-level opponents at the Amex - scoring 14 times and conceding only once.
© Reuters
Tuesday's game will bring Brighton together with nearby Crawley Town for just the second time ever: the clubs' only previous meeting was in the 1992 FA Cup third round, with the Seagulls running out 5-0 winners on that occasion.
Crawley may hope to fare a little better this time around, having more recently won two of their three EFL Cup matches against Premier League opponents, losing the other to eventual winners Swansea in 2012.
Furthermore, Scott Lindsey's freshly promoted side posted four straight wins to start the new season - albeit one via a penalty shootout, against Brighton's Under-21 side in the EFL Trophy.
League victories over Blackpool and Cambridge United were split by progress from the EFL Cup's first round, where Crawley beat Swindon Town partly thanks to a Jack Roles brace.
The League One side scored twice late on, sealing a 4-2 win that set up this week's trip to Brighton, but they failed to find the net last time out, suffering a first loss of the season away to Wigan Athletic on Saturday.
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- L
Team News
© Imago
Between two tough Premier League fixtures, Fabian Hurzeler is likely to make several changes to his starting XI in midweek, so summer signings including Brajan Gruda and Georginio Rutter will be in contention to play against Crawley.
The latter - Brighton's £40m club-record acquisition - could replace Joao Pedro up front, while veteran striker Danny Welbeck may also make way.
The hosts are still without Solly March, Bart Verbruggen, Evan Ferguson and Pervis Estupinan, while Valentin Barco has just joined Sevilla on a season-long loan.
The signing of Fenerbahce full-back Ferdi Kadioglu has not been completed, and Denmark midfielder Matt O'Riley is yet to sign on the dotted line to confirm a transfer from Celtic.
Meanwhile, Crawley will be without injured trio Dion Conroy, Gavan Holohan and Harry Forster, the latter of whom was injured in the second leg of the Reds' playoff semi-final and is still troubled by a thigh problem.
Ronan Darcy recently returned to fitness, though, so he could join Junior Quitirna in the final third. Summer signing Quitirna set up two goals against Swindon in the first round and should support ex-Aston Villa striker Rushian Hepburn-Murphy up front.
Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:
Steele; Lamptey, Dunk, Igor, Hinshelwood; Baleba, Wieffer, Ayari; Gruda, Rutter, Adingra
Crawley Town possible starting lineup:
Wollacott; Mullarkey, Mukena, Flint; Malone, Williams, Anderson, Kelly; Darcy, Quitirna; Hepburn-Murphy
We say: Brighton & Hove Albion 2-0 Crawley Town
Even with a much-changed XI, Brighton should comfortably overcome opponents who were playing in League Two last season, as the Seagulls' squad depth is quite impressive.
Crawley will expect to suffer long spells without the ball against their Premier League neighbours, who are sure to score at least once at the Amex.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
