Brighton to continue revival over Bees in Championship clash
Published:
Lee Gormley | February 2, 2016
Brighton and Hove Albion v Brentford
- Championship
- Friday, February 5th
- Kick-off: 19:45 GMT
- Falmer Stadium, Brighton
- Live on Sky Sports 1
Brighton battle Brentford on home turf
In Friday night’s live Championship clash, Brighton and Hove Albion are aiming to get their automatic promotion push back on track by grabbing a third successive league victory over visitors Brentford at the Amex Stadium.
The Seagulls had endured a disastrous winter spell, going seven domestic games without a win before recent back-to-back successes over Blackburn Rovers and Huddersfield Town, and Chris Hughton will hope his side can maintain that revival.
Dean Smith’s visiting Bees have been inflicted with their own run of hapless form, with their recent triumph over Preston North End ending a streak of three straight league defeats and Brighton are 5/2 with Coral to take advantage by winning to nil.
Although, it’s the Bees that have stung their opponents in recent meetings, prevailing in two of their last four match-ups and they are 5/2 to earn three points on the road this time out.
Hosts hold attacking threat
On-loan Manchester United striker James Wilson has enjoyed his stint in the second tier with Brighton so far, netting three times in 11 domestic outings, and he is 21/10 to dispatch anytime again after bagging the winner over Huddersfield in his previous run-out.
Wilson’s strike partner Bobby Zamora opened the scoring in that 2-1 victory over their Yorkshire opponents and the former Tottenham, West Ham and Fulham target man is 11/2 to strike first on home soil once more.
The Seagulls will be without injured Solly March after he was ruled out for the remainder of this current campaign, while Liam Rosenior and Sam Baldock are also doubts.
Meanwhile, Andreas Bjelland is the only Brentford absentee, with Smith expected to stick with the same starting line-up that drew with Leeds United. Although, the visitors have a weakened rearguard after James Tarkowski was sold to Championship rivals Burnley during the January transfer window.
Latest clash can Judge promotion prospects
Brentford possess plenty of threat of their own, with Jake Bidwell, John Swift and Alan Judge striking in the Preston coup, and the latter Republic of Ireland call-up is hoping to impress Martin O’Neill this year ahead of Euro 2016.
The Dublin-born midfielder is 14/5 to find the target anytime, while main marksman Marco Djuricin is 13/5 to get his name on the scoresheet.
Smith’s travelling side are still in search of a play-off position, despite dropping to 10th place, while the hosts are trying to keep pace with front-runners Hull City. The reverse encounter ended all square in December and another stalemate is 11/5 to occur.
Hofmann has goals in sights
Brentford’s German forward Philipp Hofmann recently brought his season tally to four goals and has revealed he is in personal competition with compatriot and QPR striker Sebastian Polter.
The former Schalke attacker is 11/4 to add a fifth strike to his total anytime against Brighton, after stating: “I speak to him a bit. There’s a competition between us. There are a lot of German players in the Championship. It’s not easy as it’s different football to Germany. Now it’s getting better and better.
“We all talk to each other. There’s Patrick Bauer at Charlton, Rouwen Hennings at Burnley, Uwe Hunemeir at Brighton. I played against Hunemeir in Germany in the second league.
“I don’t speak to any of the Germans in the Premier League but I hope to in the future.”
In what is a crucial Championship clash between two promotion hopefuls, Brighton will seek to overcome Brentford and keep on their path towards an automatic route to the Premier League, while the visitors hunt a play-off position.
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Coral’s top tip: Back Brighton’s on-loan Manchester United frontman James Wilson to score anytime at 21/10.
