[Albion] AFC Bournemouth vs Brighton & Hove Albion *** Official Match Thread ***

[Dick Head]

Bournemouth v Albion

PREMIER LEAGUE

Venue: Vitality Stadium
Date: Tuesday 4th April 2023
Kick-off: 19:45 BST
Referee: Darren Bond
Assistants: Darren Cann, Nick Hopton
Fourth Official: Andrew Madley
VAR: Darren England
Additional VAR: Adrian Holmes
​

TEAM NEWS

Defender Illia Zabarnyi could make his Bournemouth debut after being an unused substitute at the weekend.

Marcus Tavernier may start after coming off the bench last time out on his return from a hamstring problem but head coach Gary O'Neil is wary of rushing him back.

Brighton's Evan Ferguson is fit again after missing Saturday's draw with Brentford with an unspecified injury.

Head coach Roberto De Zerbi said defender Adam Webster will return in defence but Tariq Lamptey is still out with a knee injury.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Bournemouth have won their last four home league games against Brighton, including all three in the Premier League.
• However, Brighton have won two of their last three league games against Bournemouth.

Bournemouth

• Bournemouth could win a third Premier League home game in a row for the first time since February 2018.
• The Cherries have conceded 55 goals in the Premier League, more than any other team this season, although only 17 of those have come at home.
• Their only win in their last 13 midweek Premier League games was at home to Brighton on a Tuesday in January 2020.
• Bournemouth have faced 467 shots in the Premier League this season, more than any other side.
• Marcus Tavernier has scored four goals and had four assists in his past six Premier League matches.

Albion

• Brighton have lost just one of their past 10 Premier League matches (W5, D4).
• They have lost only one of their 14 games in all competitions in 2023 (W9, D4).
• The Seagulls are unbeaten away from home since October (W3, D3).
• They have failed to score in only one of their last 14 Premier League away games.
• Brighton have won their last two midweek Premier League games, beating Everton 4-1 in January and Crystal Palace 1-0 last month.
• Solly March has scored four goals in his last five away Premier League appearances.
• Kaoru Mitoma has been directly involved in 10 goals in his last 14 league appearances, scoring seven and assisting three.

Roberto De Zerbi's Bournemouth Press Conference

 

[Mortdecai]

 

[Mt.Fuji]

Brighton have to win this game to play in Europe next season. However, at the same time, a few players might need to rest a bit (especially the ones who played for their national teams last month). For example, Mitoma. He flew all the way to Japan and played in two games for Japan, then flew all the way back to UK. Who played for their national teams last month?. How about Mac Allister and some other players? (I don't know much who played for their national teams last month)

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Is that the best sound in football? Most of the ground silent and your fans celebrating?

Yes, yes , yes.

Love that man.
Such a fan.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Is that the best sound in football? Most of the ground silent and your fans celebrating?

Yes, yes , yes.

Love that man.
Such a fan.

Even better when it’s at the other end with a slight delay

 

[Guinness Boy]

Brighton have to win this game to play in Europe next season. However, at the same time, a few players might need to rest a bit (especially the ones who played for their national teams last month). For example, Mitoma. He flew all the way to Japan and played in two games for Japan, then flew all the way back to UK. Who played for their national teams last month?. How about Mac Allister and some other players? (I don't know much who played for their national teams last month)

We have a huge number of international players. The most notable in the last international break, apart from Mitoma, were the three Ecuadorian lads, Caicedo, Estupinian and Sarmiento who flew to Australia for two games. Sarmiento came back with a metatarsal injury.

But despite that the players who looked most out of form on Saturday were Dunk and Colwill, who didn’t have international games, so I’m not surprised RDZ says Webster will be back

 

[Beach Hut]

So excited

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Brighton have to win this game to play in Europe next season. However, at the same time, a few players might need to rest a bit (especially the ones who played for their national teams last month). For example, Mitoma. He flew all the way to Japan and played in two games for Japan, then flew all the way back to UK. Who played for their national teams last month?. How about Mac Allister and some other players? (I don't know much who played for their national teams last month)

Caicedo, Estupinan and Sarmiento went to Australia with Ecuador.
and Sarmiento got a broken foot for his trouble!

 

[Springal]

Agreed must win game tonight

 

[BN41Albion]

Bournemouth won two on the bounce so will have their tails up. Going to be a very tricky game...

 

[Perfidious Albion]

We need this. On Saturday we scored 3 but conceded 3. Tonight the defence must keep a clean sheet and allow the forwards to do their job ….

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Looking forward to this one. Incredibly (I've done many away days over the years, and I've lived in Dorset for 5 years), the first time I've ever been to the vitality.

 

[HastingsSeagull]

Having dropped points at the weekend this is now must win. That fact they’ve won the last 4 home games (3 in Prem) against us says it all though. They’ve hardly been tearing up the league or a hard counter to our tactics.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Thought that Bournemouth gave us a very close game at the Amex so i expect this will be difficult tonight and would take a draw if offered now.

In the last fixture we didn't have Caicedo or Mac A so hopefully they make the difference as Billing bullied our players all over the pitch.

 

[A1X]

Oh well.

 

[Oh_aye]

Need to win this one. Seeing how terrible Spurs were last night, has made me for the first time think we could genuinely duke it out for 4th with Newcastle. Like when Leicester won the league, we probably won't see a group of the traditional big boys have such an off season for another decade or so.

For my part I shall be searching the bars of Alcudia Mallorca for somewhere that will show it. I'd be grateful for any Mallorcan ex pats on here who might help me out!?

 

[Oh_aye]

Thought that Bournemouth gave us a very close game at the Amex so i expect this will be difficult tonight and would take a draw if offered now.

In the last fixture we didn't have Caicedo or Mac A so hopefully they make the difference as Billing bullied our players all over the pitch.

Thought it was just Mac missing no?

 

[jcdenton08]

2-1 to the bad guys. Have a horrible feeling we aren’t going to “turn up”.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Thought it was just Mac missing no?

Caicedo came on in the second half (it was after the transfer window shenanigans).

 

[Oh_aye]

Caicedo came on in the second half (it was after the transfer window shenanigans).

Ah yeah. I remember now. We are definitely are a different prospect with them both starting. I thought they were half decent in the first game. And had a couple of speedy buggers on the wing / up front that they'd just bought.