Albion v Southampton
PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: The American Express Community Stadium
Date: Saturday 30th March 2019
Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
Referee: Michael Oliver
Assistants: Stuart Burt, Simon Bennett
Fourth official: Graham Scott
TEAM NEWS
Brighton manager Chris Hughton will make a late decision on whether to involve Florin Andone, who has missed two matches with a thigh problem.
Midfielder Pascal Gross remains sidelined by a pulled hamstring.
Danny Ings is in contention to return for Southampton after eight weeks out with a hamstring injury.
Mario Lemina could feature for the first time in 2019 after recovering from an abdominal problem, but Shane Long is still unavailable.
MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES
Conor McNamara: These clubs have delivered dramatic finishes in their previous two meetings this season. Charlie Austin's winner in the League Cup came in the 88th minute, and Brighton snatched a draw in the league in September with a stoppage-time penalty from Glenn Murray.
Set-pieces are massively important for Brighton. Chris Hughton's side have scored more goals from free-kicks, corners, throw-ins and penalties combined than any other Premier League team this season.
Southampton hope that James Ward-Prowse's hot streak continues. Only Sergio Aguero and Sadio Mane have scored more Premier League goals than him in 2019.
WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY
Chris Hughton: "We're on the back of a good period - two important league wins and of course a quarter-final which has put everybody on a high.
"And initially it is about making sure that we bring everybody back down from that, which is our business. The most important thing for us is Premier League points.
"We have to keep fighting and be as competitive as we can and to think that all of the teams below us are very capable of winning games and climbing out of danger."
Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhüttl: "It is a six-point game for sure and can be a big step [to safety], and also to take a point could be an important one for us.
"The last two away games against Arsenal and Manchester United we played a good game without points. It would not be the worst thing to play not so good and take points.
"We are targeting 40 points and we need three wins and one draw, and the sooner we get these points the better."
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
[*=left]All three Premier League meetings have ended as a draw. Brighton recovered from two goals down to earn a point in September's reverse fixture.
[*=left]Southampton won 1-0 at Brighton in the EFL Cup in August and their only defeat in nine meetings came in the Championship seven years ago.
Albion
[*=left]Albion could win three successive Premier League matches for only the second time.
[*=left]Their tally of six points from the past two league fixtures is as many as they managed in the previous 12 (W1, D3, L8).
[*=left]Eight of their nine league victories this season have come by a one-goal margin.
[*=left]Brighton have scored more than once in only one of their past 12 league fixtures at home: a 3-1 win against Crystal Palace on 4 December.
[*=left]Glenn Murray has scored in all three Premier League matches between Brighton and Southampton, but he has gone seven home appearances without a league goal.
Southampton
[*=left]Southampton have lost successive Premier League away games - they're yet to lose three in a row on the road under Ralph Hasenhüttl.
[*=left]They have dropped an unrivalled 20 points from winning positions this season, including five in their last three away games.
[*=left]Saints have scored a league-high 32% of their 34 goals from outside the penalty area this season.
[*=left]Charlie Austin has scored a career-high seven goals in all competitions against Brighton.
[*=left]James Ward-Prowse could become the first Southampton player to score in four successive Premier League matches since Jay Rodriguez in March 2014.
[*=left]Only Sergio Agüero and Sadio Mane, with nine goals each, have more Premier League goals in 2019 than Ward-Prowse's six.
