Brighton & Hove Albion go welcome Fulham to Amex Stadium for their first match of 2025-26 Premier League season on Saturday afternoon.
The Seagulls beat Fulham 2-1 for their last meeting in March, ending nine-game winless run against the West Londoners in Premier League (D4 L5).
Match Preview
Brighton were one of Europe biggest spenders last summer, spending over £200m on new players, but Premier League youngest-ever manager Fabian Hurzeler no fit guide dem back into European competition, settling for respectable eighth place.
This summer, Brighton don spend over £60m on six new signings, including Greek wonderkid Charalampos Kostoulas.
But dem don lose star striker Joao Pedro to Chelsea and left-back Pervis Estupinan to AC Milan, while key midfielder Carlos Baleba still dey linked with big-money move to Manchester United.
Hurzeler dey confident say Brighton fit compete with big teams this season. Dem don enjoy positive pre-season, winning six and drawing one of seven friendlies, including 2-0 and 2-1 home wins against Bundesliga side Wolfsburg last weekend.
Brighton dey enter Saturday game with Fulham with record of winning opening top-flight match in each of last four seasons — their longest run ever and the longest current run of any Premier League club.
Hurzeler and squad dey confident to score against Fulham, as Brighton don score more Premier League goals (31) than any other team since 7-0 loss to Nottingham Forest in February.
Only Manchester City (30) and Aston Villa (29) get more points than Brighton (27 – W8 D3 L3) in that period.
Fulham dey prepare for fourth consecutive top-flight season and dem wan return top half of table after finishing 11th last season with 54 points — their highest Premier League tally.
Fulham don enjoy pre-season, winning all three friendlies against Nottingham Forest, Al-Ittihad, and Eintracht Frankfurt — beating Frankfurt 1-0 last weekend via Raul Jimenez free-kick.
However, Marco Silva don suffer frustrating summer transfer window, as only £500,000 backup goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte join club. Silva talk say squad dey “very short” and need reinforcements before September 1 deadline.
Fulham don win opening league match only once in last eight seasons (D3 L4) — 1-0 win at Everton in 2023-24. Silva believe both his side and Brighton go “anxious” for this weekend opener.
Against Brighton, Fulham don win 50% of 10 Premier League games (W5 D4 L1). But dem don only win one of last seven away visits to Brighton (D3 L3) — 1-0 win February 2023.
Brighton pre-season form: W W W W D W
Fulham pre-season form: W W W
Team News
Brighton trio Solly March, Adam Webster, Julio Enciso dey out with knee injuries. Jack Hinshelwood (knock) go dey assessed before kickoff. New teenage attackers Tom Watson, Stefanos Tzimas, Charalampos Kostoulas still dey “phase of adaptation” and fit no play.
Baleba don recover from knee injury and fit start, battling Yasin Ayari, Diego Gomez, Matt O’Riley, and 39-year-old James Milner for midfield spot.
Hurzeler fit give summer signing Maxim De Cuyper Premier League debut at left-back, with four-man defence including captain Lewis Dunk, Jan Paul van Hecke, and either Mats Wieffer or Tariq Lamptey at right-back.
Kaoru Mitoma and Danny Welbeck finish last season as Brighton joint-top scorers with 11 goals each, and dem expected to start alongside Georgino Rutter and Yankuba Minteh.
For Fulham, Antonee Robinson dey sidelined after May knee surgery. Ryan Sessegnon dey fit to play at left-back. Striker Rodrigo Muniz fit play, though dem dey report say him wan join Atalanta. Raul Jimenez go start upfront. Joshua King dey push Emile Smith Rowe for number 10, while Harry Wilson and Alex Iwobi go start on flanks.
Possible Lineups
Brighton & Hove Albion: Verbruggen; Wieffer, Van Hecke, Dunk, De Cuyper; Ayari, Gomez; Minteh, Rutter, Mitoma; Welbeck
Fulham: Leno; Tete, Andersen, Bassey, Sessegnon; Berge, Lukic; Wilson, Smith Rowe, Iwobi; Jimenez
Prediction
Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 Fulham
Both Brighton and Fulham don enjoy positive pre-season, so e no go surprise if both teams score at Amex — four of last six meetings don see goals at both ends.
Fulham get decent record against Brighton, but we dey back hosts to outscore visitors and claim narrow opening-weekend win.