Brighton & Hove Albion welcome high-flying Sunderland to the American Express Stadium on Saturday afternoon for a Premier League clash that sees two sides in contrasting form.
Fabian Hürzeler’s Brighton side are searching for consistency. They have gone winless in their last three matches, including a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool last time out. Currently, they sit 10th in the table and face a “December curse.” The Seagulls are winless in their last nine Premier League games played this month.
By contrast, Régis Le Bris’ Sunderland are riding the crest of a wave. They beat bitter rivals Newcastle United 1-0 in the Tyne-Wear derby last weekend. This result moved them up to 8th in the table. The Black Cats have accumulated 26 points from 16 games. Remarkably, this is the best return by a promoted side at this stage since Hull City in 2008-09.
Brighton vs Sunderland – Match Preview and Team News
- Date: Saturday, 20 December 2025
- Kick-off: 3:00 pm GMT
- Venue: American Express Stadium, Falmer
- Referee: Darren England
- VAR: James Bell
- Last Meeting: Brighton 1-0 Sunderland, 23 August 2011, League Cup
Team News
Brighton
Fabian Hürzeler will be without Adam Webster, Solly March, and Tom Watson due to injury. Midfielder Carlos Baleba is a major absentee as he has departed for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). However, winger Yankuba Minteh remains available as Gambia failed to qualify for the tournament. Danny Welbeck is expected to lead the line against his former club. He will be supported by Georginio Rutter and Brajan Gruda.
Sunderland
Régis Le Bris is navigating a squad exodus due to AFCON. While midfielder Habib Diarra is in contention to play this final game before joining the Senegal squad, several others have already departed. Chemsdine Talbi, Noah Sadiki, Arthur Masuaku, and Bertrand Traoré are all unavailable. Defensively, Reinildo Mandava has been listed in the starting lineup despite being named in the Mozambique squad, suggesting a delayed departure. Luke O’Nien is suspended, and Aji Alese remains injured.
Form
Brighton
The Seagulls are struggling to turn performances into points. They have won just two of their eight home league games this season. Furthermore, their record against Sunderland in the top flight is poor. They have won just one of their six meetings at this level. However, they did win the last competitive meeting between the sides at the Amex—a 1-0 League Cup victory in 2011.
Sunderland
Sunderland’s 1-0 win over Newcastle was their fifth clean sheet of the season. This showcased the defensive resilience that has been key to their success. Goalkeeper Robin Roefs has been outstanding. He has prevented 3.5 goals based on expected goals on target (xGoT), the best record of any keeper in the Premier League this season. Despite their strong position, Sunderland often start slowly. They have scored fewer first-half goals than any other side in the division.
Predicted Lineups
Brighton predicted XI: Verbruggen; Wieffer, van Hecke, Dunk, Kadıoğlu; Milner, Hinshelwood; Minteh, Rutter, Gomez; Welbeck
Sunderland predicted XI: Roefs; Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete, Mandava; Mundle, Xhaka; Poveda, Le Fée, Ba; Brobbey
How to watch Brighton vs Sunderland?
This match will not be broadcast live in the UK due to the Saturday 15:00 blackout rule. Highlights will be available on BBC’s Match of the Day.
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