Brighton vs Leeds preview, team news, stats, prediction, kick-off time
Brighton defender Ben White is back from suspension while Rodrigo is available for Leeds; follow Brighton vs Leeds on Sky Sports; watch free highlights shortly after full-time on Sky Sports website and app
Saturday 1 May 2021 09:12, UK
Team news, stats and prediction ahead of Brighton vs Leeds in the Premier League on Saturday (kick-off 3pm).
Team news
Brighton defender Ben White is back from suspension to play against Leeds, the club he helped win promotion to the Premier League last season when on loan at Elland Road.
Midfielder Adam Lallana has been troubled by a tight calf but should be fit to take his place in Graham Potter's matchday squad.
Forward Percy Tau has recovered from a hamstring injury, but defender Tariq Lamptey (hamstring) and winger Solly March (knee) remain out.
Leeds' record signing Rodrigo is back in contention, but Raphinha remains unavailable.
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Rodrigo has made just one appearance since mid-March due to a troublesome muscle strain and is not expected to start, while Raphinha has still not recovered from a bruised thigh, which has kept him out of the home draws against Liverpool and Manchester United.
Skipper Liam Cooper serves the last game of his three-match ban, but head coach Marcelo Bielsa has no new injury concerns as his side bid to extend their unbeaten league run to seven matches.
How to follow
Follow Brighton vs Leeds in our dedicated live match blog. Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel shortly after the final whistle.
Last time out...
Jones Knows prediction...
Brighton's wretched home form makes little sense when analysing their numbers, yet, it's hard to ignore when trying to assess the market for this one. They've won just one of their last 18 Premier League home games.
That hasn't stopped them being all-the-rage in the markets yet again, though.
Graham Potter's men are hot favourites for this one at 6/5 with Sky Bet, which is easily swerved. Leeds have managed to avoid defeat to Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City in recent weeks. That alone makes the 11/5 for an away win a bet to consider in what is Marcelo Bielsa's 136th game as Leeds manager - the most games he has managed at any one club in his managerial career.
One bet I will be backing revolves around Yves Bissouma.
Not only does he have the best chant for a footballer in the Premier League (replace his name to the lyrics of Tequila) but he packs one of the most powerful long-range strikes of anyone.
Only one goal to his name this season for a player of his quality sums up where Brighton's problems start and finish. It's not for a want of trying, though. He's been shooting on sight lately, registering 10 shots on goal this month with varying degrees of success.
As shown by spectacular goals vs Burnley, Everton and Blackpool over the past 12 months, one of these efforts will be flying into the net soon enough and Leeds are the perfect opponent for him. They offer little protection for Kalvin Phillips up against roaming central midfielders and space will be afforded to Bissouma from range. I like the 28/1 with Sky Bet for him to bang first. Tequila's on me, if it lands.
JONES KNOWS PREDICTS: 1-2
BETTING ANGLE: Yves Bissouma to score first (28/1 with Sky Bet)
Opta stats
- Brighton have won seven of their last eight league games against Leeds, with the exception being a 2-0 loss at Elland Road in March 2017.
- Leeds have lost each of their last four away league games against Brighton by an aggregate score of 9-0 - they've never lost five consecutive away games without scoring against an opponent in their league history.
- Leeds United have played more matches at Brighton's AMEX Stadium without winning than any other stadium in their entire history (6 - D2 L4). Since going 2-0 ahead in the first half of their first game there in 2011 (going on to draw 3-3), Leeds haven't been ahead for a single minute in any of their subsequent five visits.
- Brighton have drawn more Premier League games than any other side this season (13), with only the current bottom three (5 each) winning fewer games than the Seagulls this term (7).
- Brighton have kept a clean sheet in five of their last seven Premier League home games, losing both matches in which they conceded in that run (W2 D3). In fact, Brighton have failed to win any of their 10 home league games this season in which they've conceded at least once (D4 L6).
- Leeds are unbeaten in their last six Premier League games (W3 D3), last having a longer run without defeat in the top-flight between May and November 2001 (13).
- Brighton have the biggest negative difference between goals scored (33) and expected goals (46.9) in the Premier League this season, scoring roughly 14 fewer goals than their xG suggests. The Seagulls have failed to score in their last three league games, despite having 51 shots and an xG value of 3.7 in these matches.
- Brighton's Neal Maupay has scored four goals in his five league games against Leeds United, including the winner for the Seagulls in the reverse fixture at Elland Road this season.
- Danny Welbeck has scored four Premier League goals in 20 games for Brighton this season, more than he had across his previous two league campaigns combined (3 goals in 26 games). Welbeck last scored more in a top-flight campaign in 2017-18 (5).
- Following their goalless draw against Manchester United last time out, Leeds' Illan Meslier became the youngest goalkeeper in Premier League history to record 10 clean sheets (21y 54d), overtaking Joe Hart's record from 2008 (21y 134d).
Pitch to Post Preview: Jamie Carragher on Man Utd v Liverpool; Plus: Chelsea's striker problems and Arsenal's issues on and off the field
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher joins Peter Smith to look ahead to Manchester United's Super Sunday clash with Liverpool. He assesses United's big Europa League semi-final win over Roma and where Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side need to strengthen if they are to be Premier League challengers next season. Plus, he gives his verdict on Liverpool's top four hopes - and how they can come out on top in their must-win trip to Old Trafford.
Sky Sports features writer Nick Wright is also on the show, discussing Chelsea's misfiring strikers ahead of their clash with Fulham, and also offering his insight on Arsenal's Europa League semi-final defeat to Villarreal, what needs to change before next week's second leg, and the wider ownership debate which has led to fan protests. He also shares his Pitch for what he thinks will happen in the Premier League this weekend!
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