The Case for Brighton: The Seagulls have turned the Amex Stadium into a genuine fortress, suffering only two defeats in their last 18 league matches there. They arrive in confident form, unbeaten in their last five games across all competitions, including a morale-boosting win over Manchester United in the FA Cup. With Danny Welbeck finding the net consistently (8 goals) and their home attack averaging 1.8 goals per game, they have the firepower to punish a leaky Bournemouth defense.

The Case for Bournemouth: While their away form is undeniably poor, the Cherries are agents of chaos who refuse to go quietly. They possess the second-highest away scoring rate in the league (1.8 goals per game) and have seen both teams score in seven consecutive matches. If they can turn this into a frantic, end-to-end shootout, their sheer volume of shots (averaging 14.35 per game) gives them a puncher’s chance against a Brighton side that can be vulnerable to counter-attacks.

The Verdict: This south-coast clash pits Brighton’s structured home dominance against Bournemouth’s high-risk, high-reward approach. Can the Seagulls control the tempo and exploit the visitors’ porous backline, or will Bournemouth’s chaotic energy drag Brighton into a shootout where anything can happen?