On Saturday, April 12th, ninth-placed Brighton & Hove Albion welcome 19th-placed Leicester City to the Amex Stadium for a Premier League encounter that’s widely anticipated to be a lopsided affair.
Nolan James Apr 10
When these two teams last faced off on December 8th, Brighton looked to be cruising after goals from Tariq Lamptey and Yankuba Minteh put them 2-0 up. However, Leicester stunned the Seagulls with a late surge, as Jamie Vardy struck in the 86th minute before Bobby De Cordova-Reid netted an injury-time equalizer to snatch a dramatic point.
While their recent form has taken a dip, Brighton have enjoyed a strong campaign under Fabian Hürzeler. With 47 points from 31 matches (12 wins, 11 draws, 8 defeats), they sit ninth in the table—just four points off seventh-placed Aston Villa—keeping their European hopes very much alive if they can finish strong.
Although their FA Cup run ended in disappointment with a quarter-final exit to Nottingham Forest on penalties, the Seagulls impressed by eliminating Newcastle, Chelsea, and Norwich in earlier rounds. Now, all eyes are on the league.
Leicester City’s season has spiraled into chaos, with fan frustration mounting and the threat of relegation becoming a near-certainty. Former boss Steve Cooper left when the Foxes were just one point above the drop zone—an enviable position compared to their current state.
Ruud van Nistelrooy took over on November 29th and briefly lifted spirits with a 3-1 win over West Ham in his first match. Since then, it’s been a disaster: just two wins in 19 matches and a miserable 15% win rate. The team has lost all of their last five games, including a 3-0 drubbing by Newcastle on Monday, and failed to find the net in their last seven league outings.
Brighton are coming into this match on a rough patch, having lost three on the bounce—Crystal Palace (2-1), Aston Villa (3-0), and a penalty shootout defeat to Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup after a goalless draw. Before that slump, they drew 2-2 at Manchester City and edged Fulham 2-1 thanks to a 98th-minute penalty from Joao Pedro.
Meanwhile, Leicester’s losing streak shows no signs of stopping. In addition to the Newcastle defeat, they’ve fallen to Man City, Man United, Chelsea, and West Ham in recent weeks. The Foxes remain stuck on 17 points after 31 matches—15 adrift of safety with seven games left.
The Foxes’ performances away from home have been particularly dire. In 15 away matches, they’ve picked up just eight points, scoring only 14 goals while conceding 37. Their inability to threaten going forward or keep things tight at the back continues to cost them.
Brighton enter this match as overwhelming favorites. Leicester’s horrific form—three wins in 20 under Van Nistelrooy and no goals in their last seven league games—sets the stage for what should be a straightforward win for the Seagulls. Expect Hürzeler’s men to take full advantage of a side in free fall.
