Today’s tea-time kick-off in the Premier League features two sides who have upset the order in the top flight recently.
Hosts Brighton broke into the top six last season, dislodging Chelsea and Tottenham from their usual place in the top half dozen, and appear to be going from strength to strength under Roberto De Zerbi.
Visitors Newcastle, meanwhile, crashed into the top four to secure a stunning return to the Champions League as Eddie Howe delivered way ahead of schedule following their Saudi take-over.
Both sides have had mixed openings this season, Brighton being the happier of the two so far, and will hope to remain so as they go into the international break following this fixture.
The two clubs’ new-found status was highlighted during the week when both sides were drawn in exciting groups in their respective European tournaments.
In the Champions League, Newcastle were drawn into a ‘Group of Death’ with Paris St-Germain, Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan. Eddie Howe, who admitted to being somewhat stunned by the draw initially, gathered his thoughts and declared Newcastle could win the group, even going so far as to utter those fabled words “bring it on”, although he sounded a little like he was perhaps trying to convince himself.
“The mentality for us, it doesn’t matter who we play, there has to be an attitude of no fear and no doubts,” Howe said. “Let’s embrace the challenges it will bring. Those teams have been playing in Europe for many, many years and have excelled. So, we have no doubts about the size of the challenge, but bring it on. That is how we feel and that is how I will encourage my players to think. We have to see it like that.”
Brighton, meanwhile, also have a mouth-watering draw in the second-tier Europa League. It does not seem so long ago that the club were in the bottom division, fighting for their existence and without their own stadium. Now they are planning to welcome Ajax, Marseille and AEK Athens to the Amex.
But today it is back to the meat and drink of the Premier League, with both sides looking to bounce back from defeat last week.
