Can Brilliant Brighton Sneak into Europe?
Since booking their place in the Premier League, Brighton & Hove Albion has been on a steady rise. Graham Potter took them to next level, and current boss Roberto De Zerbi is building on Potter’s excellent work.
Are Brighton Realistic Top-Six Contenders?
Looking at the European spots, Manchester City and Arsenal will take two of the places, while Manchester United and Newcastle United are also looking likely for a top-four finish. Brighton has put itself in a great position to finish in the European spots.
Reaching Europe in the Premier League would be a massive achievement for Albion. England’s top tier is regarded as the best league and is watched all over the world, including New Zealand. Kiwis can enter the Ladbrokes registration code and take advantage of the excellent price of 11/8 for Brighton to secure a top-six finish. The Seagulls certainly look capable of upsetting the European positions this term.
From the opening weekend win at Old Trafford, Brighton has been brilliant so far this season. Albion made a superb start under the popular Potter, though he left for Chelsea in September. The club acted swiftly to bring in De Zerbi, who was Shakhtar Donetsk manager from May 2021 to July 2022.
Despite starting his reign with a 3-3 draw with Liverpool, as reported by here by BBC, the Italian had a tough start to life at the Amex Stadium, failing to win any of his opening five. His first victory came against Potter’s Chelsea, as Albion thumped the Blues 4-1 at the Amex – it was also Potter’s first defeat as Chelsea boss.
Several wins have followed, including an impressive 3-0 league success over Liverpool in mid-January. The Seagulls also knocked Premier League leaders Arsenal out of the Carabao Cup earlier in the campaign.
Dat guy is all smiles. 😁 @DannyWelbeck 👋 pic.twitter.com/HDAPFJaTxP
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) January 19, 2023
Albion Playing the Right Way
Under Potter, Brighton started to become very easy on the eye. They got results by playing possession-based soccer, which is no easy task in a league glittered with some of the world’s best passing teams.
Potter set the foundations, and De Zerbi has taken over the mantle. Apart from Manchester City Liverpool and Chelsea, Brighton had the best possession stats in the Premier League last term accoring to stats website FotMob, which shows how far they have come since their EFL League One days just over a decade ago.
Roberto De Zerbi's Seagulls are soaring 😍@OfficialBHAFC pic.twitter.com/HjuEpTuCXY
— Premier League (@premierleague) January 16, 2023
Away from the top clubs, many regard Brighton as the best footballing team in the league in terms of style of play. They also have several top players playing right at the top of their game at the minute.
Can Brighton Keep the Momentum Ticking?
Due to the 2022 FIFA World Cup break, 2023 is a busy time for all Premier League clubs. The biggest sides have the squads to cope, but the likes of Brighton could be stretched in the second half of the campaign.
Nevertheless, the East Sussex club has put itself in a great position to take one of the European spots. The UEFA Champions League will be a step too far, but the UEFA Europa League is a real possibility.
If they carry on playing the right way and keep on improving under De Zerbi, exciting times could lie ahead for the Brighton supporters.
