Brighton & Hove Albion will enter their fifth straight campaign in the Premier League this season, after steering well clear of the drop last year under the management of Graham Potter.
While they are yet to show any real progression in terms of league finishes, the Seagulls will head into this season with the aim of climbing the table this time around, as they hope to see their renowned play style finally bear fruit.
Here, Sports Mole provides an in-depth preview for Brighton's 2021-22 campaign, and how we see their season panning out.
© Reuters
FIXTURES
Brighton start the season with a trip to Turf Moor to take on Burnley, before facing newly-promoted Watford and Brentford alongside Everton in a somewhat favourable first four.
After a difficult festive period, involving clashes with Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Chelsea, Potter's men will begin the new year with a trip to Everton, followed by a home clash against rivals Crystal Palace.
Their campaign will then be wrapped up by a difficult run, as a home clash with Manchester United is followed by a trip to Elland Road to take on Leeds United and a home game against West Ham United on the final day.
> Click here to see all of Brighton's 2021-22 fixtures
SUMMER SIGNINGS
© Reuters
In
Enock Mwepu (£20.7m, Red Bull Salzburg)
Kjell Scherpen (£4.5m, Ajax)
Out
Teddy Jenks (loan, Aberdeen)
Alex Cochrane (loan, Hearts)
Jose Izquierdo (released)
Davy Propper (free, PSV Eindhoven)
Jan Mlakar (undisclosed, Hajduk Split)
Bernardo (undisclosed, Red Bull Salzburg)
Ryan Longman (loan, Hull City)
Viktor Gyokeres (undisclosed, Coventry City)
Mathew Ryan (free, Real Sociedad)
Matt Clarke (loan, West Bromwich Albion)
Jensen Weir (loan, Cambridge United)
Carl Rushworth (loan, Walsall)
Alireza Jahanbakhsh (£1m, Feyenoord)
Ben White (£52.7m, Arsenal)
Danny Cashman (free, Coventry City)
Total spent to date: £25.2m
Total received to date: £53.6m
Net transfer balance: £28.4m
SQUAD
© Reuters
Goalkeepers: Robert Sanchez, Kjell Scherpen, Jason Steele, Christian Walton
Defenders: Tariq Lamptey, Adam Webster, Lewis Dunk, Michal Karbownik, Shane Duffy, Dan Burn, Joel Veltman, Leo Ostigard
Midfielders: Yves Bissouma, Enock Mwepu, Pascal Gross, Steven Alzate, Jakub Moder, Moises Caicedo, Leandro Trossard, Adam Lallana, Alexis Mac Allister, Solly March
Forwards: Aaron Connolly, Neal Maupay, Danny Welbeck, Florin Andone, Jurgen Locadia, Andi Zeqiri, Percy Tau
> Click here for full details of Brighton's 2021-22 squad
STRONGEST XI
STAR PLAYER - YVES BISSOUMA
© Reuters
With the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal both looking for a midfielder over the summer, Bissouma has consistently been linked with a major move away from the Seagulls, with his performances over the last two years showing him to be one of the most well-rounded midfielders in the league.
While captain Lewis Dunk is vital in Graham Potter's side, it is Bissouma's dynamic midfield play that really makes them tick, as a physically imposing technician who is equally adept at dribbling and spreading play.
Having arrived from Lille in 2018, the Mali international has already made 86 appearances in the English top flight, including featuring 36 times last season, only missing two games through suspension.
Ranking towards the top of the league's tackling charts last season, alongside his impressive ability to break with the ball, Bissouma will be a crucial part of this Brighton side once again this season should the Seagulls fend off interest in their midfielder.
MANAGER - GRAHAM POTTER
© Reuters
A manager often lauded for his play style and tactical approach, Potter has already been linked with moves away from the South Coast, when sides like Tottenham Hotspur were dealing with managerial vacancies, but, alas, he will lead the Seagulls into the new season.
The 46-year-old honed his craft in the Swedish game with Ostersund, taking them from the fourth tier to the top flight in his seven-year spell, marking the first time the club has reached the Allsvenskan.
After leading them to the Europa League, narrowly being knocked out in the round of 32 by Arsenal despite winning 2-1 in North London in the second leg, Potter joined Swansea City, who had just been relegated from the Premier League. Despite a strong end to the season, they fell short of making the playoffs, although a run to the FA Cup quarter-finals did catch eyes, as they were eventually knocked out by Manchester City after leading Pep Guardiola's men 2-0 early in the game.
Following that season with the Swans, Potter was approached to replace Chris Hughton as Brighton manager, marking his first venture as a manager into the English top flight, and a commendable first campaign saw them finish in 15th spot with 41 points.
He now enters his third full campaign as the boss of the Seagulls, after last season's 16th-placed finish, again recording 41 points, with the hopes of leading his side up the table as they stick to his progressive footballing philosophy.
LAST SEASON - 16th
© Reuters
While being praised for their progressive style, Brighton often failed to string results together last season, winning just nine of their 38 league games while suffering 15 defeats.
The Seagulls never dropped into the relegation zone though, consistently maintaining a fairly comfortable gap between themselves and the bottom three, as they finished 13 points above Fulham in 18th spot.
A highlight of the campaign for Potter's men was a 1-0 away victory over Liverpool in February, handing the defending champions what was just their second Premier League defeat at Anfield since 2017.
It was at the American Express Community Stadium that Brighton really struggled for form, winning just four of their 19 league games on home turf while also only narrowly avoiding defeat at home to basement side Sheffield United in December, with an 87th-minute Danny Welbeck equaliser saving their blushes against a Blades side who were yet to pick up a league victory in the season, and had been reduced to 10 men before half time.
Their other high point came in the penultimate outing of the season, as Potter guided his side to a 3-2 home victory over Manchester City, who has already been crowned champions, with Leandro Trossard, Dan Burn and Adam Webster getting on the scoresheet in the second half to overturn a two-goal deficit and see the Seagulls rise to 16th spot.
PREDICTION
Certainly boasting a stronger squad than several sides in this year's Premier League, even with the absence of Ben White, the Seagulls should have more than enough to avoid the drop again this campaign.
With another season of Potter's system, they are bound to click eventually, and could pull off more upsets like last season's victories over Liverpool and Manchester City to propel them up the league.
While we do not expect them to push the top 10 sides, the South coast outfit should at least match last season's points tally, thanks in part to the addition of Enock Mwepu alongside Bissouma in the engine room, while Neal Maupay is almost certain to find his scoring boots eventually, given the volume of chances that Brighton create.
VERDICT: 15th
Sam Varley
