Tottenham Hotspur travel to Brighton on Saturday looking to continue their strong start and stay near the top of the Premier League table.
The Champions League nights returned to the magnificent Tottenham Hotspur stadium after two years this week, where they hosted La Liga side Villarreal and emerged 1-0 winners. The visitors never found a way back into the game after conceding an early own-goal.
It was not the most convincing display from Thomas Frank’s side, who will want to see an improvement, but the result still adds to a strong start under the new manager.
Spurs have won four of their opening five matches, keeping clean sheets in all of those victories. Their only defeat came before the international break in a 1-0 loss to Bournemouth, but they eventually returned to winning ways in the Premier League, beating West Ham 3-0 away last weekend.
Meanwhile, Brighton’s start to the new season has been far more inconsistent. They have taken only two wins from their opening five league games, most recently losing 2-1 to Bournemouth after having shocked Manchester City by the same scoreline the week before. Their other victory came in the Carabao Cup, where they thrashed Oxford United 6-0.
Sitting 12th in the table will not cause panic just yet, but Fabian Hurzeler and his players will certainly want to push beyond the eighth-place finish they managed last season.
What time does Brighton vs Tottenham Hotspur kick off?
Location: Brighton, England
Stadium: American Express Stadium
Date: September 20, 2025
Kick-off Time: 3 pm BST
Referee: Chris Kavanagh
VAR: Neil Davies
Brighton vs Tottenham Hotspur: Head-to-head record
Brighton completed a league double over Tottenham last season for the very first time in history. Their first clash at the Amex was a nightmare for Spurs, who were 2-0 up at half-time but somehow collapsed and conceded three goals in the second 45.
The reverse fixture came on the final day of the campaign, just days after Spurs had lifted the Europa League trophy. A hungover and exhausted Tottenham side were beaten 1-4 in Ange Postecoglou’s last ever game in charge of the club.
Recent trips to the Amex have also not been kind to Spurs. They have lost away to Brighton in each of the last two seasons, while the Seagulls themselves have only been beaten once in their last 10 home Premier League outings, winning six and drawing three.
Tottenham team news
Yves Bissouma and Dominic Solanke are edging closer to returns, with Solanke back in individual training but expected to feature only from the bench at best. Kota Takai is still some way off being involved and will not play a part unless Frank springs a surprise.
Long-term absentees Radu Dragusin, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski remain sidelined.
Brighton team news
Brighton will be missing Adam Webster and Solly March through injury, while Mats Wieffer is also a doubt as he continues to battle fitness concerns.
Predicted Tottenham line-up
Vicario, Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence, Bentancur, Bergvall, Sarr, Kudus, Richarlison, Simons
With no European fixture next week and only a Carabao Cup tie against League One side Doncaster Rovers to follow, Thomas Frank is expected to stick with his strongest side. That means the same eleven that started the 1-0 win over Villarreal are likely to line up again here.
Destiny Udogie is pushing to start ahead of Djed Spence at left back after the England International underwhelmed in midweek, but Frank is unlikely to drop him after just one poor outing.
Joao Palhinha is another option in midfield, but Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall and Pape Matar Sarr are all in excellent form and should keep their places.
The main tweak Frank might consider is pushing Xavi Simons into the number ten role and resting Sarr, with Brennan Johnson coming in on the left wing.
Our prediction
Tottenham currently sit third in the table with nine points, level with Arsenal but just one goal worse off on difference. A win at the Amex could see them climb, especially with Arsenal facing a tough test against Manchester City.
Brighton’s pressing game is as aggressive as any in the league. They have the lowest passes per defensive action figure in the division, which essentially means they allow very few passes before winning the ball back. This could trouble Tottenham, who looked shaky playing out from the back against Villarreal, and they certainly cannot afford to give away cheap possession here.
On the flip side, that intensity also leaves space in behind. If Spurs can ride the first press, a simple long ball could tear apart Brighton’s defensive line.
Much will depend on whether Xavi Simons is used centrally, where his ability to beat the press could be decisive. Brighton’s strong home form makes this a tricky test, but Thomas Frank has lost to Brighton only once in six previous meetings when managing Brentford. With the quality and balance he now has at Tottenham, he should fancy his chances of extending that record.
Predicted score: Brighton 1-3 Tottenham