After surviving relegation with a scrappy 1-1 draw against Arsenal in the penultimate match of last season, the Seagulls have roped in a promising manager in the form of Graham Potter from Welsh side Swansea City.
Club icon Bruno hung up his boots last season leaving a huge hole in defence. Brighton brought in Matthew Clarke from Portsmouth before sending him on loan before pre-season even began. The East Sussex side also lost French winger Anthony Knockaert to Fulham, who was key to its promotion two seasons ago.
Following the big departures, Brighton made some smart choices in replacing the key positions which would also suit Potter’s bold vision of playing a three-man defence. In came Bristol City’s Adam Webster for a club record fee, whose defensive contributions helped the Championship side finish 11th last season.
Manchester City youth product Taylor Richards could also prove to be a value addition in the midfield after a brilliant performance in a 2-1 win against Spanish club Valencia in a pre-season friendly.
Potter’s big plans for the defensive setup did not take away the focus from other areas as the club brought in Championship joint-second scorer Neal Maupay for a reported £20 million while Belgian winger Leandro Trossard has been brought for a similar amount from KRC Genk.
The Seagulls will travel to Vicarage Road to face Watford for the Premier League opener.
Player to watch out for - Neal Maupay
The 22-year old former St. Etienne winger was highly sought after by multiple English clubs including Aston Villa and Sheffield United but the Frenchman chose Brentford in the end. His development was rapid at Griffin Park. Maupay was the second-joint top scorer in the EFL with 25 goals in 43 games as Brentford finished 11th. His performances also won him the EFL's Player of the Season, voted by players and fans. A strong left foot, superiority in one-on-one situations and raw pace make Maupay one of the exciting talents in Europe.
Premier League fixtures
August
10 - Watford vs Brighton
17 - Brighton vs West Ham United
24 - Brighton vs Southampton
31 - Manchester City vs Brighton
September
14 - Brighton vs Burnley
21 - Newcastle United vs Brighton
28 - Chelsea vs Brighton
October
5 - Brighton vs Tottenham Hotspur
19 - Aston Villa vs Brighton
26 - Brighton vs Everton
November
2 - Brighton vs Norwich City
9 - Manchester United vs Brighton
23 - Brighton vs Leicester City
30 - Liverpool vs Brighton
December
4 - Arsenal vs 4 Brighton
7 - Brighton vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (H)
14 - Crystal Palace vs Brighton
21 Brighton vs Sheffield United
26 - Tottenham Hotspur vs Brighton
28 - Brighton vs AFC Bournemouth
January
1 -Brighton vs Chelsea
11 - Everton vs Brighton
18 - Brighton vs Aston Villa (H)
22 - AFC Bournemouth vs Brighton
February
1 - West Ham United vs Brighton
8 - Brighton vs Watford
22 - Sheffield United vs Brighton
29 - Brighton vs Crystal Palace
March
7 - Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton
14 - Brighton vs Arsenal
21 - Brighton vs Leicester City
April
4 - Brighton vs Manchester United
11 - Norwich City vs Brighton
18 - Brighton vs Liverpool
25 - Brighton vs Manchester City
May
2 - Southampton vs Brighton
9 - Brighton vs Newcastle United
17 - Burnley vs Brighton
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