Tottenham v Brighton predictions: Spurs firing on all cylinders in top four race

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Tottenham v Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday.

Where to watch

BT Sport 1, 12.30pm Saturday

Best bet

Tottenham to win and both teams to score
1pt 13-5 Betfair

Team news

Tottenham
Matt Doherty is out for the season with a knee injury, joining Oliver Skipp and Japhet Tanganga on the treatment table.

Brighton
Adam Webster returned from injury to come off the bench against Arsenal but may start. Jakub Moder, Shane Duffy and Steven Alzate are out.

Match preview

This will be the third meeting in two months between Tottenham and Brighton and both of the familiar foes are fancied to find the net in this encounter.

Spurs’ hopes of Champions League football looked distant not long ago but a run of seven wins in their last nine matches has propelled them into fourth, with rivals Arsenal three points behind with a game in hand after three losses in their last four.

Tottenham’s January signings of Rodrigo Bentancur and in particular Dejan Kulusevski have proved shrewd and have improved the team.

After a slow start to their season in terms of scoring, Spurs have netted 28 times in their last nine games with Heung-Min Son claiming six goals in his last three outings.

Antonio Conte’s side have won both of their meetings with Brighton this season, triumphing 2-0 in the league last month and 3-1 in the FA Cup in February.

To say Brighton's remaining fixtures are dead rubbers would be wide of the mark as the Seagulls are after their highest finish in the top flight of 12th or better. Graham Potter’s men bounced back from a poor run of form with a 2-1 win over Arsenal and are now 11th, just a point ahead of Southampton in 14th.

Before the win over the Gunners, Brighton had taken just one point from the previous 21 available and although they were perhaps unlucky in that run, the same old problem has dogged the side - a lack of goals.

Only Burnley and Norwich have scored fewer than the Seagulls' 28 this season and surely if Potter is to stay their forward line must be invested in. It is perhaps telling that Neal Maupay played no part in their win over Arsenal last weekend.

To add to their problems going forward, Brighton’s defence was significantly weakened in January with the departure of Dan Burn and the injury to Adam Webster.

Potter’s side have however been better on the road than at home this season, with just three defeats on the road and seven at the Amex.

This should be an interesting tactical battle between Potter and Conte, two managers who often set up their teams in similar fashion with a reliance on wing-backs.

Both teams have scored in seven of the Seagulls’ last nine Premier League away games and given their improved showing against Arsenal, Brighton can find the net again.

However, Spurs’ attacking forces have been difficult to slow and they should be able to keep up the pace in the top-four race with a third victory of the season over Brighton.

Key stat

Both teams have scored in seven of Brighton's last nine away games

Inside info

Tottenham

Penalty taker Harry Kane
Free-kick wizard Harry Kane
Set-piece aerial threat Eric Dier
Card magnet Cristian Romero

Brighton

Penalty taker Leandro Trossard/Alexis Mac Allister
Free-kick wizard Leandro Trossard
Set-piece aerial threat Lewis Dunk
Card magnet Yves Bissouma

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