Brighton vs Southampton prediction: Seagulls to crank up pressure on Russell Martin?

The south coast derby kicks off another weekend of Premier League action as Brighton host Southampton on Friday night (8pm, Sky Sports Main Event).

The Seagulls have a great opportunity to edge themselves into the title race as the hosts can move into second in the league table with a win over the division’s bottom side.

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has enjoyed a fine introduction into life in the Premier League. His side have enjoyed six wins, four draws and just two defeats so far, which is the identical record of both Chelsea and Arsenal.

Their only defeats have come against the Blues and the Reds, while they have drawn with the Gunners and beaten Manchester City, not bad for a side that finished 11th last season.

At the other end of the table, Southampton have picked up just four points from their opening 12 games.

The Saints’ only win of the campaign came against Everton courtesy of a late goal from Adam Armstrong earlier this months, although they’ve since slipped to back-to-back defeats.

They have continued playing the same style of football that got them promoted to the Premier League in May, but dominating possession will not be enough to keep them in the top flight.

Russell Martin’s side did put in an impressive performance against Liverpool last weekend, which saw them take a 2-1 lead but ultimately it counted for nothing as Mo Salah scored twice to make it 10 league defeats already.

Betting sites are not optimistic about their prospects at the Amex Stadium, with a price of 13/2 to secure the three points. The hosts are overwhelming favourites at 4/9 to close out their seventh win of the season.

The Seagulls have scored in all bar one of their games so far this season and have found the target 30 times in all competitions.

So, the Saints defence can expect a busy evening, and their form at the back has not been convincing, conceding the same amount of goals as Brighton have scored, while eight of those goals have come directly from individual errors.

Goalkeeper Alex McCarthy, who is deputising for the injured Aaron Ramsdale, had an afternoon to forget at St Mary’s last weekend, and he’s already conceded five goals in just three appearances.

He has also made 15 saves in those games, and you can get odds of 10/11 on betting apps on him making over 4.5 saves on Friday, but the Saints keeper will be well pressed to keep a clean sheet.

Brighton have had 56 shots on target, in the league so far, resulting in 21 goals.

Given the Saints’ issues, and Brighton’s outstanding play in the final third, notably in their 2-1 win over Bournemouth last time out, we believe they could be in line to score at least two more goals and improve on their 34 per cent shooting accuracy.

Southampton may have a chance on the counter as Hürzeler’s side also concede at a decent rate, shipping 16 in their 12 league games with only three clean sheets to their name.

Both teams have scored in the last seven meetings between the two sides, while Brighton have won the last two games 3-1. Odds of 11/1 are available on that scoreline again on Friday with football betting sites.

Buoyed by their two goals against Liverpool we’re tipping the Saints to find weaknesses in the Brighton defence.

But, it won’t be enough to secure a positive result as their own deficiencies at the back will be exposed as the pressure continues to mount on Martin.

Brighton vs Southampton prediction: Both teams to score and Brighton to win 13/8 Betway

New customers can secure free bets and more by signing up for new betting sites and established operators online and wagering on Brighton vs Southampton.

Betfred are one of the most trusted and reliable operators in the business and are offering new customers £50 in free bets.

Using the Betfred promo code BETFRED50, new users need to register, deposit £10 and bet £10 on any sports market with odds of evens or greater to qualify for the bonus.

Once your qualifying wager has settled, you’ll receive £50 in free bets to use on the sportsbook paid out in five £10 installments.

When having a bet, it’s vital to practice responsible gambling. Always stick withing a budget and don’t chase your losses in any circumstances.

Betting can be addictive and it’s important to stay in control of your betting. Never treat gambling as a way to make money, never bet more than you can afford and when the fun stops, stop.

Gambling sites offer punters tools, like deposit limits, profit and loss trackers and self-exclusion options, to help them stay in control.

But if you ever feel like you need help or advice on gambling addiction, don’t hesitate to contact one of the charities or organisations below.

We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.