Sunderland vs Brighton Predictions

• Sunderland have scored in eight of their last 10 home games
• Brighton have scored in seven of their last 10 away trips
• Yasin Ayari has scored or assisted in each of his last four Premier League starts

Black Cats and Seagulls on downward curve

Sunderland host Brighton in the top flight for the first time in over 40 years on Saturday with both clubs desperate to make one final push for a top-half finish. The Black Cats and Seagulls were eighth and 10th respectively in the table when they met at the Stadium of Light for a 0-0 draw in December, but both have fallen away since.

A similar goalscoring issue has arisen in the North East and the South coast with Regis Le Bris’ side now officially the least productive attack in the last dozen games while Fabian Hurzeler’s team have the second-worst scoring ratio across the last eight match rounds.

Brighton’s defence has come to their rescue to an extent with only five goals conceded across the last six games – joint-best in the division with Arsenal – but the onus will be on both teams to push forward on Saturday.

Arsenal approach was a compliment to Albion

Albion will be looking to build on their solid recent displays, which included an unfortunate 1-0 defeat at home to the Gunners. Hurzeler’s side wasted some gilt-edged opportunities to take a point with the German coach later venting his frustration at the visitors’ time-wasting tactics.

It could be taken as a backhanded compliment that the Premier League winners in waiting feel the need to manage the game in such extreme ways against them. But Brighton, like many of the clubs around them in the table, should have scored more goals this season.

It is also true that they should probably have conceded a few more too and that could catch up to them in the coming weeks when they entertain Liverpool, Chelsea and Man Utd.

Reaction to Cup loss expected

Sunderland are not as potent as the clubs above them or half of the ones below, but they can raise their game in front of the Wearside public when games at their place become stretched. They fell to a 3-1 defeat against Fulham there last month before embarking on a three-game road trip that culminated in a 1-0 FA Cup fifth-round loss to lowly Port Vale.

Expect a reaction to that embarrassing loss in Saturday’s game, but they may still not be able to down the Seagulls.  Brighton have looked more dangerous away from home recently and could nick this 2-1, but a 2-2 draw seems more likely given Sunderland have lost only twice in front of their own fans this season in the league.

Both teams have scored with at least three goals in two of Sunderland’s last four home league games and in four of Brighton’s last eight away trips, so that may be the safest way into this clash.