Two Brentford goalkeepers conspired to stymy dangerous Brighton at the Amex Stadium on Friday as the Bees and Seagulls played out a scoreless draw.
Mark Flekken made six first-half saves before exiting with injury, replaced by Icelandic backstop Hakon Valdimarsson and his two saves over 54 minutes.
The points split leaves Brighton in 10th with 26 points, one place and two points above Brentford. The Bees are now winless in six.
The hosts took 23 of the game’s 31 and held 59% of the ball, with Paraguayan playmaker Julio Enciso getting off eight shots in his 67 minutes against the Bees.
Solly March returned to the Premier League pitch for the first time in over 400 days.
Seagulls left peckish without Welbeck
It’s strange how slumping teams tell you a bit about what made them shine before the dip. For Brighton, now winless in six games, that x-factor might be Danny Welbeck. Yes, Brighton had found goals in the first games of this now 0W-4D-2L run, but their opportunistic veteran forward had been a surprising central figure in Fabian Hurzeler’s first season in charge. Welbeck had even worn the captain’s band for five games while Lewis Dunk missed time. As Evan Ferguson struggles for form and to earn the confidence of Hurzeler, Brighton’s cutting edge has also seen some dull periods for Kaoru Mitoma. Joao Pedro especially seemed to be missing Welbeck on Friday, a rainy, ugly day that could’ve used some nous to get the ball over the line. Are there other explanations, including good Brentford goalkeeping? Sure, but the 34-year-old Welbeck remains Brighton’s leader in goal contributions despite this last month almost entirely on the sidelines.
Brentford vs Brighton player ratings
(from fotmob.com)
Brentford vs Brighton player ratings (from fotmob.com)
Brentford vs Brighton player ratings (from fotmob.com)
What’s next?
Brighton go to Aston Villa at 2:45pm ET Monday, while Brentford wait to host Arsenal at 12:30pm on New Year’s Day.
How to watch Brighton vs Brentford live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 2:30pm ET Friday (December 27)
Venue: Amex Stadium — Brighton
TV Channel: Peacock
Streaming: Watch live on Peacock
Brighton vs Brentford final score: 0-0
Brighton vs Brentford live updates — By Nick Mendola
Full time — Brighton 0-0 Brentford
Solly March returns from long absence
The influential midfielder returns after over a year on the sidelines, replacing Joel Veltman for the final few minutes at right back.
Is this really headed for nil-nil?
Even in the rain, that never really felt like a realistic outcome, but here we are scoreless in the 84th minute.
Joao Pedro dodges red card; Both teams sub
The Brazilian swings a wild elbow at Keane Lewis-Potter but misses the player’s head by a decent margin.
They are taking a look but the lack of contact always made it a longshot to be re-litigated by the VAR.
Georginio Rutter replaces Enciso in the 78th minute for Brighton, while South Korean center back Ji-Soo Kim makes his PL debut for Brentford as he replaced Ben Mee.
How’s this stat for Enciso?
8 - Julio Enciso attempted eight shots in the first half against Brentford; the most by a player in the opening 45 minutes of a Premier League game since Luis Suárez against Aston Villa in March 2013 (also 8). Barrage. pic.twitter.com/G8gvddPxgg
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 27, 2024
Brentford subs
Yegor Yarmoliuk enters in the 72nd minute, replacing a possibly injured Christian Norgaard.
Rare Brentford chance
Mikkel Damsgaard sends Bryan Mbeumo on a long counter attack, and the Cameroonian forward cues up a contest shot from Yoane Wissa.
That’s safely collected by Bart Verbruggen. It’s 0-0 into the final 20 minutes plus stoppage.
Brighton subs
O’Riley, Mitoma, and Gruda exit for Yankuba Minteh, Simon Adingra, and Yasin Ayari in the 68th minute.
Better from Brentford early in second frame
The Bees’ attempts are being blocked or thwarted, but they look better suited to deliver attacking football through 12 minutes of the second frame.
Second half underway
No subs for either side as the rain pours down in Falmer.
Halftime — Brighton 0-0 Brentford
Five minutes stoppage time still don’t lead to a goal that will withstand video scrutiny, and we head to the break.
Fabian Hurzeler must be wondering what it’s going to take for his dominant Seagulls to give their crowd a goal.
Brighton have ripped off 15 shots, forcing seven saves between Flekken and injury replacement Valdimarsson.
Brentford, for its part, had a goal taken away by a tight offside call after VAR review. The Bees have attempted just two shots.
Mark Flekken injury
Brentford’s Dutch keeper has been good so far, but he’s wobbled while dealing with an awkward intervention in the Bees box.
He looked set to leave the game, but awkward kick has sent him to the turf. It’ll be a change for the man who had made six saves in 36 minutes.
Icelandic goalkeeper Hákon Rafn Valdimarsson will make his Premier League debut at the age of 23.
Yoane Wissa goal.... but offside!
It had been one-way traffic for Brighton who saw Enciso head a Kaoru Mitoma cross to Flekken.
The Bees go the other way, and Wissa continues his fantastic season with a quality finish.
Is he onside? VAR needs lines... and as the heading betrays, Wissa is just offside.
Seagulls stay bright
Mark Flekken’s made a good save on a low drive through traffic by Carlos Baleba.
The rebound leads to a Brighton corner, and then a throw after Brajan Gruda kept possession near the touch line.
0-0, 9'.
Enciso smacks the post
Brighton’s press opens up Brentford, forcing a turnover in the Seagulls’ third.
Pedro lays back for Julio Enciso, who fires a dart across goal that pounds the far post.
0-0, 5'.
Brighton lineup
Verbruggen, Veltman, Dunk, Van Hecke, Estupinan, Baleba, O’Riley, Gruda, Enciso, Mitoma, Pedro
Brentford lineup
Flekken, Roerslev, Collins, Mee, Lewis-Potter, Norgaard, Janelt, Damsgaard, Mbeumo, Schade, Wissa
Brighton vs Brentford preview — By Joe Prince-Wright
Brighton host Brentford on Friday in a game between two teams hoping to reignite their European hopes. Fabian Hurzeler’s side are without a win in their last five Premier League games but are still within touching distance of the top four. Injuries have started to impact the Seagulls but they’ve also started to concede plenty of goals. They drew 1-1 at West Ham last time out and will be hoping to kick on and get back to their high-energy approach from earlier in the season.
Brentford have picked up just one point all season away from home but Thomas Frank’s side sit just two points behind Brighton. That’s due to their incredible home form but they did suffer their first home defeat of the season last time out as they lost against Nottingham Forest. Still, the Bees are pushing for Europe and considering all of the injuries they’ve had to contend with it has been a fine first half of the season.
Brighton team news, focus
Injuries are plentiful for Brighton with several players struggling to be fit for this game. Still, their squad is large and the likes of Evan Ferguson, Julio Enciso, Yankuba Minteh and Tariq Lamptey could all come in for this one.
OUT: James Milner (thigh) | QUESTIONABLE: Ferdi Kadioglu (toe), Danny Welbeck (ankle), Mats Wieffer (knock), Adam Webster (hamstring), Solly March (knee), Jack Hinshelwood (knee)
Brentford team news, focus
When you look at Brentford’s injury list it is pretty incredible they’re in the hunt for European qualification. Thomas Frank’s side have relied heavily on the goals of Mbeumo and Wissa this season, while Schade has popped up with goals in recent weeks too. When their defensive absentees return soon they will get a huge boost.
OUT: Mathias Jensen (hamstring), Ethan Pinnock (hamstring), Sepp van den Berg (groin), Aaron Hickey (thigh), Josh Dasilva (knee), Rico Henry (knee), Gustavo Nunes (back), Igor Thiago (joint infection)
Brighton vs Brentford prediction
This feels like a draw. Both teams like to press high and commit players forward. Defensively they both need to improve but this should be a fun one. Brighton 2-2 Brentford.
