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Sunderland v Brighton: Key stats and talking pointspublished at 19:19 BST 9 October
19:19 BST 9 October
Paul Birch BBC Sport journalist
Brighton look to continue the excellent form they showed prior to the international break against a Sunderland side who have won just once so far this season. BBC Sport takes a look at some of the key themes going into the fixture at Stadium of Light.
How Brighton must wish the international break had come at a different time. Their final act of a brilliant September was to dismantle champions Arsenal with a performance that chairman Tony Bloom said was "arguably the best" in the club's 125-year history.
Their stunning run of form led to the Seagulls rightfully being rewarded as Fabian Hurzeler was named September's manager of the month and Pascal Gross player of the month, while captain Lewis Dunk took the honours for best goal after his dipping rocket against Coventry City.
The Premier League's leading scorers sit top or near the top of almost every major attracting metric so far this season and average a whopping 3.2 goals per game.
Their past two league matches have ended in an aggregate scoreline of 8-0 and they will be aiming to record three games in a row in the competition without conceding for only the second time. In total, they have kept five clean sheets in their eight matches this season.
But will any of their momentum be taken away by having three weeks off? The irony, of course, is that fixtures now come at a frightening rate, with seven matches in 21 days as their Conference League commitments really kick in.
But Bloom believes the club have more than enough to cope. "We've got a great squad and the biggest depth we've ever had," he said. "We don't have ceilings and we can finish high in the Premier League. Absolutely, if we have a really good season, we have a realistic chance of finishing in the top five."
Sunderland hit by Brobbey's absence
While Brighton cursed the arrival of the international break, Sunderland will have been relieved for a break after the rigours of facing Arsenal and Manchester City on back-to-back weekends.
Their 5-3 defeat at Etihad Stadium will go down as one of the games of the season, with Brian Brobbey becoming only the sixth player to score a Premier League hat-trick in defeat and only the fourth man to score a treble against the side starting the day top of the Premier League.
However, the Black Cats suffered a big blow when the striker suffered a minor hamstring injury playing in the Netherlands' draw with Germany and he has joined fellow key men Dan Ballard and Habib Diarra on the sidelines.
Head coach Regis le Bris will need them all back firing as soon as possible because, like Brighton, they are entering a punishing period of matches and also play seven times by the end of October.
Le Bris, who celebrated 100 matches in charge of the Black Cats in their defeat by City, has seen his side win just one of their opening five league matches, but at least the top two are now out of the way. They actually had a whopping xG of 4.15 compared to City's 2.72, but Brobbey's hat-trick in that game accounts for half their six league goals and they have underperformed in front of goal.
Sunderland have actually only been ahead for 3.9% of their game time this season, all of which came in the final 19 minutes of their win over Fulham.
Le Bris, who has lavished praise on Brighton in the build-up to this game, says his side have a "tough test" if they are to celebrate what would be only a second top-flight victory over the Seagulls, and their first since in May 1982.
'Beginning was challenging' - Struijk on settling into life at Brightonpublished at 16:58 BST 9 October
16:58 BST 9 October
Image source, Getty Images
Brighton defender Pascal Struijk told BBC Radio Sussex he is "feeling settled" after move from Leeds United.
The 27-year-old made the switch to the south coast in the summer, signing a five-year deal for a fee of around £20m.
"It was a little bit challenging in the beginning with the injury, but afterwards, I feel like that time gave me space to settle into the team more and get more confidence in the group," he said.
"The beginning was challenging, but me getting minutes at the end until the [international] break has been really good for me."
On the win over Arsenal, before the three-week pause, he said: "For us, it was very nice. We couldn't go into that game any better and we kept it all the way. Perfect performance, you may say, but there's always something to improve on.
"Yes, I feel like I can bring threat from set-pieces in physicality. I think I can help the team, scoring goals, being dangerous in the box. I think I can add to that."
Bottom side Crawley have 'grown up' in break says Orsipublished at 15:34 BST 9 October
15:34 BST 9 October
Media caption,
Dan Orsi: 'Let's kick on'
Crawley Town striker Dan Orsi believes the side have "done a bit of growing up" in the three-week international break.
The Reds are bottom of League Two with one win in their opening seven matches, but have not played a league fixture since September 19.
Colin Kazim-Richards' team did play twice in the EFL Trophy in that time, losing 4-1 at League One MK Dons before an impressive 4-0 home win over Bromley.
Orsi told BBC Radio Sussex: "We just had some real honest meetings in this break and went back to basics on the training ground, working hard and doing the simple things before trying to do the other stuff.
"We've done a bit of growing up over the international break as well, and I really am looking forward to Saturday's game against Chesterfield now."
Former Arsenal goalkeeper Vito Mannone, 38, arrived as player-coach in the summer, and made just his fourth appearance in the Bromley win.
Orsi said Mannone's experience would help guide the young squad through "big moments" in games.
"That's where we've let ourselves down as a group at times, conceding just before half-time through a lack of concentration," he said.
"It's just a bit of naivety at times. It's not the sort of thing you can coach, when individual players just need to think and see danger quicker."
Crawley secured their place in the football league on the final day of the 2025-26 season, finishing 22nd.
Reds chief executive Tom Allman acknowledged their poor start to the current campaign to the BBC earlier this week, but backed the squad to turn it around.
Orsi asked the fans to have patience and faith in the management and players.
"I completely get it. I'm a football fan as well. Obviously when results aren't going your way you are going to be negative about it," he said.
"The optimism at the start of the season, everyone expects to be doing something in the season, otherwise what are you really playing for and working towards?
"We've used the break well. I'm just hoping everyone can use it as a fresh start and get behind us, and really get together again like I know this club can do."
Hurzeler on team news, Gross' award and facing Sunderlandpublished at 11:06 BST 9 October
11:06 BST 9 October
Nat Hayward BBC Sport journalist
Media caption,
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Sunderland at The Stadium of Light (15:00 BST).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Hurzeler provided an update on the fitness of Lewis Dunk and Jack Hinshelwood: "Lewis will be back and Jack trained this week. With him, we have to see if it makes sense to take him into the squad because the next weeks will be busy and we have a lot of games. It is about managing the players and understanding who is really available but not risking anything. Overall, these two players are definitely available."
Mats Wieffer, Yankuba Minteh and Kaoru Mitoma are "getting closer but not fit yet" and "hopefully we will see them soon back in the squad", meanwhile longer-term absentee Stefanos Tzimas is "doing well and progressing but it is still early", and Evan Ferguson is "similar where we have to wait some more weeks".
He also confirmed Yasin Ayari is fine and available after picking up an illness on international duty with Sweden, but while Summer signing Femi Azeez did feature in a friendly during the break he will be a late decision following some "minor issues".
On the three-week international break: "A few players went away and had different experiences, but overall the atmosphere in the building is very positive and energetic. It's quite loud, everyone has something to tell, and it's nice to have the players back and enjoy the atmosphere."
Hurzeler praised Pascal Gross after the 35-year-old's fine form earned him the September Premier League player of the month award: "Like a good wine, the older the better. It's no surprise they show these kind of performances. The award is not a one-man show, it is togetherness. It's just a reflection of the hard effort and hard work and they show this every day. It is a reward for that."
On balancing domestic and upcoming European games: "We want to have this challenge, that is the next step for the club - to compete in multiple competitions. That is what we want to achieve. We see it more as an opportunity than a problem. We have good depth, good availability, and now it is about managing the players."
The Brighton boss was not drawn into giving his opinion on the guilty verdicts handed to Manchester City in relation to breaches of the Premier League's financial rules: "I can't control anything from that. The only thing I can really focus on is our preparation, how we are doing, and therefore it is just a distraction that is not in our hands. Hopefully it will be dealt with, but my topic, and I have enough topics to mention."
On what impact waiting on the sanctions could have: "Let's see how it's going. What I heard is that there is still some ongoing processes so therefore it is really difficult to say anything now. If there is nothing clear, we should really focus on ourselves and if there are results, we can speak again."
On the challenge posed by the Black Cats: "There is always a fight in Sunderland because it is a very physical team. It is a great stadium with very loud supporters."
Hit play above to hear more from Hurzeler, speaking about the form of Georginio Rutter, or listen on BBC Sounds here
'We want players to come to Brighton and thrive and enjoy the city'published at 09:26 BST 9 October
09:26 BST 9 October
Dale Johnson Football issues correspondent
Media caption,
Brighton are third in the Premier League with one of the highest-scoring teams in Europe.
To the uninitiated it might seem logical that the Seagulls must have spent big, investing in players ready for the first team.
Yet Brighton are, along with Everton, one of only two clubs to record a profit in transfer spending over the past five years.
It is a team full of young players, testament to the club's data-led recruitment and development strategy.
But how do they do it?
"We have a really clear philosophy around how we can be competitive in arguably the most challenging league in the world," Brighton sporting director Mike Cave told BBC Sport.
Brighton use analytics and data as their primary method of tracking and identifying players.
Through club owner Tony Bloom's Jamestown Analytics, the performance of pretty much any player - or coach - who is in a professional league can be monitored.
"It helps us to identify talent from around the world in quite an efficient way," Cave said. "That allows us then to move quite quickly in what is a really competitive transfer market."
Brighton have shown - from Alexis Mac Allister to Carlos Baleba - that they can be a stepping stone for an ambitious player. And that reputation is crucial in a competitive market.
"The key thing is being able to demonstrate to young players that we have a plan," Cave added.
"Depending on the age, that can be over one year or several years. Hopefully, that leads to playing in our senior team.
"That track record of being able to nurture young talent in different ways plays a big part in why a number of players agree to come to Brighton."
For Cave, "arguably the most critical part" is integrating players into the city and the culture of English life.
"We can have all the data, all the character backgrounds, context and information that's available," he said.
"But, ultimately, when that individual and their family arrives in Brighton, how we onboard them, how we embed them, how we make them feel like it's their home all contributes to them being the best version of themselves on the football pitch.
"We want players to come to Brighton and thrive and enjoy the city, enjoy the football club."
How similar will the table look at the end of the season?published at 07:00 BST 9 October
07:00 BST 9 October
Chris Collinson BBC Sport statistician
Just five games in, it might seem a bit early to pay much attention to the Premier League table - but it's probably more settled than you think.
If we look at the Premier League after five games last season and where teams ultimately ended up, the final table was already starting to take shape as 13 of the 20 sides finished within four places of where they sat even at this early stage (65%).
Eventual champions Arsenal were second, Sunderland were already seventh - where they finished eight months later - and two of the three sides that were relegated were already in the bottom three.
The eventual champions have been in the top two at this point in the past four campaigns, suggesting - potential punishments aside - it will be Manchester City or Arsenal that lifts the trophy.
The top end of the table overall has sometimes settled surprisingly quickly in recent years. The top eight after five games in 2024-25 finished as the top eight at the end of that season (although not in the same order), while the top six in 2019-20 and top seven in 2016-17 were also in place at this early stage.
While being top after five games has not meant much in recent seasons, being bottom certainly has.
Tottenham could well be in trouble once again as the side bottom of the Premier League after five games has been relegated in six of the past seven seasons.
Being bottom this early did not used to be such a bad omen. Between 2013-14 and 2018-19, only one of the six sides that were propping up the table after five games ended up going down - Newcastle in 2015-16 - while Crystal Palace finished as high as 11th in 2017-18.
Looking at the relegation battle more broadly, at least one of the teams in the bottom three at this stage has been relegated in the past eight seasons - so one of Tottenham, Fulham and Coventry City are very likely to be heading to the Championship in May.
The pool of contestants for this season's relegation battle may already be decided too because the three sides that ultimately went down in the past three seasons were all in the bottom six after five games, which would add Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace to the mix.
The last sides to be outside the bottom six at this point but relegated were Leeds United and Southampton in 2022-23, who were both in the top half (seventh and ninth). With their teams currently in eighth and 11th place, Hull City and Ipswich Town fans will hope that is still the case at the end of this campaign.
While the season may well have barely begun, the Premier League table is already starting to take shape.
'An unbelievable journey - but there's lots more to come'published at 16:27 BST 8 October
16:27 BST 8 October
Image source, Getty Images
The stability that exists within the hierarchy at Brighton allows for "development and evolution" without "disrupting the strategy of the club", says Seagulls sporting director Mike Cave.
Cave initially joined the club in November 2022 as assistant technical director and became technical director before being appointed to the role of sporting director in July this year.
Since Tony Bloom's takeover in 2009, Brighton have gone from League One to competing in European competition and have moved to Amex Stadium.
"We've got staff members at the club and many fans who have done that journey," Cave told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.
"Those of us that maybe weren't there 15 years ago are custodians at this moment in time.
"Our responsibility is to ensure that what's to come is better than what's happened in the recent or distant past. I think the club has been on an unbelievable journey, but I still think there's lots more to come also."
While the personnel in the club's hierarchy has changed over the years, the trajectory of the footballing side has always trended upwards and Cave believes that is because of strong foundations.
"The key responsibility of all the heads of department within the football club at any given moment in time is to be constantly trying to improve the processes and systems and the work that we do," he added.
"The foundations were put in place when Dan [Ashworth] or David [Weir] or Jason [Ayto] was at the club. My role is very much to build on that good work that has taken place and continue to find way to evolve it in a very competitive league.
"The stability in that approach allows for change to take place and it not totally disrupt the strategy of the club, but also allows the development and evolution that comes with that change."
Image source, BBC Sport
