Brighton & Hove Albion

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We asked for your views on how you feel about the international break coming now for the high-flying Seagulls, and whether it might hinder momentum.

Here are some of your comments:

Chicken: Every year I think it's all going to go downhill, but it never happens. Brighton are a solid unit. They're not going anywhere. Brighton have the magic formula.

Tim: A change is as good as a rest, is one way of looking at it. I'd prefer our fellas to get a proper break from matches of any kind - refresh, recharge, train and come back ready for more, but clearly that's not possible for many in a top squad who heed the call from their countries.

TimW: I thought the last international break would hinder our momentum, and that break was longer than this one. Our normal thing is to reverse the form (good or bad) prior to an international break. But last time we managed to pick up where we left off. Hopefully, we can do it again.

Hayling: Ask us again in February as we traditionally don't win a game in December or January!

In response to Hayling, here's a breakdown of how Fabian Hurzeler's side fared from December 2024 to January 2025 and December 2025 to January 2026:

• December 2024 to January 2025: 10 games, two wins, three losses, five draws;

• December 2025 to January 2026: 11 games, one win, four losses, six draws.

Brighton are monitoring Dinamo Zagreb and Croatia striker Dion Beljo, 24. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

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On the latest Albion Unlimited podcast, Johnny Cantor is joined by former Seagulls captain Adam Virgo to reflect on Brighton's season so far.

Kieran Maguire and Dean Gallagher also share the supporters' perspective, while midfielder Mats Wieffer gives his thoughts on the win over Brentford.

Listen below or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

Explore all Brighton content on BBC Sounds

"It can't carry on like this, can it? It can."

Those are the words of Brighton fan Maz Mirzadeh, who has full faith in the Seagulls' momentum not being hindered by the two-week international break.

So far, Fabian Hurzeler has produced an emphatic start to the Premier League campaign with his side sitting five points off the league leaders Arsenal.

Hurzeler will see nine senior squad players head off on international duty, but could the two-week period hinder the club's form?

Mirzadeh believes being second in the league is "huge" for the club and it will offer the side a "platform" to build from when the players return for an away tie against Hull City on 22 November.

How do you feel about the international break coming now for the high-flying Seagulls? Could it hinder momentum? Or is a break necessary to provide rest for some players?

Get in touch with your views here

Brighton midfielder Pascal Gross believes every player in the squad has contributed to his side's early success so far this season.

Gross scored Brighton's second goal in the 2-0 win against Brentford on Sunday to move the Seagulls up to second in the Premier League table, but the 35-year-old is impressed by Diego Gomez, who opened the scoring at the Amex.

"He doesn't score normal goals," Gross told BBC Radio Sussex.

"I think he doesn't want to. If he's close in front of goal he's probably more worried than when we have it 20 yards out. He never scores normal goals, always like screamers.

"The power he has is different to everybody. When he hits it, if it hits the target it's a big problem for the keeper. That's how he hits it."

The Seagulls are just five points behind leaders Arsenal and the 35-year-old points to Brighton's squad depth as part of the reason why.

"So far really good, you can't say differently," Gross, who is in his second spell with the club, said. "Even the League Cup performance [against Manchester City] was really good, and we probably deserved to win that game more than the league game, but in general, really good.

"What makes me happy is five away games is really tough, we used the whole squad, every player contributes. When you see our bench now there's a lot of quality. We make changes and it doesn't really matter, we can bring players on from the bench that can make a difference so that really gives us a good feeling."

Listen to more from Gross by pressing play above or on BBC Sounds here

Keifer MacDonald
BBC Sport journalist

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As each week passes it is becoming increasingly difficult to dismiss Brighton's title credentials.

Having won seven of their opening 10 Premier League matches, including beating Arsenal and Manchester City, the Seagulls have shown quality as well as character.

But it is not just their league position that makes for impressive reading. Almost all of the underlying numbers point to a side capable of maintaining their early-season form.

Brighton have created the second-highest number of big chances (37) in the division and scored more goals (26) than any other side this term.

Much of their attacking threat has been driven by Pascal Gross, who rejoined the club from Borussia Dortmund in January, having left in 2024.

The German midfielder has spent seven-and-a-half years at the Amex across two spells, either side of his spell back in his homeland, and has re-established himself as Brighton's creative heartbeat this season.

Gross has created eight big chances in the Premier League, more than any other player.

As well as finding the back of the net against Brentford, he also created at least five chances for his team-mates.

It was the 27th time since the start of the 2017-18 season that Gross has created five or more chances in a single match, with only Kevin de Bruyne (48) and Bruno Fernandes (47) having managed more.

He admitted earlier this week: "I just keep going. I think I'm fit, I try to prepare as good as I can and try to help the team win games."

At the other end of the pitch, only defending champions and current leaders Arsenal have been more impressive than Brighton, who have kept the joint-highest number of clean sheets (seven) and conceded the second-fewest goals (five) in the division.

"The way they're playing at the moment, Champions League qualification is probably the minimum that you'd expect Brighton to achieve," former Everton midfielder Leon Osman told BBC Sport.

"They look like a team that has really kicked on over the last 18 months. The football they're playing is outstanding and they are a great team to watch.

"Can they win the league? I think it would be unexpected if they did, but I expected them to win something this year, whether that is a domestic trophy like the FA Cup or the Conference League."

There was another welcome boost for Brighton as Yankuba Minteh made his first Premier League appearance of the season against Brentford.

The Gambia forward, who was the subject of an unsuccessful bid from Liverpool during the summer, has been one of their most dangerous attacking players since joining from Newcastle United in 2024.

Minteh's return to fitness is expected to be followed closely by that of Kaoru Mitoma, who has been sidelined since May with a hamstring complaint.

Read more here

We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Brighton and Brentford.

Here are some of your comments:

Brighton fans

Barry: Brilliant from Brighton. A really solid 2-0 win over Brentford and never looked in any trouble. Just a confident, assured performance from start to finish. Champions League? Why not! Let it roll!

Sarah: We played beautiful football. Tight on the ball throughout, every man in the team playing their part. The Diego Gomez goal, another corker. We deserve our second place in the Premier League. A far cry from sitting under a bin bag in the rain at the Goldstone. Maybe it's time fans of the 'big six' stopped starting sentences with 'teams like Brighton'.

David: Yet another clean sheet, this time without too much effort. This almost seemed like a European game as we played against a five-man block defence after Brentford deservedly went down to 10 men. Second in the Premier League - we can dream, can't we?

Pedro: Brighton made Brentford look ordinary and that's not what any Albion fan was expecting before the match. For all Brighton's attacking prowess, Brentford were able to shut up shop with 10 men and force a relatively dull second half from a club capable of beating the biggest teams in the league. Respect to the Bees for turning up.

Brentford fans

Phil: Brighton were too good for us from kick-off. A lack of energy and self-discipline ensured the game was over as a contest after 20 mins. We need to start games on a more positive note.

Julian: The match was destroyed by the sending off. However, the truth is that Brighton were by far the better side, unfortunately. Keith Andrews got his selection wrong this time. No creative player allowed Brighton to dominate the game. It felt a bit like the away games against Tottenham and Crystal Palace. Both were poor performances, as was this. But overall, the Bees are now an established Premier League side.

Douglas: A terrible performance brought on again by ill discipline. Brentford seem to pick up yellow cards for fun and already have three red cards. This is the first time this season that I have been worried about Brentford, not the way they play football, but their lack of discipline.

Will: Strong defensive effort in the second half, that's the best thing I can say. We seem to have problems with discipline. This is two games thrown by us for just silly red cards. You go in and make a rash tackle, at least you're making a play… reds when the ball isn't even in play (and honestly, Kevin Schade's petulant yellow too), that's just letting them get to you. We have a promising season but we seem determined to undermine ourselves. Keith Andrews needs to enforce a better standard. We go again.

Brighton midfielder Pascal Gross, speaking to Sky Sports: "No. We are not in a title race. But we have started the season really well. It's the beginning of the season.

"You see the Premier League, the margins, you look at the results - we are not getting carried away yet. Every game we have to suffer a lot. Sometimes it is momentum. But we are really pleased to head into the international break like this."

Hear more from Hurzeler on BBC Sounds

Did you know?

• Brighton have scored 40 goals in 17 matches across all competitions this season, the joint-most of any Premier League team, along with Manchester City.

• Brighton and Hove Albion have picked up 22 points from their first 10 Premier League matches this season, their most ever across the first 10 matches of a top-flight campaign.

Keifer MacDonald
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Could Brighton really do the impossible and win the Premier League this season?

Try telling their supporters otherwise after another impressive performance secured a seventh league win of the campaign and lifted them up to second place, five points behind leaders Arsenal after 10 games.

The Seagulls look unstoppable at the moment. They are the highest scorers in the division and also boast the second-best defensive record.

Their victory over Brentford was made all the more straightforward after the Bees were reduced to 10 men with less than a third of the match played at the Amex Stadium.

Even before that, though, Brighton were clearly the team in the ascendancy and had caused the visitors a handful of problems.

Boss Fabian Hurzeler may not be dreaming of a title challenge just yet, but after another weekend in which his side's remarkable campaign gathered further momentum, it may only be a matter of time before their supporters start to believe the impossible could become reality.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Brighton's performance

What did you make of Brentford's display?

Reaction and analysis to follow - and come back on Monday for a selection of your replies.

There are five games in the Premier League on Sunday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Brighton v Brentford - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

• Crystal Palace v Liverpool - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Ipswich v Bournemouth - live on BBC Sport website and app

• Sunderland v Chelsea - live on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 3

• Manchester United v Aston Villa (16:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 14:00 GMT unless stated.

Follow all of the action and reaction here

How to follow the Premier League weekend across the BBC

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on your smart speaker. Just say "Alexa, ask BBC Sounds to play Brighton v Brentford" or "Alexa, ask BBC Sounds to play the Liverpool match", for example.

New this season: Live match updates

Fans of Premier League clubs can now get real-time scores live on their phone lock screen for every game.

Simply follow your favourite football teams on the BBC Sport app for updates throughout the 2026-27 season.

Find out more here

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New this season: Match of the Day Predictor

Simply predict the outcome of the six fixtures we've selected from across domestic and European competitions every week.

Players can join at any time, get involved with the latest round and start building a streak.

Read more about it here

You can find the predictor in the navigation bar at the top of this page, or on this link

I just can't see past Brighton here - they are superbly organised, carry a threat going forward and defend well. Their bench is strong as well.

Brentford are also going well and are capable of causing them a problem or two - but, after watching Brighton beat Manchester City at Etihad Stadium last week, I am backing Fabian Hurzeler's side here.

I always think the Bees have got a goal in them, so I am going to say they will score, but the Seagulls are smart enough to come out on top.

People seem to be unsure whether Brighton are really in the title race or not, but they are certainly in the mix for second place if Arsenal are the team we all think are going to win it.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Tom McCoy
BBC Sport journalist

BBC Sport examines some of the key themes before Sunday's match (14:00 GMT), as both Brighton and Brentford chase consecutive league wins.

Seagulls flying high

After five consecutive away games, Brighton return to Amex Stadium, where they are unbeaten this season, looking to build on their best start to a Premier League campaign.

The Seagulls are third and have already beaten the two teams above them, Arsenal and Manchester City. A title challenge appears unlikely, but their form marks them out as genuine contenders for Champions League qualification. Opta's supercomputer gives them a 67% chance of finishing in the top four.

Fabian Hurzeler's side scored a league-high 24 goals in their opening nine matches, while also ranking joint top for big chances created and first for shot-conversion rate, though it is worth noting they have outperformed their expected goals figure by almost seven, the widest margin in the division.

Brighton have been just as impressive at the back and Hurzeler was quick to praise his side's "defensive mindset" after last weekend's 1-0 victory at Etihad Stadium. Albion already have six top-flight clean sheets this term, just four short of their final total in 2025-26.

Bees look to build on Forest win

Head coach Keith Andrews described last weekend's victory over Nottingham Forest as Brentford's "best win of the season", praising his side for doing "the basics of the game really well". But the Bees will probably need an even better performance against in-form Brighton as they seek back-to-back league wins for the first time since February.

Although the victory against Forest was Brentford's first in four league games, they have lost only once in the top flight this season and have been beaten in just three of their past 20 league matches.

Andrews will also be encouraged by the improving form of last season's top scorer Igor Thiago, who, after a slightly slow start to the campaign, has now scored in consecutive games.

When these sides met at the Amex 12 months ago it was Thiago who netted the opening goal, but Brighton fought back to win through second-half goals from Danny Welbeck and Jack Hinshelwood.

That result extended Brentford's poor away record in this fixture. They are winless in all five of their Premier League visits to Brighton, losing three of those matches.

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Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Brentford at Amex Stadium (kick-off 14:00 GMT).

The Seagulls boss said his team will "adapt" to the demands of juggling the Conference League alongside domestic football as they return to domestic action after beating Getafe 1-0 on Thursday.

Hurzeler said: "I'm not sure if the body ever gets used to this kind of travel because it's definitely a lot of travel, but it's something that we can adapt to and can manage quite well. We have good staff.

"Our team manager, Emily Keighley, did a brilliant job of organising everything. It makes everything really smooth."

Hurzeler described Keith Andrews' Brentford side as "physical" and one with a "clear style of play".

He added: "We have to be ready for physicality - I think that's the most important thing. And then we play in front of our fans. That's also what we're looking forward to after five away games in a row."

Brighton have never lost against Brentford in the Premier League at the Amex (won three, drawn two). The Seagulls have only faced Newcastle more often at home without losing (nine).

Listen to full match commentary of Brighton v Brentford on Sunday on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2 and BBC Sounds

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We asked for your views on Brighton's 1-0 win at Getafe in the Conference League.

Here are some of your comments:

David: Another clean sheet and three points. An excellent result but a scrappy game. The speed of thought and fast movement from our previous outing was absent for considerable periods, so improvement needed for Sunday, but fifth in the Conference League and third in Premier League is brilliant.

Steve: A hard-fought victory while not at our best. The pundits do say the mark of a good side is winning games like these. Once again our goalkeeper was faultless when forced into action.

Dave: A bit slow off the mark. Getafe gave us a good match, but in the end our quality shone through. Keep playing the way we are and I can see us winning this competition.

Phil: Very scrappy and disjointed. I think the travel over the past few weeks has taken its toll. A few players clearly didn't play to their potential. Let's forget Europe now, move on to Brentford and then press on to Christmas.

V: It wasn't a particularly great performance but it was an important three points. Georginio Rutter had a bit of a stinker and he should have come off sooner. I'm looking forward to being at the next Conference League game on 26 November. I'm hoping for a great atmosphere like against Kauno Zalgiris.

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Brighton fan Maz Mirzadeh is more than happy with his club's unbeaten start in the Conference League after their win away at Getafe, but he is wary about burnout for their main man, Pascal Gross.

Speaking to BBC Sport, he explained: "The win puts us unbeaten and we are the only side not to concede a goal in this competition. We seem to be struggling to have the same performance in the Premier League as we do in the Conference League but that's to be expected, we make five or six changes every game

"Honestly, how is Gross still going? The poor bloke is 35 and has started every game for us this season. He needs a rest. Seriously, I am really worried about burnout.

"Considering we have had five away games on the bounce, I am absolutely buzzing with where we are in the Premier League and Conference League."