Team News
Brighton and Hove Albion vrs Fulham
Premier League Match Day 01 25_26 at American Express Stadium
Saturday 16th August 2025, KO: 15:00
Referee:
Samuel Barrott (West Riding)
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Fulham's Antonee Robinson did not play a single minute of pre-season after undergoing knee surgery in May, and he remains sidelined, while Ryan Sessegnon should be fit to take his place at left-back despite being taken off as a precaution in last weekend’s friendly win over Frankfurt.
Silva has confirmed that striker Rodrigo Muniz is “in contention” to play, even though he is allegedly keen to join Serie A side Atalanta BC who are understood to have tabled a £34m offer. However, Raul Jimenez is set to start up front.
Teenage starlet Joshua King impressed in pre-season and will push Emile Smith Rowe for a start in the number 10 role, while Harry Wilson - who scored a team-high five goals in pre-season - and Alex Iwobi are both set to begin on the flanks.
Fulham possible starting lineup:
Leno; Tete, Andersen, Bassey, Sessegnon; Berge, Lukic; Wilson, Smith Rowe, Iwobi; Jimenez
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Brighton trio Solly March, Adam Webster and Julio Enciso are all sidelined with knee injuries, and Jack Hinshelwood (knock) is set to be assessed ahead of kickoff, while new teenage attacking trio Tom Watson, Stefanos Tzimas and Charalampos Kostoulas are all in a “phase of adaptation” according to Hurzeler and may not be involved this weekend.
However, Baleba has recovered from a knee injury and is "an option to start” this weekend, with the 21-year-old set to battle with Yasin Ayari, Diego Gomez, Matt O'Riley and 39-year-old James Milner for a place in centre-midfield.
Hurzeler is likely to hand summer signing and attack-minded left-back Maxim De Cuyper his Premier League debut in a four-man defence that could also include captain Lewis Dunk, Jan Paul van Hecke and either Mats Wieffer or Tariq Lamptey at right-back.
Kaoru Mitoma and Danny Welbeck finished last season as Brighton’s joint-top scorers with 11 goals and both players are expected to start in the final third along with Georgino Rutter and Yankuba Minteh.
Brighton and Hove Albion possible starting lineup:
Verbruggen; Wieffer, Van Hecke, Dunk, De Cuyper; Ayari, Gomez; Minteh, Rutter, Mitoma; Welbeck
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Source Oliver Thomas at SportsMole