Sussex

Adwaidh Rajan
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Fulham and Brighton were 11th and 12th heading into this week's Premier League fixture at Craven Cottage.

But the congested nature of the table meant European qualification is still a very realistic target for both sides this season.

Brighton's only continental adventure came in 2023-24 in the Europa League while the Cottagers have not featured in Europe since their outing in the same competition back in 2011-12.

So the stakes were higher than the league positions suggested and that is perhaps why the late 2-1 defeat to the Cottagers left Fabian Hurzeler and his players in a state of shock.

The Seagulls took he lead through Yasin Ayari in the first half and were the better side for much of the contest.

They had opportunities to double the lead through Ferdi Kadioglu and Pascal Gross - both of whom were denied by clearances off the line by Timothy Castagne.

Lewis Dunk and Danny Welbeck also went close early in the second half as they looked to put the result beyond doubt before Welbeck found the back of the net only for the goal to be ruled out for an offside by the video assistant referee.

As Brighton failed to take advantage of the opportunities - converting just one of the four big chances - Fulham capitalised on the two that came their way to mount the stunning comeback.

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

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Fulham manager Marco Silva makes two changes to the side that suffered a 1-0 defeat by Leeds last week.

Alex Iwobi starts on his return from Afcon, while Kevin also comes in as Ryan Sessegnon drops to bench and Sasa Lukic misses out with injury.

Fulham XI: Leno, Andersen, Jimenez, Wilson, Cuenca, Berge, Iwobi, Castagne, Kevin, Smith Rowe, Robinson.

Subs: Lecomte, Bassey, Reed, Cairney, Kusi-Asare, Chukwueze, King, Sessegnon, Diop.

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler makes three changes from the 1-1 draw against Bournemouth.

Carlos Baleba, Olivier Boscagli and Yasin Ayari start in place of Brajan Gruda, Jack Hinshelwood and Joel Veltman.

Brighton XI: Verbruggen, Dunk, Van Hecke, Baleba, Welbeck, Boscagli, Mitoma, Kadioglu, Gomez, Ayari, Gross.

Subs: Steele, Rutter, Minteh, Hinshelwood, Kostoulas, Milner, De Cuyper, Veltman, Coppola.

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

• West Ham v Sunderland (12:30)

• Burnley v Tottenham - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Fulham v Brighton

• Man City v Wolves - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Bournemouth v Liverpool (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Manchester City v Wolves" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Bournemouth v Liverpool", for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

These two sides are next to each other in the table in 11th and 12th, and drew 1-1 at the start of the season, so you know this is going to be close.

Fulham will have Alex Iwobi, Samuel Chukwueze and Calvin Bassey back from the Africa Cup of Nations, and I am not reading too much into their last-gasp defeat at Leeds last week anyhow.

Brighton will create chances - they always do - and I am expecting them to score, but Fulham won this game 3-1 last season with Iwobi scoring twice and I am going for them again this time.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Matt Jones
BBC Sport journalist

Fulham and Brighton & Hove Albion will be out to break free of the Premier League's mid-table maelstrom when they meet at Craven Cottage on Saturday.

Both teams saw dramatic late goals go in in their respective games last week. Fulham conceded a stoppage-time strike to lose 1-0 at Leeds United, while Brighton salvaged a point against Bournemouth thanks to an overhead kick from Charalampos Kostoulas.

Sitting 11th and 12th going into the weekend's fixtures, victory for either side would put them back in touch with the European places.

Fulham on the back foot

Fulham's six-game unbeaten run was ended by Leeds last time out and there is plenty for head coach Marco Silva to ponder.

Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey are back from the Africa Cup of Nations, and the Portuguese coach will be hopeful they can get Fulham on the front foot in games.

Off the ball this season, Fulham have been ponderous for large parts, with their 91 high turnovers – the amount of times they've earned possession in open play within 40 metres of the opponent's goal – comfortably the lowest of any team in the league.

They are also bottom for pressed sequences, a measure of how effectively a team disrupts their opponents' ability to play out from the back.

Much of the off-the-ball intensity is initiated by the forward line and, in 34-year-old Raul Jimenez, Fulham may not have the most dynamic pressing trigger.

The Mexico international has been valuable to the team with his goalscoring this season, though. All five of his strikes this campaign have put the team ahead – the highest 100% record of any player in the league in that category.

Seagulls' subs saving the day

There have been plenty of times in his second season in charge that head coach Fabian Hurzeler has failed to get things right from the start for Brighton. Often, though, he has been able to salvage matches with his in-game acumen.

Kostoulas' goal on Monday night was the ninth scored by a Seagulls substitute this season and the 14th goal involvement from a player coming off the bench. Brighton lead the way in both categories.

They have also made the joint most substitutions by any team in the Premier League this season. The only side that can match their 104 changes across 22 games so far are Fulham.

Last season, it was Silva who made the most effective changes in the Premier League, with 17 of their goals coming from substitutes. Brighton were second with 15.

So while things could start slowly on Saturday, both coaches have proven themselves well capable of altering the course of a contest.

Image source, EFL

A new initiative highlighting the work of football club charities has been launched by the English Football League (EFL).

'Scan to Smile' will be rolled out in stadiums across the EFL from Friday until the end of January, with supporters invited to scan QR codes on posters displayed around grounds.

Each scan will unlock a short, uplifting story from a person whose life has been positively impacted by the support of their local club charity.

The subjects tackled include mental health support, combating loneliness, improving physical wellbeing, employability and confidence.

The EFL said it hoped the initiative would use "the reach and influence of football to offer fans a moment of positivity on matchday".

Trevor Birch, chief executive at the EFL, said: "Behind every club are people whose lives have been positively changed through the work and dedication of their local EFL club charity.

"This initiative gives supporters the chance to see that impact first-hand and reminds us that football truly is a force for good."

Karan Vinod
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Brighton defender Diego Coppola has attracted interest from clubs in Italy and France.

Fiorentina and Paris FC are among those monitoring the centre-back's situation, although there is currently no deal close to being agreed.

Any potential move, should interest develop further, would be loan-only, with Brighton not considering a permanent departure at this stage of the window.

Insiders close to the situation understand the interest remains exploratory rather than advanced, with no imminent talks expected between clubs.

The 22-year-old is also expected to be named in Brighton's squad for their Saturday trip to London to take on Fulham, underlining that he remains part of the club's short-term plans.

Coppola has continued his development on the south coast this season after signing with the club in the summer of 2025. He has started six matches in all competitions, with just two starts and a total of five appearances in the Premier League, and the Seagulls are understood to be relaxed about his situation, with no urgency to sanction a January exit unless the right opportunity arises.

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Fulham at Craven Cottage (kick-off 15:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Maxium De Cuyper has recovered from his illness and will be available, but Mats Wieffer remains sidelined with a toe injury.

• Yankuba Minteh, who came on from the bench against Bournemouth, came through the game but may not be fit enough to start at Craven Cottage.

• Hurzeler said they "have survived this phase" of players being sick and "are now in a stable place" with "quite good" availability for Saturday.

• But despite having more players at his disposal "some are not able to start the game and have to be limited with game minutes" so Hurzeler and the coaching staff are still having to manage the team.

• On teenage forward Charalampos Kostoulas, who scored the equaliser against Bournemouth: "We all know his big potential, and he can really change the game for us. He is still a young player and, in a phase, where he needs to develop. We are pleased to have a good back up for Danny Welbeck."

• Hurzeler said Kostoulas is "pushing" for more time but Welbeck remains his first choice striker. He added: "It is certainly helpful to have two strikers."

• On Fulham: "Always a tough opponent because they are very mature and they know how to win games. It is a big challenge, but we will go there to try and win this game."

• Solly March returned to team training on Thursday and "looked quite sharp" so is edging closer to a return, but Hurzeler warned "it's very important that we don't immediately put pressure on him".

Hear more from Hurzeler on BBC Sounds

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