Premier League Team News: Watford vs Brighton - Confirmed Lineups

This is the second successive season that Watford have hosted Brighton on matchday one of a Premier League season. Watford defeated the Seagulls 2-0 at Vicarage

This is the second successive season that Watford have hosted Brighton on matchday one of a Premier League season. Watford defeated the Seagulls 2-0 at Vicarage Road last August thanks to a Roberto Pereyra double.

Brighton have failed to score in five of their last seven competitive matches against Watford, including in both matches last season.

Watford haven’t lost their opening league game of the season since 2006-07 (2-1 away at Everton) – they have since won six and drawn six of their opening league games in the last 12 seasons.

Our first line-up of the new @premierleague season 🔢#WATBHA pic.twitter.com/kQWtKfIbiE

— Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC) August 10, 2019

Brighton have won just one of their opening league fixtures to a top-flight season; this was in 1980/81 (2-0 vs Wolverhampton Wanderers). They have lost three and drawn two of the other five.

Watford finished the 2018/19 Premier League campaign with three consecutive defeats –they’ve not lost four in a row in the competition since December 2017.

Brighton are winless in their last nine Premier League games (D3 L6), with their last victory in the competition coming on March 9 this year away at rivals Crystal Palace (2-1).

Excluding the teams who were relegated in 2018/19, no side has conceded more (33) or scored fewer (13) Premier League goals in 2019 than Brighton.

📝 Here's how Albion line up this afternoon against @WatfordFC.

📲 Matchday Live is presented by @SnickersUKcom.#BHAFC 🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/WKp6yaQuaP

— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) August 10, 2019

After scoring in his each of his first four league games against Brighton (with Brentford and Burnley), Andre Gray has failed to score in any of his four appearances against the Seagulls for Watford (255 mins).

Glenn Murray has scored 36% of Brighton’s Premier League goals (25/69), the highest ratio scored by one player at any club in the competition’s history.

Brighton manager Graham Potter is taking charge of his first ever Premier League game. As a player, he made eight appearances in the competition, all for Southampton in 1996-97 (W1 D2L5), with his only win coming in a 6-3 victory against Manchester United in October 1996.

For all the latest news surrounding this fixture, click here.