Tottenham Hotspur return to domestic duty this weekend as they travel to the Amex Stadium to take on Brighton & Hove Albion, looking to build on their midweek success in Europe.
Spurs edged Villarreal 1-0 in the Champions League, thanks to an early own goal from Luiz Junior, which marked a positive return to winning ways for Thomas Frank’s side. Here is the decisive goal as released on Tottenham’s official X handle:
The victory was particularly significant, as it was Tottenham’s first appearance in Europe’s elite competition since the 2022–23 season, when they fell at the last-16 stage to AC Milan. However, the London club will now switch focus back to the Premier League, where Brighton poses a stern test on their own turf.
Softfootball understands that Brighton, under Fabian Hurzeler, has endured an inconsistent start to the new season. They followed a thrilling 2-1 win over champions Manchester City with a disappointing defeat by the same scoreline against Bournemouth last weekend. Their League Cup exploits were more convincing, with a resounding 6-0 demolition of Oxford United, but in the league, the Seagulls have also slipped up against Everton and were held to a dramatic late draw against Fulham on opening day.
Brighton’s form may have been uneven of late, but they continue to pose a significant threat at the Amex Stadium. Tottenham, in particular, will remember last season’s setback when the Seagulls completed a league double over them, including a 3-2 victory on the south coast.
Here is the snippet of the goals scored by Brighton as shown on their official X handle:
Injury updates
Spurs face a nervous wait over Dominic Solanke, who missed the Villarreal clash with an ankle injury. Frank has reassured supporters that the striker’s layoff will not be a lengthy one, but his participation at Brighton is still uncertain. Tottenham also remain without a host of long-term absentees, including James Maddison, Radu Draugsin, Dejan Kulusevski, and Kota Takai, while midfielder Yves Bissouma has been out with a minor issue amid ongoing uncertainty over his future at the club.
Brighton, meanwhile, have their own injury concerns. Key players Adam Webster and Solly March are sidelined with serious knee problems, while summer signing Mats Wieffer is another potential absentee with a similar issue. Left-back Maxim de Cuyper also picked up a knock against Bournemouth and faces a race against time to be fit for the Tottenham clash.
If both managers can stick close to their preferred setups, Brighton could line up with Verbruggen in goal behind a defence of Veltman, Van Hecke, Dunk, and Kadioglu. Veteran James Milner may anchor midfield alongside Baleba, with Minteh, Rutter, and Mitoma providing creativity in attack behind striker Danny Welbeck. Tottenham, for their part, are expected to field Vicario in goal with Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, and Udogie forming the back four. Palhinha and Bentancur are likely to partner in midfield with Bergvall, while Kudus, Richarlison, and Simons carry the attacking threat.
With both sides boasting quality and unpredictability in equal measure, this promises to be a competitive contest. Spurs will aim to continue their winning momentum and avoid a repeat of last season’s defeats, while Brighton look to rediscover consistency and make home advantage count. The clash at the Amex is set for 3pm BST on Thursday, September 18, 2025, and could prove an early marker in both teams’
Possible lineup
Brighton: Verbruggen, Veltman, Van Hecke, Dunk, Kadioglu, Milner, Baleba, Minteh, Rutter, Mitoma, Welbeck
Tottenham: Vicario, Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie, Palhinha, Bentancur, Bergvall, Kudus, Richarlison, Simons
Possible result:
Brighton 1-1 Tottenham
