Brighton and Hove Albion hosted Bournemouth at the American Express Stadium on January 19, 2026, in a Premier League match where both teams are hoping for European qualification. Before the match, Brighton occupied 11th place in the league standings with 29 points, while Bournemouth was in 15th with 26 points, indicating a potentially close contest.
Brighton has shown inconsistency this season, managing back-to-back league wins only once. However, they entered the game against Bournemouth unbeaten in their last four matches. Their recent form includes a victory against Manchester United in the FA Cup and a draw with Manchester City. Bournemouth's form has been mixed as well, with just one win in their last five Premier League games prior to facing Brighton. That victory came against Tottenham Hotspur, providing a boost after an 11-game winless streak.
In terms of team news, Brighton has a few injuries to contend with, as Mats Wieffer, Adam Webster, Stefanos Tzimas and Solly March are sidelined. However, Yankuba Minteh was expected to be fit, and Kaoru Mitoma, Danny Welbeck and Georginio Rutter have been performing well in recent weeks, giving manager Fabian Hurzeler several attacking options. Bournemouth, on the other hand, has more significant injury concerns, with Justin Kluivert, Tyler Adams, Ben Gannon-Doak, Enes Unal and Will Dennis all unavailable. David Brooks and Ryan Christie were also doubtful. Furthermore, Antoine Semenyo's departure to Manchester City has put additional pressure on Bournemouth's remaining attacking players like Evanilson, Eli Kroupi Junior, David Brooks, Amine Adli and Marcus Tavernier.
Historically, Brighton has had the upper hand in recent encounters with Bournemouth, winning four of the last six matches between the two teams. In their recent head-to-head history, Brighton has emerged victorious in 4 out of the last 6 matches against Bournemouth in various leagues. The reverse fixture earlier in the season saw Bournemouth win.
Ahead of the game, predictions leaned towards a Brighton victory, with one outlet suggesting a 2-1 scoreline in favor of the home side. Betting tips also favored Brighton winning with both teams scoring. The match was broadcasted on Sky Sports Main Event in the UK.
