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Chris Sutton has made his score prediction for Tottenham Hotspur’s visit to Brighton & Hove Albion and it is based on the season Spurs have had so far.

There was plenty of anticipation for Thomas Frank’s first season in charge at Tottenham Hotspur, particularly after the UEFA Super Cup.

Spurs comfortably defeated Burnley on the opening weekend of the Premier League season and followed this up with an impressive victory over Manchester City. Next came a surprise 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth, but Tottenham bounced back after the international break with a 3-0 thrashing of West Ham.

Most recently, Spurs began their Champions League campaign, opening with a 1-0 win over Villarreal. The performance was not the most convincing, but the home side were on top for the majority of the match.

Chris Sutton thinks Tottenham will lose to Brighton

Three league wins out of four would usually be a cause for confidence, but Sutton believes the result is less important than the performance. Spurs will travel to Brighton tomorrow and he is expecting Frank’s team to suffer a defeat, basing his prediction off recent displays.

He told BBC Sport: “I was at Tottenham’s Champions League win over Villarreal on Tuesday for Radio 5 Live, and they were a little bit flat – they only had one shot on target all night, and only scored thanks to an own goal.

“Spurs have started the season in a similar way to Liverpool, in that they have not always played that well but most of the time they have still got a result – apart from their defeat by Bournemouth.

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“What they have in their favour is two incredible centre-halves, in Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, who were both phenomenal against Villarreal – Thomas Frank just has to hope he can keep them fit.

“Brighton are inconsistent but they are brave and they have some dangerous attacking players. They will take the game to Spurs, and my gut feeling is they will take the win, too.”

Chris Sutton’s Prediction: Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur

Sutton’s Spurs assessment is harsh

Sutton’s prediction seemingly has very little to do with Brighton, who have already lost two matches this season. Rather, his focus is on Tottenham’s failure to play well. However, Spurs were very good in the second half against Burnley and the Manchester City display was worthy of praise.

Tottenham were deservedly beaten by Bournemouth, but put West Ham to the sword with ease. The Villarreal victory was not brilliant, but the La Liga side only began to look threatening towards the end of the game.

Spurs have not been at their best every match this season, but Sutton’s verdict comes across as overly critical. The Lilywhites have been better than Brighton and should be looking to get a draw at the very least.

Tottenham Hotspur make the trip to the Amex this weekend with Thomas Frank eyeing a third straight win, but Brighton have been a tricky opponent for Spurs in recent seasons. Let’s take a look at our predicted Tottenham XI to face Brighton.

Thomas Frank would be hoping he can guide Tottenham Hotspur to victory once more this weekend, after success in his last two outings.

Up next for the Dane, however, is Brighton and Hove Albion, a side that proved difficult for Tottenham under Ange Postecoglou, having done the double over Spurs last term.

Tottenham remain within touching distance of the top with just three points separating them from Liverpool, and if they are to keep pace with the very best, picking up three points at the Amex is crucial.

Let’s see how Thomas Frank could line up this weekend.

Tottenham predicted XI to face Brighton away

Goalkeeper – Guglielmo Vicario: It has been a near-flawless start to life for Vicario under Frank, with the Italian having managed four clean sheets in all competitions so far. He should continue in goal.

Right-back – Pedro Porro: Frank is yet to rotate his defence this season, and we do not expect him to start by dropping Porro this matchweek.

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Centre-back – Cristian Romero: The Tottenham captain definitely could have had a much better performance last time out against Villarreal, but that should do little to influence Frank’s decision to start him.

Centre-back – Micky van de Ven: Van de Ven was outstanding against Villarreal in the Champions League, and we expect Frank to continue with the centre-back pairing that has brought in many clean sheets.

Left-back – Destiny Udogie: Djed Spence has started every game so far this season, and this weekend could see Frank look to freshen things up at the back for Tottenham.

Pivot midfielder – Joao Palhinha: It was a rare start from the bench last time out in the Champions League, but we expect Palhinha to take his spot in the pivot role once more.

Pivot midfielder – Pape Matar Sarr: Frank looks to be a big fan of Sarr’s work ethic and pressing, which could be vital against Brighton this weekend.

Centre-midfielder – Lucas Bergvall: The Swede has been in really good form, after having scored against West Ham United and with his cross leading to the goal against Villarreal, we expect him to continue as the ten.

Right midfielder – Mohammed Kudus: The right wing spot is pretty much Kudus’ under Frank, and we do not expect any changes on that side of the pitch.

Striker – Richarlison: Mathys Tel got the start last weekend, but he did not make much of an impact, as he looked more comfortable from the left. Richarlison started against Villarreal, and we expect Frank to stick with the Brazil international.

Tottenham are back in Premier League action this weekend as Thomas Frank’s men look to build on their Champions League momentum, with a tricky away trip to Brighton now on the horizon. Here’s how to watch the clash between Tottenham and Brighton.

Tottenham Hotspur’s attention now shifts back to domestic football after their narrow but hard-fought 1-0 victory over Villarreal in the UEFA Champions League, a result that kept spirits high around the camp and maintained their strong early-season form.

Frank’s side has also made an encouraging start in the Premier League, winning three of their opening four matches, and that solid return has been enough to keep Spurs within touching distance of the early pacesetters as they currently sit third in the Premier League table.

Brighton, however, represents a genuine test. The Seagulls had Tottenham’s number last season, completing a league double over them. The 4-1 defeat suffered at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on the final day still lingers in the memory, although this time Frank will hope for a very different outcome at the Amex.

When and where is the game?

Tottenham’s trip to Brighton takes place at the Amex Stadium on Saturday, 20 September 2025, with kick-off set for 15:00 (UK time).

How to watch Tottenham vs Brighton in the UK

Supporters in the UK will not be able to watch Tottenham vs Brighton live on television, due to the traditional 3pm blackout rules, meaning the only way to catch the action in real time will be by making the journey to the Amex Stadium.

Tottenham and Brighton team news

Tottenham head into this fixture with several injury concerns. Dejan Kulusevski is sidelined until early November with a knee problem, while James Maddison faces a lengthy spell out after suffering an ACL injury.

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Kota Takai and Radu Dragusin remain unavailable as they work towards full fitness, Yves Bissouma continues to nurse a knock, and Dominic Solanke is also still absent after his setback before the international break.

Brighton are also managing their own issues, with Mats Wieffer doubtful due to a knee problem, Adam Webster expected to return only in early January 2026, and Solly March ruled out until early October with a knee injury of his own.

Spurs Web prediction for Tottenham and Brighton

This will not be a straightforward assignment for Tottenham, with Brighton always difficult to beat on home soil.

Frank’s men, however, have shown resilience on the road, as they remain unbeaten away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium so far this season.

Brighton have struggled to find consistency, winning just once in the league to date, and that lack of rhythm could hand Spurs the edge.

For that reason, we are backing Tottenham to continue their strong start under Frank, with a professional display at the Amex likely to see them take all three points.

Alan Shearer has given a simple response when asked what Tottenham Hotspur fans will be thinking about Daniel Levy’s exit from the club.

Levy left as Tottenham chairman after 24 years at the helm, and in that time, he has overseen the transformation of Spurs off the pitch.

However, A lot of Spurs fans saw Levy as the main hindrance to the club’s lack of silverware over the last two decades.

On the back of his exit, the Lewis family have said that they want to usher in a new era at Tottenham where on-pitch success is prioritised, but the proof will be in the pudding as supporters wait to find out what the future holds.

Alan Shearer claims it was the right time for Daniel Levy to leave Tottenham

Since his exit, many former Spurs players and managers have praised the 63-year-old’s work at N17.

That includes Harry Redknapp, who has said that Levy was unfairly criticised for the decisions made by Joe Lewis.

Shearer believes that while Spurs fans will be thankful to their former chairman for what he built, the time was right for the club to go in a different direction.

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When asked about Levy’s departure, the Newcastle legend told Amazon Prime : “I think it’s probably the right time. I think the Tottenham fans would say thank you, but it was the right time to move on and change.”

Levy was blindsided by Spurs exit after 25 years

While Tottenham had said in their announcement that Levy had stepped down from his role as executive chairman, that was not the case if reports are to be believed.

Many outlets have said that Levy was asked to resign rather than stepping down of his own accord following an internal review headed by Tavistock Group, who are the majority shareholders of ENIC.

Heung-min Son has hit a new milestone in America with his first MLS hat trick, proving that even after leaving Tottenham, he remains one of the most lethal forwards in world football.

Tottenham Hotspur have begun life without their former captain in solid fashion, with Thomas Frank’s side winning three of their opening four Premier League fixtures.

The South Korean, on the other hand, has also started strongly away from North London, continuing to bang in goals in the MLS with Los Angeles FC.

Although he had a slow start to life in the States, where he failed to find the net in his opening two games, Son has since found his rhythm, and the goals are beginning to arrive with familiar regularity.

Heung-min Son nets first MLS hat-trick after Tottenham exit

Heung-min Son has now made six appearances for LAFC and has managed five goals for the American side, but his latest outing saw him reach a new milestone.

In LAFC’s league clash against Real Salt Lake, Son was on target three times, netting a hat trick for the first time in MLS and inspiring his team to a convincing 4-1 victory.

They were three clinical finishes from the former Tottenham forward, who continues to show that he is among the best and most reliable finishers in the game.

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Watch Son’s hat trick against Real Salt Lake here:

Son’s goalscoring legacy at Spurs

Spurs supporters will not be surprised to see their club legend banging in the goals in America, as he had done so consistently for the Lilywhites during his spell in North London.

Son scored 173 goals for Tottenham in total, placing him fifth on the club’s all-time scoring list and firmly establishing himself among the greatest players ever to wear the shirt.

Spurs edged past Villarreal with a 1-0 victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Tuesday night, ensuring their Champions League campaign began on the right note.

Let’s take a look at the five things we learned from Tottenham 1-0 Villarreal:

Three points on the board for Tottenham

It might not have been the prettiest of ties for Tottenham Hotspur in their opening Champions League fixture at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but it was enough to get the job done.

A 1-0 win, with Villarreal’s goalkeeper arguably Spurs’ standout player, is not scintillating football, but that would matter little to Frank and his squad.

The Champions League is unforgiving, and it rarely rewards style without substance, so if Tottenham are to progress deep into this competition, then they will need to master the art of winning ugly, which at times requires defending a slender lead and grinding out results, exactly as they did here.

Last season, 11 points proved enough for a play-off spot while 16 secured an automatic place in the knockouts, and with three points now on the board, Tottenham have made the ideal start.

Tottenham looked flat after a bright start

While it was important to open with a win, there will be concerns that Frank will want to iron out quickly.

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Tottenham began the contest full of energy, pressing high and moving the ball with purpose, and the early own goal inside five minutes provided the perfect cushion to settle any nerves.

However, after the half-hour mark, the intensity dropped dramatically, with careless passing and sloppy touches allowing Villarreal back into the game.

Cristian Romero gave the ball away multiple times early in the second half, inviting pressure that could have been costly, while Mohammed Kudus lacked precision with his final ball, and Richarlison struggled to hold up play, with his involvement in build-up phases breaking down too often.

Against stronger, more clinical opposition, Tottenham may not have been so fortunate, and this flat spell is something Frank must quickly address.

Pape Matar Sarr starts at number 10 as Simons plays wide

There was plenty of anticipation about where Xavi Simons might be deployed, with many expecting him to line up centrally in the number ten role, perhaps with Brennan Johnson operating from the left.

Instead, Frank once again opted to start Simons wide on the left, leaving Pape Matar Sarr and Lucas Bergvall with the creative duties through the middle.

It leaves the question of whether Simons has truly been brought in to play as a ten, or if Frank is simply waiting for the right moment to unleash him centrally, and for now, it seems patience will be required.

The Dutchman produced a much sharper display today than in his Premier League debut at West Ham United, showing glimpses of his quality, though he did ride his luck with a reckless second-half challenge that could easily have brought him a second yellow card. Baby steps for now, but progress is clear.

Randal Kolo Muani makes his Tottenham debut

Frank hinted before the tie that Randal Kolo Muani was close to full match sharpness, but a starting berth never looked likely.

Richarlison led the line for most of the evening before Muani was introduced late on, marking his first appearance in a Tottenham shirt.

His involvement was minimal, with a yellow card the main contribution, but with his debut now out of the way, greater involvement will surely follow in the coming weeks.

Stunning tifo celebrates Tottenham tradition

Nights like this are exactly what Tottenham fans have been craving: Champions League football back under the lights at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after a two-year absence.

Supporters made sure to mark the occasion with a striking tifo unveiled before kick-off, paying homage to the club’s old badge, a fitting nod to tradition as Spurs embarked on another European adventure.

Thanks must once again go to THST Flags for organising the display, just as they did for the Europa League semi-final last season.

That said, there were still pockets of empty seats across the stadium, likely a consequence of ticket prices that remain a major barrier for many supporters.

If Spurs are to make their home ground an intimidating European fortress, then ensuring the stands are packed out will be vital, yet the club’s pricing policy is currently making that far from straightforward.

The full-time whistle has gone at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the UEFA Champions League tie between Tottenham and Villarreal, and the player ratings are in.

Tottenham Hotspur player ratings vs Villarreal

Guglielmo Vicario – Registered his fourth clean sheet of the season in all competitions, as Tottenham did enough to keep Villarreal at bay despite their few sniffs at goal. 6.

Pedro Porro – Still a conservative display from Porro in the second half, with the full-back picking his moments to overlap Kudus. Looked assured at the back and was rarely caught out of position. 7.

Cristian Romero – Not exactly a flawless display from the Tottenham captain, who had a few shaky moments. His passing in the second half was far from crisp, too often finding men in yellow rather than his teammates, which handed Villarreal a few openings. 6.5.

Micky Van de Ven – Villarreal came out quickly after the break and got in behind a few times, but van de Ven was there on several occasions with crucial tackles and clearances. He read the game well, consistently being in the right place at the right time to make key interceptions. 8.

Djed Spence – Again caught out of position a few times due to his role as the more attacking full-back. However, he could not shoulder most of the blame, as poor passing from teammates often left him exposed. 7.

Rodrigo Bentancur – Aside from a few loose passes, it was a complete display from Bentancur. He held his own in midfield, stayed positive with his play, looked for forward passes, and carried the ball well. 8.5.

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Lucas Bergvall – A relentless display from the Swede, who was simply everywhere. Kept pressing tirelessly while also looking to join the attack. 8.

Pape Matar Sarr – Far less effective in the second half, offering little going forward. Had only a few touches as well, before Frank opted to substitute him. 6.

Xavi Simons – Looks to be forming a promising partnership with Spence down the left, with the pair combining well when the full-back overlapped. Was fortunate not to be sent off after a reckless tackle on Pepe, with the referee deciding against showing him a second yellow. 6.

Richarlison – The forward did not see much of the ball and had to drop deep to be involved in the build-up, but he was often let down by his passing. 5.5.

Mohammed Kudus – Once more crisp with his dribbling, but the final ball was lacking and could have been much better when he got into dangerous positions. 6.

Subsitutes

Destiny Udogie – The Italian continued his cameos from the bench, once more replacing Spence. Looked to inject energy down the left with his continuous running. 6.

Joao Palhinha – The Portuguese replaced Sarr and slotted in as the pivot midfielder. Managed to put in a few tackles during his short spell on the pitch. 6.

Randal Kolo Muani – Came on for Richarlison in the final 13 minutes to make his Tottenham debut in front of the home crowd. His first action, however, was to pick up a booking. N/A.

Brennan Johnson – Replaced Simons and slotted in on the left wing. N/A.

The half-time whistle has blown between Tottenham Hotspur and Villarreal in Thomas Frank’s first Champions League tie as Spurs boss, and the player ratings are in.

Tottenham Hotspur lead Villarreal at the break in their opening UEFA Champions League tie, with an own goal separating the two sides.

We’ve rated every Tottenham player from 1 to 10 based on their first-half performance at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham half-time player ratings vs Villarreal

Guglielmo Vicario – Has not been tested much in this tie so far, as the majority of Villarreal’s shots have been put wide. 6.

Pedro Porro – The Spanish international looks to have been handed a more conservative role in this tie, with Thomas Frank instead preferring Porro to do most of his creative work from deep. He has not been threatened much on his wing. 7.

Cristian Romero – The Argentine has had little to do defensively all game, with Villarreal offering little threat in attack. He did have a nervy moment when he misjudged the bounce of a long ball, which allowed the Spaniards to get a shot away, but it was wide. 7.

Micky Van de Ven – The Dutchman has had a quiet evening, and he has not had to use his recovery pace, with his main focus being to help in the build-up with his passing. 7.

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Djed Spence – Spence once more continues to be preferred over Udogie, and he looks like the full-back with the licence to be more adventurous. His positioning high up has led to Villarreal having a few chances, with Pepe coming close in the opening 15 minutes. 6.

Rodrigo Bentancur – Bentancur is the one holding the fort in midfield with Palhinha dropped to the bench. The Uruguayan has done so expertly, shielding the back four, keeping things ticking with his passing, while also bombing forward when necessary. A good all-round display. 8.

Lucas Bergvall – It was the perfect start for Bergvall, whose cross led to Tottenham’s opening goal after the Villarreal goalkeeper made a mess of his delivery into the box, scoring an own goal in the process. As usual, Bergvall continues to justify his selection, with his relentless pressing a hallmark of his first-half performance. 8.

Pape Matar Sarr – The Senegalese international is deeper than Bergvall in this Frank setup, but he still has the licence to go forward. He has made some good runs from deep when Porro has looked to go long. He had an effort from range saved when he shot from outside the box. 7.

Xavi Simons – Once more, the Dutchman has been deployed off the left and looked lively throughout the opening forty-five. He let fly when the ball popped up to him on the edge of the box, though he could not keep it down, and later went close after combining neatly with Bergvall and Kudus. He has not been afraid to drop deep to create from those areas, but his evening was slightly marred by a first-half booking. 7.

Richarlison – The Brazilian forward has not had a real sniff at goal so far, and it is not entirely his fault, with his teammates yet to provide him with genuine goalscoring opportunities. He did, however, pick up a needless first-half booking, and while he finally managed a shot late in the half, his effort was deflected wide. 6.

Tottenham Hotspur kick off their Champions League campaign this evening with a home fixture against Villarreal.

Tottenham’s Europa League final win against Manchester United secured their return to European football’s most prestigious club competition for the first time since the 2022/23 season.

Tottenham’s most recent Champions League campaign ended with a disappointing 1-0 aggregate defeat to Milan in the round of 16 while Antonio Conte was in charge.

The North Londoners have enjoyed a respectable start to life under boss Thomas Frank with three wins from their opening four Premier League matches.

What is the Tottenham team vs Villarreal?

Dominic Solanke was missing from training on Friday as he continues to recover from his ankle injury, while summer signing Kota Takai still also remains sidelined having yet to make his Tottenham debut.

Yves Bissouma, Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison all once again miss out as they continue their comeback from their respective injury issues, while Radu Dragusin took part in some of the session but is still not ready to return from his ACL injury.

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Mathys Tel was not included in Tottenham’s Champions League squad and is ineligible for selection until at least the knockout stage.

This is the Tottenham team that takes to the field in North London to take on Villarreal this evening:

Tottenham XI: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Bentancur, Sarr, Bergvall; Kudus, Richarlison, Simons.

Subs: Kinsky, Austin, Danso, João Palhinha, Udogie, Gray, Johnson, Odobert, Davies, Kolo Muani, Scarlett, Byfield

Villarreal XI: Luiz Júnior; Mouriño, Foyth, Veiga, Sergi Cardona; Pépé, Gueye, Comesaña, Buchanan; Ayoze Pérez, Mikautadze

Spurs need to begin their Champions League campaign with a win

Tottenham fans were pleased with the Champions League draw when it was made last month and Thomas Frank’s side have to win their home matches to put themselves in the best place for qualification.

With a trip to Bodo/Glimt to follow next, Tottenham have a great opportunity to go into the trip to Monaco next month with two wins out of two.

For those wondering how to watch the game in the UK, Tottenham vs Villarreal will be broadcast live for free on Amazon Prime.

Not every Tottenham Hotspur loanee is having much success, but there is one player who is making the most of his time away from North London.

Tottenham Hotspur are back in form after putting West Ham to the sword, but many Spurs players who are on loan elsewhere are not having such a great time.

Luka Vuskovic was part of the Hamburg defence that conceded five goals against Bayern Munich, while Ashley Phillips and Jamie Donley played no part in Stoke City’s victory over Birmingham City.

Mikey Moore was hooked at half-time as Rangers lost 2-0 at home to Hearts and while Alfie Dorrington kept a clean sheet, it was not enough to get Aberdeen out of last place in the Scottish Premiership.

Will Lankshear is thriving away from Tottenham Hotspur

Some Tottenham players may be struggling to prosper elsewhere, but this is certainly not the case for Will Lankshear. The striker scored against Leicester City on Saturday, helping Oxford United to a 2-2 draw against one of the Championship’s best teams.

Lankshear was the player to open the scoring in the ninth minute, and this was the second consecutive match where he got himself on the scoresheet. He now has three Championship goals to his name this season in five appearances.

Oxford are in the relegation zone with just two points, but both these have been achieved in their past two matches. This shows the club are making progress and with Lankshear banging in the goals, their supporters will be hopeful they can move up the table.

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Lankshear has already improved on his last loan spell away from Spurs

Lankshear found the back of the net in the Europa League last season and he also scored against Reading in pre-season. However, he was unable to find the net in a short-term loan spell at West Brom from January until the summer.

Despite this, Lankshear has now found his mojo in the Championship and already looks comfortable in the Oxford squad.

If Tottenham do not look to sign Randal Kolo Muani on a permanent deal, the 20-year-old could have a part to play in North London next year.