Sports Mole

Relegation-threatened Tottenham Hotspur will welcome Brighton & Hove Albion to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday evening for a gigantic affair.

Spurs are currently down in 18th spot in the Premier League table, while Brighton are ninth and pushing to secure European football for the 2026-27 campaign.

Here, Sports Mole provides details of how to tune into the contest.

What time does Tottenham vs. Brighton kick off?

The Premier League match will kick off at 5.30pm UK time on Saturday.

Where is Tottenham vs. Brighton being played?

The game will take place at Tottenham's home ground, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Brighton have been victorious on two of their last four away league fixtures against Tottenham, including a 4-1 victory in the corresponding fixture last term.

How to watch Tottenham vs. Brighton in the UK

TV channels

The Premier League contest will be available on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League for viewers in the UK.

Online streaming

Sky customers can access the Premier League match on Sky Go and on the Sky Sports app, while it is also available via Now TV's Sports membership.

Highlights

Sky Sports will show highlights, including any goals which have been scored, on their social media and YouTube channels, as well as on their dedicated app.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, BBC One's Match of the Day programme will begin at 10.25pm and run until 11.35pm, with highlights of the match also available via that avenue.

Tottenham vs. Brighton: What's the story?

There is simply no downplaying the size of this football match for Tottenham.

Spurs are firmly locked in a relegation battle this season, and they are the only Premier League team without a victory in 2026, losing nine and drawing five of their 14 matches.

Tottenham are on the second-longest winless league run in their history, and they will be coming up against a Brighton team that have won five of their last six Premier League matches.

Brighton have also won their last three Premier League away games and will be bidding to make it four in a row for the first time in their history, which would significantly boost their European hopes.

The Seagulls are ninth in the table on 46 points, just two points behind sixth-placed Chelsea.

Saturday's match will be special for new Tottenham head coach Roberto De Zerbi, who was in charge of Brighton between September 2022 and June 2024, boasting a record of 38 wins, 22 draws and 29 losses from his 89 matches at the helm.

Tottenham Hotspur have been given a much-needed lift at a crucial stage of their fight for Premier League survival.

New Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi is preparing for a huge game against Brighton and Hove Albion this weekend and ahead of it, two important midfielders have returned to training.

Their comeback could provide exactly the boost that Spurs have been crying out for.

Roberto De Zerbi handed double Spurs injury boost before Brighton clash

Indeed, Spurs appear to have been boosted by the return of both James Maddison and Rodrigo Bentancur to first-team training.

The pair were spotted working with the squad at Hotspur Way ahead of this weekend's clash with the Seagulls, which will be De Zerbi’s first meeting with his former club since taking charge of Spurs.

Maddison is still not expected to be ready in time for Saturday’s match after spending almost the entire season out with an ACL injury suffered back in August. However, his return to training is still a major step forward as he pushes to make an appearance before the end of the campaign.

Bentancur, meanwhile, is further along in his recovery after missing the last few months with a hamstring injury suffered against AFC Bournemouth in January.

Tottenham have missed James Maddison and Rodrigo Bentancur

Spurs have badly missed both midfield players during a difficult spell in recent months.

Maddison brings creativity, energy and the ability to unlock defences in the final third, and Spurs have looked short of ideas without him, particularly in games where they have needed someone to take control and create chances.

Bentancur offers something vastly different to the Englishman. He gives Tottenham more balance, aggression and composure in possession, while his passing and work-rate make him vital in controlling the tempo of games.

If De Zerbi can get both players fit before the end of the season, it could make a huge difference to Tottenham’s hopes of staying up.

Brighton & Hove Albion skipper Lewis Dunk will be restricted to a watching brief when the Seagulls face Tottenham Hotspur in Saturday's Premier League showdown at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The English defender collected his 10th booking of the season against Liverpool before the international break, one that carries a two-game top-flight suspension.

As Dunk served the first match of his punishment in last weekend's 2-0 victory over Burnley, the 34-year-old completes his ban this weekend, but Fabian Hurzeler has no fresh concerns to take into account.

With Dunk absent, Jan Paul van Hecke and Olivier Boscagli should form the central pairing in front of Bart Verbruggen, while Mats Wieffer continues at right-back after his two-goal showing at Turf Moor.

Forty-year-old midfielder James Milner is a slight doubt as he recovers from a minor training-ground injury, but fellow veteran Pascal Gross has been exhibiting his creative excellence ever since returning for a second Seagulls stint.

Since returning from Borussia Dortmund in January, Gross has created the fourth-most chances in the league (24), played the second-most passes into the box (108) and registered the most successful crosses (28) of all Premier League players.

The German and Yasin Ayari should therefore resume their partnership in the middle of the pack, while Danny Welbeck sports the captain's armband in an unchanged attacking quartet.

Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:

Verbruggen; Wieffer, Van Hecke, Boscagli, Kadioglu; Ayari, Gross; Gomez, Hinshelwood, Minteh; Welbeck

Tottenham Hotspur playmaker Xavi Simons should be given a chance to impress from the first whistle when Spurs host Brighton & Hove Albion in Saturday evening's Premier League encounter.

The Dutchman was once again relegated to a cameo role for Roberto De Zerbi's debut match last weekend, only being introduced for the dying embers of that 1-0 loss to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

However, Lucas Bergvall was found wanting in the most advanced midfield position, so De Zerbi may very well give Simons a shot from the off as part of a double attacking change.

The Italian's decision to start with three recognised strikers in Randal Kolo Muani, Richarlison and Dominic Solanke did not pay dividends last time out, and the former could also be demoted in favour of Mathys Tel.

Pape Sarr and Joao Palhinha are both vying for more minutes in the middle, but De Zerbi may wish to stick with the Archie Gray-Conor Gallagher double pivot for the time being, as he will be forced into one major defensive alteration.

Cristian Romero's tears told the story of Spurs' season at the Stadium of Light, where the Argentina international suffered a partial MCL tear that will sideline him for the rest of the campaign.

Palhinha, Radu Dragusin and Kevin Danso are all alternatives to Romero, but the latter is the most likely candidate to step in, while Antonin Kinsky ought to continue in goal while Guglielmo Vicario enters the final stages of hernia recovery.

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Kinsky; Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Udogie; Gray, Gallagher; Tel, Simons, Richarlison; Solanke

The Roberto De Zerbi derby kicks off at 5.30pm on Saturday evening, when Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion lock horns in gameweek 33 of the 2025-26 Premier League season.

The Lilywhites' new era began in familiar fashion with a 1-0 loss to Sunderland last weekend, while the Seagulls continued on their upward trajectory with a 2-0 triumph at Burnley.

Match preview

Ironically plunged into a deeper sense of darkness at the Stadium of Light, Tottenham's De Zerbi days could hardly have started any worse; one defeat, no goals, and one more serious injury to contend with.

On an afternoon where Spurs lost captain Cristian Romero to a season-ending knee problem, the Lilywhites were condemned to a harrowing 16th loss of the Premier League campaign, as Nordi Mukiele's deflected effort sparked Sunderland pandemonium.

Marginal improvements may have been visible in Spurs' play, but marginal improvements do not put points on the board for the relegation-battling hosts, who remain two points below the dreaded dotted line in the Premier League table with a mere six games left on the calendar.

Winless in 14 Premier League matches since 2026 rolled around, Tottenham have now endured the fourth-longest winless run in the competition at the start of a single calendar year - the three sides to endure longer such streaks were unsurprisingly all demoted come the end of the season.

The Lilywhites did at least stun Atletico Madrid 3-2 on their own turf not so long ago - even if that Champions League triumph was inconsequential - but with a paltry 10 home points on the board in the 2025-26 Premier League, Tottenham's home record is the worst of its kind.

Brighton have picked up just one fewer point in their last three games, than Spurs have collected at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium all season, as the soaring Seagulls have collected nine points from the last nine on offer in the top flight.

Sunderland, Liverpool and most recently Burnley have succumbed to the visitors' superiority in recent weeks, and an unlikely source in Mats Wieffer was at the double when the South Coast side strode to a 2-0 victory at Turf Moor last weekend.

Also taking down Brentford and Nottingham Forest over the past couple of months - while only succumbing to defeat against leaders Arsenal - Brighton have collected 15 points from their last six Premier League showdowns, the best record of any team in that time.

Just two points adrift of Chelsea in sixth spot, the ninth-placed Seagulls now seek a historic club first - four successive Premier League away victories - while each of their last three successes on the road have also arrived with a clean sheet.

Speaking of travel triumphs, Brighton memorably demolished Tottenham 4-1 in the capital during the final gameweek of 2024-25, before extending their unbeaten run against Spurs to three matches in September's 2-2 stalemate.

Tottenham Hotspur Premier League form:

Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions):

Brighton & Hove Albion Premier League form:

Team News

While Tottenham have not yet come out with an official statement on Romero, it has been well-reported that the centre-back will sit out the rest of the campaign with a partial MCL tear, albeit one that should not derail his World Cup chances.

For now, Romero joins fellow knee victims Dejan Kulusevski, Wilson Odobert and James Maddison in the treatment room, as well as Mohammed Kudus (thigh), Ben Davies (ankle), Rodrigo Bentancur (thigh) and Guglielmo Vicario (hernia), but the latter may have a slim chance of returning for the weekend.

Kevin Danso is primed and ready to fill the Romero void for the rest of the season, while Mathys Tel and Xavi Simons should stick their hands up for starts after Spurs' ineffective attacking display at the Stadium of Light.

De Zerbi and Hurzeler can sympathise when it comes to the absence of an integral defender, as Brighton skipper Lewis Dunk must serve the second of a two-game ban for accumulating 10 yellow cards this weekend.

Adam Webster (knee) and Stefanos Tzimas (knee) are keeping Dunk company on the sidelines, but Hurzeler could welcome James Milner back from a "minor, minor injury" that the 40-year-old sustained in training before the Burnley success.

However, the Seagulls are still blessed with the talents of another veteran midfielder in Pascal Gross, who has created 24 chances since rejoining Brighton in January - the fourth-most in the division over that time period.

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Kinsky; Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Udogie; Gray, Gallagher; Tel, Simons, Richarlison; Solanke

Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:

Verbruggen; Wieffer, Van Hecke, Boscagli, Kadioglu; Ayari, Gross; Gomez, Hinshelwood, Minteh; Welbeck

We say: Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 Brighton & Hove Albion

Spurs may have had more bark about them in De Zerbi's debut, but there is still an alarming lack of bite from the Europa League holders, who are now facing the most in-form team in the Premier League over the last six games.

Coupled with Tottenham's atrocious home form and Brighton's exceptional displays on the road of late, the Seagulls have our backing to haunt former coach De Zerbi and push Tottenham further towards the trapdoor.

Cristian Romero may have already played his final game for Tottenham Hotspur, but there is still hope for the injured defender to represent Argentina at the 2026 World Cup, according to his national team assistant coach.

The 27-year-old was involved in a nasty collision with Spurs goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky in last weekend’s 1-0 Premier League defeat against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

After lengthy on-field treatment, Romero climbed to his feet and left the pitch in tears midway through the second half, sparking serious concerns over the severity of his injury.

Romero, who was later spotted walking through London with his right knee heavily bandaged in a social media post, is now expected to miss around eight weeks with a high-grade partial tear of his medial cruciate ligament, ruling his out for the rest of the season.

This major injury blow has led to suggestions that the defender may have appeared in a Tottenham shirt for the last time, as the Lilywhites captain continues to be strongly linked with a summer exit regardless of the club’s Premier League status for next season.

While a shock relegation to the Championship would almost certainly trigger a summer exodus of first-team stars like Romero, it is understood that the defender may look to leave even if Tottenham avoid the drop.

Romero given fresh World Cup hope by Argentina assistant

Romero is now facing a race to be fit in time for this summer's World Cup with reigning champions Argentina, who will aim to defend their crown at the newly-expanded tournament held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Initial reports raised concerns over Romero’s international hopes, but a fresh update from Argentina assistant coach Robert Ayala suggests the defender will meet his recovery deadline.

Speaking on Fox Sports, as quoted by Mundo Albieceleste, Ayala said: "We think Cristian Romero will be able to make it just in time for the World Cup, maybe without as much match rhythm, since he won’t have the minutes he’s had so far.

“He’ll train and might even arrive in slightly better physical condition. The timeline works out, so in that sense we’re calm.

"Obviously, this doesn’t stop us from continuing to look at other options too.”

Ayala has also confirmed that Romero does not require surgery and is set to be given platelet-rich plasma treatment to help accelerate the healing process.

Tottenham Hotspur will be battling for their Premier League survival when they take on Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday evening.

The Whites are 18th in the standings and two points adrift from West Ham United in safety, leaving Roberto De Zerbi desperate for a much-needed victory.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up Tottenham’s latest injury and suspension news.

Ben Davies

© Imago

Status: Out

Type of injury: Ankle

Possible return date: April 25 (vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers)

Davies has been out with an ankle injury since January, and the defender is not expected to return until later this month.

Mohammed Kudus

© Iconsport / Harvey Murphy/News Images/Alamy

Status: Out

Type of injury: Thigh

Possible return date: Unknown

Kudus was due to return earlier this month, but the forward now requires further specialist review and potentially surgery after a setback, leaving him sidelined for the foreseeable future.

Rodrigo Bentancur

© Imago / News Images

Status: Out

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: May 2 (vs. Aston Villa)

Bentancur is hoping to make himself available before the end of the season after suffering a major hamstring injury in January.

Wilson Odobert

© Imago / Sportimage

Status: Out

Type of injury: Knee

Possible return date: Unknown

After rupturing his ACL against Newcastle in February, Odobert will not feature for Spurs until next season as he undergoes his lengthy rehab.

James Maddison

© Imago

Status: Out

Type of injury: ACL

Possible return date: May 24 (vs. Everton)

Maddison sustained an ACL injury in August and has subsequently missed the entire season to date, and the midfielder is facing a fight to appear on the final day of the campaign.

Dejan Kulusevski

© Iconsport / BILDBYRÅN

Status: Out

Type of injury: Knee

Possible return date: Unknown

Kulusevski remains unavailable with a knee injury that he picked up last season, and it looks as though the forward will be out for the remainder of this campaign.

Guglielmo Vicario

© Imago / IMAGO / News Images

Status: Doubt

Type of injury: Groin

Possible return date: Apr 18 (vs. Brighton)

Vicario missed last weekend's defeat to Sunderland with a groin issue, and the goalkeeper is being assessed for a potential return against Brighton.

Cristian Romero

© Iconsport / PA Images

Status: Out

Type of injury: Knee

Possible return date: Unknown

Romero was forced off in the defeat to Sunderland with a knee injury, and the defender is unlikely to return for this weekend's fixture.

Yves Bissouma

© Imago / BUZZI

Status: Doubt

Type of injury: Other

Possible return date: Apr 18 (vs. Brighton)

Bissouma had been out for a number of weeks due to muscle issues before returning to the bench against Sunderland, and the midfielder could feature on Saturday.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR’S SUSPENSION LIST

Tottenham Hotspur have no players unavailable due to suspension for their clash against Brighton.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero could reportedly miss the rest of the season with the injury he sustained in Sunday's 1-0 Premier League loss to Sunderland, meaning he may have played his last game in a Spurs shirt.

The Argentina international left the field in tears at the Stadium of Light, having come off worse in a collision with goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky during the second half.

Play was stopped for several minutes as both men received treatment, although Kinsky - filling in for the absent Guglielmo Vicario - was able to carry on despite suffering a cut to the head.

However, Romero was unable to soldier on through the pain and was inconsolable as he trudged off the field to be replaced by Kevin Danso - a sign that his injury was a severe one.

Roberto De Zerbi admitted at full time that Romero may have hurt his knee, although he could not give any firm details on the issue so soon after the full-time whistle.

Tottenham's Cristian Romero 'out for season' with serious knee injury

Now, journalist Martin Arevalo reports that Romero will be missing for between five and eight weeks with his knee injury, meaning that his domestic season is almost certainly over.

Spurs conclude their Premier League season against Everton on May 24, but Romero - who has suffered a partial medial cruciate ligament (MCL) tear according to Sami Mokbel - will seemingly only be back for that home encounter in a best-case scenario.

The 27-year-old is set to miss games against Brighton & Hove Albion (April 18), Wolverhampton Wanderers (April 25), Aston Villa (May 2), Leeds United (May 11) and Chelsea (May 17), depriving De Zerbi of one of his on-field leaders during the relegation scrap.

Tottenham sit two points from safety in the Premier League table following Sunday's loss to Sunderland, which extended their winless run in the Premier League to a shocking 14 games since the start of 2026.

Only three teams have ever had a longer winless Premier League run at the start of a calendar year, and all three were relegated - Derby County in 2008 (18), Sunderland in 2003 (17) and Swindon Town in 1993 (15).

De Zerbi can at least call on either Danso or Radu Dragusin to fill Romero's boots, while Archie Gray and Joao Palhinha are emergency alternatives to the South American at centre-back.

However, Romero's injury should not rule him out of the 2026 World Cup, which gets underway for Argentina against Algeria on June 17.

Cristian Romero might have played final Tottenham game after injury diagnosis

Romero's tears told the story of a man who likely knew his season was over, his World Cup chances had suffered a devastating blow, and he may have appeared in a Tottenham shirt for the last time.

The 27-year-old still has another three years left to run on his contract, but he is one of a plethora of players who would surely depart if Tottenham suffer an unthinkable relegation to the Championship.

Atletico Madrid are thought to be one of the main suitors for Romero, who would leave Tottenham with a record of 13 goals and seven assists from 156 appearances if his season has indeed come to a premature end.

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Roberto De Zerbi has admitted that Cristian Romero might have sustained damage to his knee in Sunday's 1-0 Premier League defeat to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

The Argentina international came off worse in a second-half collision with goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky and was forced off the pitch in tears after trying to soldier on.

Both players were down for several minutes receiving treatment, but Kinsky escaped with a cut to the head and was cleared to continue after being assessed for a possible concussion.

However, Romero cut an inconsolable figure as he trudged off the field; his teammates did their best to comfort the South American before he was embraced by De Zerbi.

Romero's reaction suggested that the 27-year-old might have sustained a serious injury, one that could potentially end his season and scupper his chances of helping Argentina defend their World Cup title.

Tottenham's Cristian Romero has "maybe" suffered knee injury

© Iconsport / PA Images

Speaking to the media at full time - as quoted by football.london - De Zerbi was loath to give too many details but did not rule out the prospect of a knee problem for his captain.

"Maybe yes," De Zerbi replied when asked if Romero had hurt his knee. "But I don’t want to say nothing until we know more. We have to see the next days.

"I hope for us it's not important a problem because he's a crucial player for us. A good guy, top player, big personality and we need him to finish the season and to achieve our goal."

Romero has already missed 14 Spurs matches in all tournaments this season due to injury or suspension, albeit while also claiming 10 goal contributions from the 32 games he has been involved in - six of his own and four assists.

If the defender has suffered a season-ending injury, he may have featured in his final game for the Lilywhites too, as he has been persistently linked with a move away during the summer transfer window.

How can Tottenham replace injured Cristian Romero?

© Imago / Sportimage

While the Tottenham treatment room remains well-occupied, their defensive situation in particular is not so dire as it once was, even with Romero now back in the care of the doctors.

Kevin Danso was sent on to replace the stricken South American on Sunday, and the Austrian will likely be De Zerbi's top pick to stand in for Romero for however long he is sidelined.

However, Radu Dragusin is another viable alternative, and De Zerbi could even deploy Joao Palhinha or Archie Gray in central defence if times get desperate.

Tottenham Hotspur are on course for relegation from the Premier League after their 1-0 defeat to Sunderland, according to one worrying statistic.

Roberto De Zerbi's Spurs debut ended in a familiarly disappointing manner for Lilywhites fans, whose side are still waiting for their first Premier League win of 2026.

Nordi Mukiele's deflected effort made the difference at the Stadium of Light, where Spurs also had a penalty overturned and lost a tearful Cristian Romero to injury in the second half.

The Europa League winners' most recent Premier League victory came back in December against Crystal Palace, and their winless run in the division now stands at an alarming 14 games since the start of 2026.

Only three teams have ever started a calendar year with a longer winless run in the Premier League, and on all three previous occasions, those sides were relegated from the top flight.

Tottenham winless in 14 Premier League games in 2026

The unwanted record for the longest Premier League winless run at the start of a calendar year is the infamous Derby County side of 2007-08, who won none of their 18 top-flight matches in 2008 and went down with the lowest points total in tournament history.

Meanwhile, Sunderland failed to win any of their 17 Premier League matches in 2003 and were demoted to the second tier in 20th place, claiming just 19 points throughout the entire season.

Finally, Swindon Town did not triumph in any of their first 15 Premier League contests in 1993 - having been promoted to the top flight the season before - and also finished bottom of the rankings that year

Worst winless Premier League runs in calendar year

With West Ham United thrashing Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-0 on Friday and Nottingham Forest claiming a point from a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa on Sunday, Spurs are two points adrift of safety in the Premier League table with six games left to play.

The Lilywhites now prepare to face De Zerbi's former club Brighton & Hove Albion next weekend, before doing battle with Championship-bound Wolverhampton Wanderers at the end of the month.

Why Tottenham "don't need a coach" in Premier League relegation battle

De Zerbi was quizzed by BBC Match of the Day following his first defeat as Tottenham boss, and the Italian insisted that his players need familial figures more than they need trainers right now.

"I can be a big brother, father, they don't need a coach," De Zerbi said. "They don't need to improve football. They can play better and they will play better once we reach a different level of confidence."

The former Brighton head coach also revealed what needs to happen for 'everything to change' for the Europa League holders, when asked if he is excited for the challenge.

"Absolutely. I'm sure if we are able to win a game then everything will change," De Zerbi concluded.

De Zerbi has also become just the second of the last 11 Tottenham managers to lose his first game in charge, after Igor Tudor oversaw a 4-1 reverse to Arsenal on his Lilywhites debut.