00:00 This week sees Brighton Hove Abbey in return to action following an imposed hiatus due
00:20 to the international break. Roberto Giuseppe's men visit a Manchester City side reeling after
00:25 a 1-0 defeat at Arsenal. How do you see this one going Sam and should the Seagulls be wary
00:30 of a wounded Man City?
00:32 Absolutely, yeah I think Man City have obviously come against the game on a really bad run
00:37 of form really which is really unlike them. They've only won in Europe recently and had
00:43 two consecutive defeats in the Premier League against Wolves and then Arsenal. So it's a
00:51 real tough game for Brighton because obviously as you say they're coming up against a wounded
00:56 animal in Man City. They're going to be desperate to put things right and to get things back
01:00 on track. But then Brighton obviously will be coming into the game with a bit more confidence
01:05 after that good result against Liverpool and they probably should have won that game when
01:09 you look back at the chances they had and obviously the capitulation they had at the
01:13 end of that first half defensively. But I can see a high scoring game and it could really
01:18 go either way so one really to look forward to for the fans.
01:22 I'll ask you for your score prediction at the end of the podcast but Albi and then host
01:26 Ajax in their third game of their inaugural Europa League campaign on Thursday evening.
01:30 The Seagulls are bottom of the group but are just three points adrift of group leaders
01:34 aka Athens. So how imperative Sam is it that Brighton get the win against Nike who are
01:40 seemingly in free fall at the moment if you'd read anything in the press?
01:44 Ajax are extremely, just not themselves you would say, just really, really struggling
01:49 in the league this season. I think when you look at the squad it's nowhere near as impressive
01:54 as it has been in recent seasons and obviously they really have had all of their top players
01:59 taken away from them really. It may be a similar way to Brighton but Brighton seem to be able
02:03 to cope with it. It definitely seems that Ajax are suffering from the effects of their
02:08 players being taken and they really are struggling in the league and things aren't going to plan
02:13 for them. So it is a great opportunity for Brighton, obviously playing them at home first
02:18 to get a much needed win in the group. It was vital to get that point at Marseille in
02:23 the previous game to kind of keep their hopes alive. Now they really have to back that up
02:27 I think and get their first win of the campaign against an Ajax team that are really struggling
02:33 and it's a kind of perfect opportunity really. If you get a win at home suddenly the group
02:38 is extremely favourable for Albion and they can then potentially get a draw away as well
02:43 when it's completely in their hands. So yeah, another game I'm really looking forward to
02:47 watching. I mean it's difficult because I think it's difficult to say Brighton should
02:51 be favourites in a game against Ajax. It seems crazy to say and yes he's mad but we kind
02:58 of had that against Athens in the first game where Brighton were obviously the clear favourites
03:02 to win that game but then really shouldn't have been when it was their first ever Europa
03:05 League game. So much pressure without their captain Louis Dunck on the night. So all sorts
03:11 of pressures for Brighton and that element of expectation might not be too good. I think
03:16 sometimes Brighton play better when they're a little bit of the underdogs. So it'll be
03:20 interesting to see but yeah again I'm really looking forward to watching and seeing how
03:24 Brighton get on.
03:25 A draw not good enough for it?
03:26 I think it needs to be a win. I think definitely at home. I think a draw away would be good
03:32 but at home I think a win is needed. I think obviously after the loss against Athens, the
03:37 draw at Marseille, I think they need a win. They need a win and I think it's a good opportunity
03:42 to do it at home with a crowd behind them against a team completely out of confidence.
03:47 So I think get a win at home and then try and nick a draw away and I think it'll be
03:51 in their hands.
03:52 Four points in those two games would be a pretty good result wouldn't it for the Derby
03:57 I think?
03:58 Well I think if they finish third don't they get into the, I can't even think what it's
04:01 called, conference league or something like that which is quite winnable I suppose for
04:05 them so yeah still plenty to play for.
04:08 I think it's a win.
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