First Half: Brighton 0-0 Leicester
Brighton pushing for Europe | Foxes potentially two games from drop
Teams | Live Premier League table
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Commentary by Lewis Jones and Peter Smith
Brighton 0-0 Leicester
Remember, Leicester have lost their last eight Premier League games without scoring – they could become first team in top division history to lose nine successive games without scoring.
Deary me.
Teams are out!
"Sussex by the sea" blares out at the Amex.
The home fans are expecting a reaction from their side.
Vardy vs Baleba...
Sky Sports' Lewis Jones:
"Based on the warm-up it did seem Carlos Baleba will start at centre-back. He did play in pre-season for a couple of games for Brighton but is inexperienced, no doubt. Jamie Vardy will be looking to test him from the first whistle.
"Teams are in the tunnel. Glorious day."
How they shape up...
How things stand...
Brighton are only six points off Chelsea in fifth place. With 21 points still up for grabs, they can certainly still believe.
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Any hope for Leicester?
Just in case you needed to know, no team has survived from this position in Premier League history.
Leicester are 15 points from safety with seven games remaining – if they lose today and Wolves beat Tottenham on Sunday they will be 18 points from safety with six games remaining.
WATCH: Leicester 0-3 Newcastle
Eight defeats on the spin without scoring for Leicester. Laughable really.
WATCH: Crystal Palace 1-2 Brighton
Three red cards in what was a dramatic derby at Selhurst Park last weekend.
Jones Knows: Everything has it's price...back Leicester!
Sky Sports' betting expert Lewis Jones:
"Brighton's record against the bottom six at home this season wouldn't exactly send you rushing to the counter to back the 1/4 with Sky Bet on offer for a home win. They are winless in four home matches with Southampton, Ipswich, Wolves and Everton, scoring just three goals. And you can add a 2-2 in this reverse fixture at the King Power as another piece of evidence regarding Brighton's lack of guile when facing lesser opposition.
"But this is Ruud van Nistelrooy's Leicester - a team that haven't scored in 10 of their last 11 Premier League matches. Scoring runs like this always do come to an end - it could be time to jump on at 9/1 for a shock away win. Therefore, Bilal El Khannous, who scored Leicester's last goal at Tottenham and has eight shots across this goalless run, to score at 7/1 with Sky Bet is a potential betting angle."
SCORE PREDICTION: 0-1 | JONES KNOWS' BEST BET: Bilal El Khannous to score (7/1 with Sky Bet)
Premier League predictions, odds and best bets: Arsenal and Liverpool to lose, a win for Leicester?
Sky Sports
Mavididi, McAteer start for Foxes
Sky Sports' Lewis Jones:
"Ruud van Nistelrooy makes three changes from their defeat to Newcastle and changes the shape to a back four. Stephy Mavididi and Kasey McAteer are brought in from the wilderness to be given rare starts. Jamie Vardy leads the line."
No Mitoma, Baleba at CB?
Sky Sports' Lewis Jones:
"Brighton are without Karou Mitoma who has a heel injury. Simon Adingra replaces him. There will need to be a reshuffle at the back as Jan Paul van Hecke is suspended so perhaps Carlos Baleba will drop back there to partner Lewis Dunk as Yasin Ayari and Matt O'Riley both start and will likely play as the central pairing."
Leicester team news
Team to play Brighton: Hermansen, Justin, Okoli, Coady, Thomas, Ndidi, Soumare, El Khannouss, McAteer, Mavididi, Vardy
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Brighton team news
Team to play Leicester: Verbruggen, Hinshelwood, Dunk, Estupinian, Baleba, Ayari, Adringa, Minteh, O'Riley, Joao Pedro, Welbeck
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Hello and welcome!
Leicester are serious levels of rubbish, eh?
They could become the first team in top division history to lose nine successive games without scoring today.
All they have to play for is pride really but that's not sparked them into life over the last few weeks. And this another very tough fixture for them.
Brighton still have hopes of European football and need to get back on the horse after back-to-back defeats.
Teams dropping shortly...
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Essential Questions: What now for Liverpool after Salah signs his new deal?
Sky Sports' Ron Walker, Sam Blitz and Will Bitibiri look ahead to the weekend's Premier League fixtures and discuss what Mo Salah's new contract at Liverpool could mean for the club as they try to wrap up the title.
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Van Nistelrooy vows to fight on at Leicester
Under-pressure Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy has vowed to fight on as he attempts to drag the promoted Foxes back from the brink of Premier League relegation.
The Dutchman was downbeat in the wake of Monday's 3-0 defeat by Newcastle, which left second-bottom Leicester 15 points adrift of safety with just seven games remaining, and was less than equivocal when asked about his future in the aftermath.
However, as he prepared his players for Saturday’s trip to Brighton, Van Nistelrooy insisted he will remain at the helm as long as he is “needed”.
The 48-year-old former Manchester United striker said at a press conference: “It’s blow after blow and it adds up. After the Newcastle game, I was hurt. You’re always hurt when things don’t go your way and it adds up.
“It’s a challenge to break the cycle. We need personality. It’s going on too long. There’s only one way to break the cycle and that’s to fight, to believe we can end this cycle.
“You learn so much in difficult times and know you can use that in a great way. I am committed to now, to break this cycle. I don’t walk away from anything that’s happening now.
“I do my job. I’m committed to work with the players and the club to fight through this to show we can break this cycle. We also know we’re among two other promoted teams, so we shouldn’t over-dramatise it. That’s also the general picture to put it in perspective. I’ll do my job as long as I’m needed.”
Mitoma in danger of missing game
Kaoru Mitoma is in danger of missing his first Premier League match of the season when Brighton host Leicester.
The Albion winger is a major injury worry after hobbling off during last weekend's 2-1 defeat at rivals Crystal Palace.
Mitoma, who has scored nine goals this term, was clattered by Palace defender Maxence Lacroix, although the free-kick went the way of the Eagles.
The Japan international is the only Seagulls player to feature in every league match this term, but that record is now in doubt.
He could join a lengthy injury list which also includes Jason Steele, James Milner, Igor Julio, Georginio Rutter, Adam Webster, Ferdi Kadioglu and Tariq Lamptey.
"Kaoru is doubtful," boss Fabian Hurzeler said at his pre-match press conference. "He will try to train today, but overall the rest are the same."
To add to Hurzeler's problems, key defender Jan Paul van Hecke is out through suspension.
"Well, we have different options," added the German. "(Eiran) Cashin for sure will be an option. Mats (Wieffer) has already played there. Carlos Baleba is an option.
"We have several options, let's see how they do in training. Then we have to make a decision.
"I didn't want to say (if we have to change the formation), but we might have to do so."