Chris Sutton has backed Brighton to come through their Premier League meeting with Leeds, but he does not expect it to be straightforward. The pundit believes Brighton are good enough to win at home, while also warning that Leeds should create chances and find a way to trouble them.
Sutton's view is shaped by Brighton's mixed start. On the opening weekend, they smashed Aston Villa, but after that they lost to Chelsea despite dominating possession. That has left the picture a little unclear, even if the overall feeling remains that Brighton are playing with enough freedom to stay dangerous.
Why Sutton thinks Brighton can edge it
Sutton admitted he is “not really sure what to make of Brighton yet”, which reflects the contrast between their first two games. The opening-day win suggested a side full of confidence and attacking intent, but the defeat to Chelsea showed that control of the ball does not always translate into control of the result.
Even so, he still went with Brighton to win. His reasoning was simple: Brighton are playing with freedom at the moment, and that can make them difficult to contain when they get into rhythm. But he also made clear that this is not the sort of match he sees as comfortable or one-sided.
Leeds can still cause problems
Sutton was equally clear about Leeds. He said Leeds can be quite cagey on the road under Daniel Farke, but added that they are “very good at what they do” and should be a threat on the break.
That is the key part of his prediction. Brighton may have more of the ball and more of the attacking talent, but Leeds do not need to dominate possession to make the game awkward. If they stay organised and use counter-attacks well, Sutton clearly thinks they can land a blow.
That is why his final call is a Brighton win without a clean sheet. He expects Brighton to get the job done, but not to shut Leeds out, and that points to a competitive Premier League contest rather than a routine home victory.
For Brighton, the next step is about turning encouraging performances into more reliable results. For Leeds, the test is whether they can turn Sutton's warning into a real threat and make the game close for longer than Brighton would like.
