The 2025/26 Premier League season resumes this weekend with Gameweek 10 on Saturday, with the day featuring most of the matches. The latest round of fixtures starts with five simultaneous ties, including Brighton & Hove Albion vs Leeds United at the Amex Stadium.
Brighton & Hove Albion have been typically inconsistent in the early days of the 2025/26 season. While the Seagulls have produced several impressive performances, they have won, drawn, and lost three games in nine Premier League outings. The latest setback was the 2-0 defeat to Arsenal in the EFL Cup fourth round, and Fabian Hurzeler will be eager to see his team return to winning ways.
On the other hand, Leeds United may be in contention to avoid relegation after clinching another crucial victory over a fellow bottom-half team. The win over West Ham United last week has pushed the West Yorkshire outfit to 15th in the Premier League standings, six points clear of the drop zone. So, it is hardly surprising that the Whites have compelled us to predict them to break the recent Championship promotion curse.
Brighton and Hove Albion clinched a 1-0 win the last time they hosted Leeds United at the Amex Stadium in the Premier League. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Fabian Hurzeler has a new injury concern hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Brighton & Hove Albion manager may be bereft of the services of as many as seven first-team players vs Leeds United on Saturday.
Joel Veltman (calf), Brajan Gruda (knee), and Kaoru Mitoma (ankle) are closing in on returning to action, and they face late fitness tests to determine their availability. However, James Milner is the latest absentee due to a muscular injury. The veteran English midfielder has joined Adam Webster (knee), Jack Hinshelwood (ankle), and Solomon March (knee) in the treatment room.
Bart Verbruggen is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Brighton & Hove Albion lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Leeds United on Saturday. The backline will feature Mats Wieffer, Jan Paul van Hecke, Lewis Dunk, and Ferdi Kadioglu.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Carlos Baleba and Yasin Ayari in the double pivot, even though the former has struggled in the last few weeks. Georginio Rutter will reprise the no. 10 role, with Yankuba Minteh and Diego Gomez being the two wide attackers. Finally, Danny Welbeck will lead the line for Brighton & Hove Albion against Leeds United on Saturday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Verbruggen; Wieffer, van Hecke, Dunk, Kadioglu; Baleba, Ayari; Minteh, Rutter, Gomez; Welbeck
Unlike his counterpart in the Brighton & Hove Albion dugout, Daniel Farke has received positive updates on the team news front ahead of the trip to the Amex Stadium. The Leeds United manager will be without only one first-team player on Saturday.
Harry Gray is the only absentee, with the young attacker recovering from a hip flexor issue. However, Gabriel Gudmundsson is fit and available to take on Brighton after recovering from a hamstring injury. Meanwhile, Wilfried Gnonto faces a late fitness test to determine his availability.
Lucas Perri will take his spot between the sticks, with Leeds United lining up in a 4-3-3 formation in front of him vs Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday. The backline will feature Jayden Bogle, Joe Rodon, Jaka Bijol, and Gabriel Gudmundsson.
As for the midfield unit, Anton Stach may return to the starting eleven, lining up alongside Sean Longstaff and Ao Tanaka in the middle of the park. Finally, Dominic Calvert-Lewin will spearhead the Leeds United attack against Brighton & Hove Albion, with Noah Okafor and Brenden Aaronson being the two wide attackers.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Perri; Bogle, Rodon, Bijol, Gudmundsson; Longstaff, Stach, Tanaka; Aaronson, Calvert-Lewin, Okafor
While Noah Okafor, Danny Welbeck, and Georginio Rutter were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Sean Longstaff as the Player to Watch for Saturday’s Premier League clash between Brighton & Hove Albion and Leeds United at the Amex Stadium.
The English midfielder has gradually grown in stature at the West Yorkshire club. Longstaff has two assists in the Premier League this term for Leeds United, only ever registering more in one campaign (4 in 2022/23 for Newcastle United). The 28-year-old has created 2.5 chances per 90 minutes in 2025/26, making it comfortably his best in a season in the Premier League.
Brighton & Hove Albion may be in an indifferent run of form, but they will take heart from their impeccable record against Leeds United, particularly at the Amex Stadium. The Seagulls are unbeaten against the West Yorkshire outfit in the Premier League. However, that record faces its sternest test on Saturday.
The Whites have been excellent on their return to the Premier League, taking the game to most opponents. Even though they have not scored many goals, the visitors are a tough nut to crack. That trait will enable Leeds United to add to Brighton’s frustrations, and a stalemate is on the cards. The Hard Tackle predicts a 1-1 draw between Brighton and Leeds United.
