Brighton’s recent struggles on the field have been highlighted by a rather bizarre and unfortunate goal against Burnley, where their only goal of the month came from a comical own goal by Burnley goalkeeper Arijanet Muric. This singular goal underscores a larger issue for Brighton, as they’ve encountered a significant drought in scoring, managing just three goals in their last eight Premier League matches, with two of them being own goals.
This stark decline in offensive output is a cause for concern, especially considering Brighton’s strong start to the season where they were averaging nearly two goals per game. Just a couple of months ago, they were in contention for European places and participating in the Europa League knockout stages under manager Roberto De Zerbi, who was even being touted as a potential successor to Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool.
However, the tide has turned, and Brighton now find themselves firmly in the bottom half of the Premier League table. Their situation is such that Everton, who were previously seen as relegation candidates, would be level on points with them if not for points deductions.
Injuries have plagued Brighton throughout the season, making them one of the worst-affected teams in terms of fitness setbacks. De Zerbi’s propensity to tinker with the squad has also been noted, with a record-high rate of changes per game in Premier League history. This lack of stability, combined with key players being sidelined for extended periods, including the likes of Solly March and Kaoru Mitoma, has undoubtedly contributed to Brighton’s struggles.
As the season progresses, De Zerbi faces the challenge of navigating through injuries and finding a way to reignite Brighton’s attacking prowess to avoid being dragged further down the table.
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