The FA Cup fourth and fifth round triumphs against Chelsea and Newcastle United, respectively, preceded the Premier League victories against Chelsea (3-0), Southampton (4-0), and Bournemouth (2-1). Last weekend, Yankuba Minteh and Danny Welbeck scored goals to defeat the latter 2-1 after extra time.
Later this month, Fabian Hurzeler's team will play Nottingham Forest again in the quarterfinals, but they will now turn their focus back to the Premier League and their attempt to earn a spot in Europe. With 11 games left, the Seagulls are only four points behind the top four and now sit seventh in the standings. On Saturday afternoon, Brighton & Hove Albion and two Premier League sides with genuine hopes of earning European football for the upcoming season square off at the Amex Stadium.
Brighton will aim to secure four consecutive top-flight victories for only the second time in their history when they take the field on Saturday. The last time they accomplished this feat was back in April and May of 1981. Notably, in English top-flight history, the only team to have won four straight matches immediately after suffering a defeat by seven or more goals is Grimsby Town. They bounced back from a crushing 9-1 loss to Arsenal in January 1931 to win their next four games.
However, for Brighton to extend their winning streak, they must achieve something unprecedented in club history—defeating Fulham in the Premier League. In nine previous meetings, the Seagulls have failed to claim a victory against the Cottagers (D4, L5). This marks the most times Brighton have faced a single opponent without winning and, conversely, the most times Fulham have played a team without suffering defeat in the competition.
After securing four wins out of five matches across all competitions in February, Fulham began March on a high note by eliminating FA Cup holders Manchester United in the fifth round last weekend. The Cottagers triumphed 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes at Old Trafford, marking a significant achievement for the club.
A quarter-final home clash against Crystal Palace awaits later this month. Palace remains the only team to have defeated Fulham (2-0) in the past four weeks. Head coach Marco Silva believes his team "deserve to be in the next stage" and is determined to guide Fulham to their first-ever major trophy, a historic milestone for the club.
With their FA Cup ambitions still alive, Fulham are now shifting their focus to improving their standing in the Premier League. Currently sitting ninth in the table, they are just one point and one place behind Brighton. A victory over the Seagulls this weekend could propel them as high as sixth, depending on results elsewhere.
Fulham’s recent away form has been impressive, with three consecutive Premier League victories against Leicester (2-0), Newcastle (2-1), and Wolves (2-1). This marks their best run of away wins in the top flight since March/April 1966, when they secured five in a row. Their six away wins this season already rank as their second-most in a single Premier League campaign, just behind the seven achieved in 2022-23.
Silva’s side has also enjoyed recent success against Brighton, winning their last two Premier League meetings by 3-0 and 3-1 scorelines. The only other team Fulham have beaten in three consecutive top-flight matches while scoring three or more goals each time is West Ham, a feat achieved between 1965 and 1966. This weekend’s clash presents another opportunity for Fulham to continue their strong form and climb higher in the league standings.
