Premier League Regular Season - 17
Brighton 0 - 0 FT Sunderland
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
19' B. Gruda
34' D. Coppola
HT
46' ↓ M. Wieffer ↑J. Veltman
↓ S. Adingra ↑R. Mundle 63'
↓ C. Rigg ↑H. Diarra 64'
64' ↓ M. De Cuyper ↑K. Mitoma
71' ↓ J. Hinshelwood ↑J. Milner
71' ↓ Y. Minteh ↑C. Kostoulas
↓ B. Brobbey ↑W. Isidor 72'
D. Ballard 79'
E. Le Fee 86'
87' ↓ B. Gruda ↑T. Watson
FT
Player Cards
Season performance ratings for players in this match
Brighton
Goalkeepers
Bart Verbruggen 
OCTOPUS
6
saves
6
saves
0
conceded
100%
save %
Defenders
Mats Wieffer 
LATE SHIFT
15
late mins
15
late mins
45
total mins
46
entry
Diego Coppola 
SWEEPER
3
cleanups
3
cleanups
1
interceptions
2
blocks
Olivier Boscagli 
PROVOCATEUR
2
fouls won
2
fouls won
5
Duels Won
0
pens won
Ferdi Kadıoğlu
LATE SHIFT
15
late mins
15
late mins
93
total mins
Started
entry
Midfielders
Yasin Ayari
SWEEPER
2
cleanups
2
cleanups
2
interceptions
0
blocks
Jack Hinshelwood
LATE SHIFT
15
late mins
15
late mins
71
total mins
71
entry
Yankuba Minteh
LATE SHIFT
15
late mins
15
late mins
71
total mins
71
entry
Brajan Gruda 
ARCHITECT
4
key passes
4
key passes
0
assists
34%
pass acc
Maxim De Cuyper
LATE SHIFT
15
late mins
15
late mins
64
total mins
64
entry
Forwards
Georginio Rutter
PROVOCATEUR
2
fouls won
2
fouls won
6
Duels Won
0
pens won
BENCH
Jason Steele 
SPECTATOR
0
saves
0
saves
0
conceded
0
minutes
Joël Veltman
ARCHITECT
2
key passes
2
key passes
0
assists
15%
pass acc
Freddie Simmonds
LATE SHIFT
15
late mins
15
late mins
0
total mins
Started
entry
Kaoru Mitoma
LATE SHIFT
15
late mins
15
late mins
29
total mins
Started
entry
James Milner
LATE SHIFT
15
late mins
15
late mins
22
total mins
Started
entry
Joe Knight
LATE SHIFT
15
late mins
15
late mins
0
total mins
Started
entry
Charalampos Kostoulas
LATE SHIFT
15
late mins
15
late mins
22
total mins
Started
entry
Tom Watson
LATE SHIFT
15
late mins
15
late mins
6
total mins
Started
entry
Nehemiah Oriola
LATE SHIFT
15
late mins
15
late mins
0
total mins
Started
entry
Sunderland
Goalkeepers
Robin Roefs
LATE SHIFT
15
late mins
15
late mins
93
total mins
Started
entry
Defenders
Nordi Mukiele
LATE SHIFT
15
late mins
15
late mins
93
total mins
Started
entry
Daniel Ballard 
WALL
0
dribbled past
0
dribbled past
3
tackles
69%
duel win %
Omar Alderete
SWEEPER
3
cleanups
3
cleanups
2
interceptions
1
blocks
Trai Hume 
ENFORCER
7
tackles
7
tackles
10
Duels Won
71%
win %
Midfielders
Granit Xhaka
SWEEPER
3
cleanups
3
cleanups
1
interceptions
2
blocks
Lutsharel Geertruida
LATE SHIFT
15
late mins
15
late mins
93
total mins
Started
entry
Chris Rigg
LATE SHIFT
15
late mins
15
late mins
64
total mins
64
entry
Enzo Le Fée
ARCHITECT
5
key passes
5
key passes
0
assists
15%
pass acc
Simon Adingra
LATE SHIFT
15
late mins
15
late mins
63
total mins
63
entry
Forwards
Brian Brobbey
LATE SHIFT
15
late mins
15
late mins
72
total mins
72
entry
BENCH
Anthony Patterson
SPECTATOR
0
saves
0
saves
0
conceded
0
minutes
Dennis Cirkin
LATE SHIFT
15
late mins
15
late mins
0
total mins
Started
entry
Leo Fuhr Hjelde
LATE SHIFT
15
late mins
15
late mins
0
total mins
Started
entry
Habib Diarra
LATE SHIFT
15
late mins
15
late mins
29
total mins
Started
entry
Dan Neil
LATE SHIFT
15
late mins
15
late mins
0
total mins
Started
entry
Harrison Jones
LATE SHIFT
15
late mins
15
late mins
0
total mins
Started
entry
Romaine Mundle
LATE SHIFT
15
late mins
15
late mins
30
total mins
Started
entry
Wilson Isidor
LATE SHIFT
15
late mins
15
late mins
21
total mins
Started
entry
Eliezer Mayenda
LATE SHIFT
15
late mins
15
late mins
0
total mins
Started
entry
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23/08/2011 | Brighton | 1 - 0 | Sunderland | League Cup | The American Express Community Stadium (Brighton, East Sussex) |
23/08/2011
Brighton Win
Sunderland Win
Draw
League Standings
P: 17 GD: +21
P: 17 GD: +25
P: 17 GD: +9
P: 17 GD: +12
P: 17 GD: +3
P: 17 GD: +2
P: 17 GD: +3
P: 17 GD: +2
P: 17 GD: +2
P: 17 GD: -2
P: 17 GD: +1
P: 17 GD: -1
P: 17 GD: -2
P: 17 GD: +3
P: 17 GD: -3
P: 17 GD: -7
P: 17 GD: -9
P: 17 GD: -16
P: 17 GD: -15
League Standings
P: 24 GD: +29
P: 24 GD: +26
P: 24 GD: +9
P: 24 GD: +8
P: 24 GD: +15
P: 24 GD: +6
P: 24 GD: +4
P: 24 GD: -1
P: 24 GD: -1
P: 24 GD: 0
P: 23 GD: -2
P: 24 GD: -3
P: 24 GD: +2
P: 24 GD: +2
P: 24 GD: -4
P: 24 GD: -11
P: 24 GD: -11
P: 24 GD: -19
P: 23 GD: -19
AI-powered match analysis and previews to help you decide which games are worth watching
Verbruggen's Six-Save Masterclass Denies Sunderland at the Amex
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 24/100. Two promotion-chasing sides collide in a tactical chess match where defensive resolve trumps attacking ambition, leaving both camps wondering what might have been.
The Wall Stands Firm
At the Amex Stadium, Brighton and Sunderland served up a masterclass in defensive Intensity. Neither side blinked first. Bart Verbruggen emerged as the evening's guardian angel, producing six crucial saves to keep the hosts' clean sheet intact. His positioning was immaculate—a 8.7 rating that tells the story of a goalkeeper who refused to be breached when his team needed him most. Sunderland peppered the Brighton goal with six shots on target, yet found only air where the net should have been.
Possession Without Penetration
Brighton dominated the Balance of play, controlling 56% possession and stringing together 400 passes with 82% accuracy. Yet this numerical superiority translated into toothless finishing. Only two shots found the target from 14 total attempts. Olivier Boscagli orchestrated the home defence with commanding presence, earning a 7.9 rating for his steadying influence across the back line. Sunderland, meanwhile, showed the efficiency of the underdog—fewer touches, sharper intent. Daniel Ballard matched Boscagli's rating with resolute defending that suffocated Brighton's attacking corridors. Both defences operated at full throttle, turning the Amex into a fortress neither side could breach.
The Stakes Remain Unchanged
For Brighton, now ninth with 24 points from 17 games, this draw extends a frustrating run of mixed results (form: DLDLW). They created the better chances but lacked the clinical edge—1.16 xG wasted. Sunderland, fifth and chasing European football with 27 points, sees their promotion push stutter. Their expected goals (1.39) outweighed Brighton's, yet Verbruggen's brilliance ensured the visitors left empty-handed. Both sides fired 14 shots each, yet the scoreline remained frozen at 0-0. This was football reduced to its essence: who blinks first? Neither did.
Key Questions
What made Bart Verbruggen the Man of the Match?
Six saves from Sunderland's relentless assault kept Brighton level when defeat loomed. His positioning and reflexes proved decisive.
Did Brighton's possession advantage matter?
No. Controlling 56% yielded only two shots on target. Sunderland's defensive shape neutralised Brighton's passing game entirely.
How does this draw affect their promotion hopes?
Brighton's ninth-place finish stalls their climb. Sunderland's fifth-place position holds but their European push loses momentum.
How is the Futmetrix Score calculated?
The Futmetrix Score (0-100) combines multiple factors: match intensity, competitive balance, stakes importance, and entertainment value to help you decide if this match is worth watching.
Welbeck's Hot Streak Meets Roefs' Wall in Playoff Six-Pointer
Average Entertainment Futmetrix Score: 44/100. A certified six-pointer between fourth-placed Sunderland and seventh-placed Brighton—the gap is three points, and the loser drops into the chasing pack.
The Setup
Brighton sit seventh on 19 points, but their Form is deceptive. Two wins in their last five mask a team finding rhythm at exactly the right moment. Sunderland occupy fourth with 22 points, yet their Balance is fragile—one loss derails their playoff push entirely. The Stakes couldn't be higher: a victory catapults either side into genuine contention, while defeat stalls momentum when every point counts. This is the kind of match that defines seasons.
Key Battle
Danny Welbeck versus Granit Xhaka—the Brighton striker's five-goal rampage in five matches meets Sunderland's midfield anchor. Welbeck thrives on space and tempo; Xhaka's job is suffocation. If Brighton's movement pulls Sunderland's shape apart, Welbeck finishes. If Xhaka locks the midfield, Sunderland controls possession and frustrates.
Our Prediction
Brighton 2-1 Sunderland. The hosts absorb early pressure—Robin Roefs keeps Sunderland in it with two crucial saves—but Welbeck's intelligent movement exploits gaps in Sunderland's shape. A second-half breakaway seals it. Sunderland claw one back late, but Brighton hold firm.
Key Questions
Should I watch this match?
Absolutely. Two teams fighting for playoff positions with genuine quality on both sides. Welbeck's form alone justifies tuning in.
What's the predicted outcome?
Brighton 2-1 Sunderland. The hosts' attacking threat edges a tight, tactical battle.
Where are Brighton and Sunderland in the league table?
Brighton seventh on 19 points (12 games); Sunderland fourth on 22 points (13 games). A three-point gap in a tight playoff race.
What is Brighton's current form?
WDWLW—two wins in five, but momentum is building. They're peaking at the right time.
Who is the in-form player to watch?
Danny Welbeck. Five goals in five matches, 7.4 average rating. Brighton's clinical finisher.
How is the Futmetrix Score calculated?
The Futmetrix Score (0-100) combines multiple factors: match intensity, competitive balance, stakes importance, and entertainment value to help you decide if this match is worth watching.