Brighton Predicted Lineup Vs. AS Roma For March 7

Roberto De Zerbi will be hoping Brighton and Hove Albion can put recent form behind them as they travel to Italy to take on AS Roma in the first leg of their Europa League round of 16 clash. As the Seagulls’ first European campaign is set to continue, Last Word on Football brings you the Brighton predicted lineup for this match.

Brighton Predicted Lineup Vs. AS Roma In Europa League

Under the lights in Rome. 💫 It’s MATCHDAY! ✊ pic.twitter.com/O1W83L0NN9

— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) March 7, 2024

Brighton Recent Form and Tactics

Since beating Sheffield United 5-0 and looking back to their best, the Seagulls are now without a win in three, being knocked out of the FA Cup and slipping to ninth in the Premier League in the process.

A heavily rotated Brighton were beaten convincingly 3-0 by Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday. De Zerbi made seven changes to the starting eleven which was far from full strength due to injuries, suspensions and the Italian perhaps having one eye on Thursday’s trip to Rome.

This was the second successive game that De Zerbi’s men failed to score after they were knocked out of the FA Cup in the fifth round following a 1-0 defeat away to Wolverhampton Wanderers, in which they were without nine first-team players.

The run of winless games started as the Seagulls failed to beat Everton at home in a 1-1 draw and only salvaged a point through Lewis Dunk’s late headed equaliser.

The South Coast side have lacked a cutting edge since the dismantling of Sheffield United, which has coincided with Kaoru Mitoma sustaining a long-term injury, but have continued to dominate games in their usual fashion having the lion’s share of possession.

Albion will take confidence from the way they topped their Europa League group which contained Ajax, Marseille, and AEK Athens, having picked up ten points from their final four games.

However, much of this success could be attributed to Joao Pedro who is Brighton’s top scorer this season with 19 goals and was the tournament’s top scorer when the group stage concluded but is now sidelined through a thigh problem.

It was the Brazilian’s late winner against Marseille in the final group game that sent the Seagulls top and meant they avoided the play-off stage to qualify for the round of 16.

As De Zerbi has searched for form and looked to manage Brighton’s extensive injury list, he has chopped and changed between using a back three and back four with his side often switching between the two throughout games.

The Italian set his team up with a back three on the weekend starting the game with six defenders on the pitch as Jan Paul van Hecke was deployed in central midfield alongside Carlos Baleba.

However, with De Zerbi likely to return to a full-strength lineup for the Europa League clash, it is unlikely we will see this midfield duo used on Thursday.

How Brighton Have Lined-up Recently

De Zerbi continues to rotate between goalkeepers Bart Verbruggen and Jason Steele with the pair each starting five of Albion’s last ten fixtures in all competitions.

Dunk and van Hecke have been ever-present, largely in central defence while Brighton fans would have been pleased to see Joel Veltman return from injury against Fulham.

A three-match domestic suspension to Billy Gilmour and rotation from De Zerbi on the weekend has disrupted what was a settled midfield duo of the Scotsman and Pascal Groß but it is expected this partnership will return on Thursday.

In the face of several setbacks, Albion’s attack has been boosted by the return of Julio Enciso in recent weeks who started his first game since August on the weekend.

De Zerbi has turned to Danny Welbeck in the absence of Pedro and despite starting youngster Evan Ferguson on Saturday, the Irishman failed to take his chances and it is likely the former Arsenal and Manchester United man remains De Zerbi’s first-choice centre forward, for now.

Absentees To Consider

Pedro, who scored six goals in the group stage, has been out since the win against Crystal Palace at the start of February and is set to be sidelined until after the international break.

De Zerbi confirmed ahead of the FA Cup fixture against Wolves that Mitoma is likely to miss the rest of the season through a back injury.

The Seagulls continue to be without Jack Hinshelwood, Solly March, and James Milner.