Sunderland vs Brighton Prediction 14 March 2026
🔊 On Saturday, the "Stadium of Light" will host a clash between opponents coming into the game with contrasting moods. Sunderland are reeling from a humiliating exit from the FA Cup at the hands of a League 1 underdog. Brighton, despite losing to the league leaders in their last outing, impressed by outplaying the giants in possession and shots. Both teams are eager to get back to winning ways. According to the bookmakers, the visitors have the better odds of doing so.
Head-to-Head
📊 Over the past 20 years, these teams have faced each other only twice. In 2011, Brighton knocked Sunderland out of the League Cup with a 1-0 victory, and the first-round match of the current Premier League season ended in a goalless draw (0-0).
H2H Stats Matches and Previous Teams Results
Sunderland Team Overview
Regis Le Bris' team currently sit 11th with 40 points. The "Black Cats" ended a four-match winless streak in the Premier League with a victory over Leeds (1-0), thanks to Habib Diarra's successful penalty. However, that was their only shot on target throughout the match, while their opponents managed 18 attempts. A bit of luck certainly played a part.
Following that, they faced an unexpected exit from the FA Cup against Port Vale (0-1), where the situation was reversed. This time, Sunderland's opponent needed just one accurate strike to secure victory. Offensively, the "Black Cats" appeared lackluster, generating only 1.56 xG. In the league, their scoring has been scant as well: just 10 goals in the Premier League in 2026, with only Aston Villa faring worse. On the bright side, they remain traditionally strong defensively at home, conceding just 13 goals-the third-best record in the league.
Match Results: Sunderland
Brighton & Hove Albion Team Overview
The Seagulls currently sit 14th in the table, trailing Sunderland by just three points. The competition is intense. At home, they show confidence, but on the road, they've lost three of their last four matches. In their latest fixture, Brighton fell to Arsenal (0-1), despite controlling 60% of possession and taking more shots (11-7). From the on-field action, it was hard to tell which team was vying for the title and which was mid-table.
Fabian Hürzeler's squad struggles with finishing: in none of their last 15 Premier League matches have they scored more than two goals, and reaching the two-goal mark isn't a frequent occurrence for the Seagulls. They create opportunities but fail to capitalize on them. Over the course of the season, they have underperformed by 4.1 goals according to the xG metric, which is quite significant.
Match Results: Brighton & Hove Albion
Latest news
Sunderland
🎙 Régis Le Bris after the shocking FA Cup exit: “Congratulations to our opponents - they played with full commitment and patience. It came down to fighting spirit, and they seized their opportunity. We had our chances, but it wasn't enough to secure the win.”
❌ The squad situation is challenging, yet there are glimpses of hope. Definitely out are Reinildo Mandava (knee), Nordi Mukiele (calf), Joslin Ta Bi (ankle), Romain Mandl (thigh), and Robin Roofs (thigh). The good news is that Brian Brobbey and Dennis Cirkin trained with the team this week and might play. The Dutchman's return could inject life into the attack.
Brighton & Hove Albion
🎙 Fabian Hürzeler delivered a scathing critique of Arsenal following his team's defeat: "Today, only one team tried to play football. I will never be a coach who sets out to win in such a manner. The Premier League needs to establish clear rules to combat time-wasting."
❌ The visitors have just two players in the injury list: Adam Webster and Stefanos Tzimas, both with knee injuries. Key attacking player Kaoru Mitoma (ankle) could make a return to the squad, which would be a significant boost. Lewis Dunk and Solly March are doubtful, but their participation is also likely.
🟨 Yellow Card Prediction
Thomas Kirk is a referee who made his Premier League debut this season and has already established a reputation as a strict official. In his three league matches, he has handed out 12 yellow cards, averaging exactly 4 per game. Looking at his last 10 matches across all competitions, Kirk's average rises to 4.9 cautions per game.
For a clash between direct competitors where both teams will be fighting for victory, betting on over 3.5 yellow cards seems logical. This is supported by both the referee's statistics and the teams' figures: Sunderland average 2 cautions per home game, while Brighton average 3.21 per away game.
⚽ Goal Prediction
The statistics suggest a low-scoring affair. Brighton have seen under outcomes in 8 of their last 10 matches. Sunderland have only scored 10 goals in 2026, the second-worst tally in the league. Moreover, in their first-round head-to-head, neither team found the net. Betting on under 2.5 goals appears to be a reliable option.
🚩 Corner Prediction
There's a clear pattern here. Sunderland have delivered fewer than 4.5 corners in 6 of their last 7 home Premier League matches. Considering that the Seagulls are likely to dominate possession while the Black Cats play on the counter, we don't foresee many corners for the visitors. We select Sunderland's individual corners total under 4.5, also relying on the team's low season average of 3.57 corners per home game.
Editor's Prediction
Sunderland have taken an emotional hit after their exit from the FA Cup, but the return of Brian Brobbey and the support from the stands should help the team reset. Brighton are better at controlling possession, yet their away form and finishing issues raise concerns. The head-to-head stats and expert predictions from Paul Merson and Chris Sutton lead us to anticipate a draw. We expect a scrappy game with few goals, and it's possible that the teams will fail to break each other's defenses, ending in a goalless stalemate at 0-0. Scores24's primary pick is under 2.5 goals.
Betting Tips: Sunderland - Brighton & Hove Albion
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Comparison of Teams Stats
Other predictions
