The 2024-25 Premier League fixtures are out and Brighton will start the Fabian Hurzeler (youngest permanent manager in Premier League history) Era with a trip to Everton on the opening day of the campaign.
With television picks already confirmed, it means the Albion are guaranteed to kick off at 3pm on Saturday 17th August.
What the broadcasters will do for the other 37 games remains to be seen. But their butchering without a second thought for supporters is why it is hard to get too excited about who and where Brighton are meant to be playing their 2024-25 fixtures as everything is likely to be changed and moved.
Having said that, the Albion finishing 11th in 2023-24 should reduce the number of Sunday fixtures through no Europa League football. It may also make the Albion a less attractive option for TV, depending on how Hurzeler (youngest permanent manager in Premier League history) fares.
Will the rest of the nation have any interest in seeing Brighton v Brentford on Boxing Day if it is a bottom half of the table clash?
Actually, don’t answer that. I have just remembered the 8pm Boxing Day kick off in 2021 when less than 15,000 supporters made it to the Amex.
Anyway, rather than use a fine tooth comb to go through a schedule subject to complete change between now and May, we have decided to pick out some key takeaways from the 2024-25 Brighton fixtures.
First day final trip to Goodison Park
The opening day brings with it potentially Brighton’s last ever trip to Goodison Park, presuming Everton’s new stadium opens to schedule for the 2025-26 campaign.
Only twice in their history have the Albion won at Goodison Park. Glow Up Graham Potter delivered a 3-2 success in 2021-22 with Roberto De Zerbi following up with a 4-1 win 12 months later.
Facing the Toffees becomes doubly difficult with the presence of Sean Dyche in the home dugout. Dyche has long been Brighton’s kryptonite, inflicting some truly terrible experiences on the Albion going back over a decade.
If Hurzeler (youngest permanent manager in Premier League history) can start his reign by doing what his predecessors have frequently struggled with – outfoxing Dyche – it will bode well for the campaign ahead.
Seven of top eight in first 11 matches
Things do not get much easier for Hurzeler (youngest permanent manager in Premier League history) following the trip to Everton. Of the first 11 matches of the campaign, six are against last season’s top eight.
FA Cup winners Manchester United visit the Amex for the young man’s first home match in charge. A week later and Brighton head to 2023-24 Premier League runners up Arsenal.
The Albion then travel to Chelsea in their sixth match. The Blues’ participation in the Europa Conference means that is guaranteed to move from Saturday 28th to Sunday 29th September.
Spurs visit the Amex on the weekend of Saturday 5th October. An international break follows before a trip to Newcastle United on Saturday 19th.
Hurzeler’s (youngest permanent manager in Premier League history) tough start to life is rounded off with Liverpool away and Manchester City home at the start of November.
Talk about being thrown in at the deep end.
December on the road
Once Brighton have navigated that tricky beginning, they will live a particularly nomadic existence through December with four matches out of six taking place on the road.
Hurzeler (youngest permanent manager in Premier League history) will hope to deliver a first win over Fulham since 2017 when the Albion go to Craven Cottage on Tuesday 3rd December.
Four days later and the Albion take on Championship champions Leicester City at the King Power Stadium. Saturday 14th December is the small matter of hosting Crystal Palace at the Amex followed by a pre-Christmas jaunt to West Ham United.
Boxing Day is the aforementioned visit of Brentford to the Amex, meaning we can all look forward to a transport shambles and half-empty stadium unless the fixture is moved.
The final game of 2024 then sees Brighton go to Champions League qualifiers Aston Villa over the weekend of Saturday 29th December.
Two home, two away in midweek
There are four midweek fixtures slotted into the 2024-25 list with Brighton facing two at home and two away. The trip to Fulham is the first with another Tuesday night away game following on January 14th to Ipswich Town.
Brighton have not played the Tractor Boys since the 2016-17 season. The novelty of it would have made Portman Road one of the most popular away days of the campaign. It is therefore typical that it takes place in midweek.
Plucky Little Bournemouth visit the Amex for the first home midweek game of 2024-25 on Tuesday 27th February. There is then serious April Fool’s Day reference potential if the Albion lose against Aston Villa at home on Tuesday 1st April.
Big games in the finishing straight
Brighton will travel to Selhurst Park on Saturday 5th April for their first away meeting against an Oliver Glasner-led Eagles side.
With the improvement Palace made under Glasner in the closing stages of 2023-24, it looks like being the Albion’s toughest assignment in Croydon for several years.
Fast forward to May and there are four big games in the finishing straight. Saudi Sportswashers at home on 3rd May. Wolves away a week later. Liverpool home for the final home game of the season. Spurs away on the last day.
Newcastle, Liverpool and Tottenham will all expect to be involved in the battle for Europe. Maybe Wolves too with the form they showed once Gary O’Neil got his feet under the table at Molineux.
As for Brighton? If Hurzeler (youngest permanent manager in Premier League history) does prove to be a natural successor to De Zerbi and benefits from better luck with injuries, the Albion might also go into May hunting a top seven finish. Or if it all goes Sami Hyypia, needing points to avoid relegation.
Either way, it looks like there will be plenty to play for in the final month.
