Brighton & Hove Albion v Derby: Likely line-ups for FA Cup tie

Brighton will bid to reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup for the second successive season when they host Derby County at the Amex tomorrow.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh. Picture by PW Sporting PhotographyAlireza Jahanbakhsh. Picture by PW Sporting Photography
Alireza Jahanbakhsh. Picture by PW Sporting Photography

The Seagulls' only wins in 2019 have come in the FA Cup, against Bournemouth and West Brom, as they are without a win in six Premier League matches.

Frank Lampard's Derby side have knocked out Southampton and Accrington Stanley to reach the last 16. They sit seventh in the Championship after a 1-1 draw at bottom-of-the-table Ipswich on Wednesday.

BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION

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Brighton boss Chris Hughton has made several changes for Albion's FA Cup ties so far this season but the Seagulls do not play again after tomorrow for ten days, so Hughton may be tempted to field a stronger side for the last 16 tie.

David Button is likely to play in goal, while Bruno, Dan Burn and Bernardo will probably all come back into the starting line-up.

Leon Balogun could partner Burn in central defence, as he did in the fourth round replay win at West Brom, or Hughton could decide to play one of Shane Duffy or Lewis Dunk.

Anthony Knockaert, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Yves Bissouma and Beram Kayal will most likely start in midfield. Who else features will depend on whether Hughton plays a 4-4-1-1 or 4-3-3 formation.

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Viktor Gyokeres started the replay win at West Brom and the young Swede is again likely to be in the Seagulls squad.

Winger Solly March could miss out after he limped off in the defeat to Burnley last weekend.

With Florin Andone suspended, either Glenn Murray or Jurgen Locadia will lead the line.

Likely line-up: Button; Bruno, Duffy, Burn, Bernardo; Knockaert, Bissouma, Kayal, Jahanbakhsh; Gross; Murray. Subs (from): Sanchez, Montoya, Balogun, Dunk, Bong, Stephens, Propper, Locadia, Gyokeres, March.

DERBY COUNTY

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Derby have had less time to prepare for the fixture than Albion after drawing 1-1 away to Ipswich in the Championship on Wednesday.

Rams boss Frank Lampard made three changes for that match as Andy King, Bradley Johnson and Tom Lawrence came into the starting line-up for Craig Bryson, Tom Huddlestone and Florian Jozefzoon.

Goalkeeper Scott Carson is set to miss the game with a thigh injury, so Kelle Roos is likely to continue in goal.

Chelsea loanee Fikayo Tomori, who spent a loan spell with Albion during their promotion-winning season in 2016/17, is likely to start in central defence for Derby.

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Another former Brighton loanee, midfielder Bradley Johnson, will also be in the Rams squad.

Striker Jack Marriott has not played since the 2-1 win over Reading on January 19 but was set to return to training this week.

Mason Mount, who is on loan to Derby from Chelsea, is likely to miss the game with a hamstring injury.

On-loan Leicester midfielder Andy King is cup-tied after playing in the Foxes' defeat at Newport in the third round.

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Likely line-up: Roos; Bogle, Keogh, Tomori, Malone; Bryson, Huddlestone; Holmes, Wilson, Lawrence; Waghorn. Subs (from): Wisdom, Bryson, Bennett, Cole, Nugent, Ravas, Johnson, Jozefzoon, Marriott, Evans.

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