MATCHDAY: Brighton at Palace after impressive start to EPL

September 26, 2021 GMT
Brighton and Hove Albion's Danny Welbeck, second right, celebrates with Solly March after scoring during the English Premier League soccer match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Leicester City at the AMEX Stadium, Brighton, England, Sunday Sept. 19, 2021. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)
Brighton and Hove Albion's Danny Welbeck, second right, celebrates with Solly March after scoring during the English Premier League soccer match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Leicester City at the AMEX Stadium, Brighton, England, Sunday Sept. 19, 2021. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)

A look at what’s happening in European soccer on Monday:

ENGLAND

Brighton and Crystal Palace are separated by more than 40 miles (64 kilometers) but have been long-standing foes for decades. Brighton makes the trip to south London having taken a surprise 12 points from a possible 15 in the Premier League so far. Palace has only five points from five games at the start of Patrick Vieira’s reign as Roy Hodgson’s successor. The World Cup winning-midfielder with France is in the process of making Palace more possession-based, which was also the case for Graham Potter when he took charge of Brighton two years ago. The game marks Tariq Lamptey’s long-awaited return to Premier League action. The right back played half of the midweek League Cup win over Swansea having been sidelined since December following a hamstring injury.

SPAIN

Granada looks to end its winless streak in the Spanish league when it visits Celta Vigo. Granada has lost three and drawn three of its first six matches. Celta Vigo ended its own winless streak in the previous round. Celta has lost its last four league matches at home, and hasn’t lost five in a row since a run of six straight home defeats in 1986. Both teams are near the bottom of the standings.

ITALY

Torino coach Ivan Jurić has turned things around after a miserable start to the season and will hope to continue the recovery at struggling Venezia. After losing its opening two matches, Torino rallied and won two on the trot. It would have made it a hat trick of wins but for a last-gasp equalizer from Lazio in their 1-1 draw midweek. Venezia has lost four of its five matches in its first season back in Serie A since 2002.

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