2021-22 fixtures: Brighton DON’T start season away at Watford
There was utter disbelief with the release of the 2021-22 Premier League fixtures this morning as Brighton & Hove Albion do not begin their season away at Watford,
The trip to Vicarage Road has become a traditional curtain raiser whenever the Seagulls and Watford have been top flight clubs. Instead, Brighton will have to wait for the second game of the campaign to get their hands on the Hornets when they come to the Amex on Saturday 21st August.
Where then do the Albion kick off their fifth Premier League campaign? Why, with a trip to the 19th century and an away day in Burnley on the weekend of the 14th August.
If away supporters are allowed to attend games by middle of August, then we can all look forward to pints which cost 60p and a dash of homophobia. What a way to return to following Brighton on the road after over 18 months of being unable to travel.
September 11th sees the first top flight Tony Bloom v Matthew Benham clash as Brighton travel to Brentford’s new stadium made of LEGO. Two weeks later and it is another big game for rivalries with the Albion making the trip to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace.
Arsenal are currently being linked to around 17 of Brighton’s first team squad. If those rumours turn out to be true, then Yves Bissouma, Ben White, Tariq Lamptey and Maty Ryan will be back at the Amex in the red of the Gunners on October 2nd, Brighton’s first fixture against one of the European Super League Elite Six.
October is a tough month. Norwich City and their homegrown talents playing expansive football lie in wait at Carrow Road on October 16th, followed by a home match with Manchester City and a trip to Liverpool. Hopefully, we see both Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp lose their minds at failing to beat a #TeamLikeBrighton again.
Brighton’s annual three points from 1996 Coca Cola League Cup runners up The Leeds United are there for the taking on November 27th. Christmas brings Manchester United away on December 18th, Brentford at home on Boxing Day, Chelsea away on December 28th and New Year’s Day at Everton.
The prospect of an overnight stay on New Year’s Eve in Liverpool looks incredible until you remember that Brighton have never won at Goodison Park before, so chances are the football will ruin the trip.
Crystal Palace at home is on January 15th and Chelsea come to the Amex on February 8th for a rare midweek match. We finally go to Watford four days later whilst March does not make for pleasant reading with Liverpool at home and City away in back-to-back matches.
There is a tour of North London to embark on in April, Arsenal away taking place on the 9th followed by Spurs away on the 16th. Given the increase in the price of a pint over lockdown, you might want to get re-mortgaging your house now to be able to avoid consecutive weekends drinking in the capital.
The penultimate home game of the season is against Manchester United on May 7th, the final away match is a trip to The Leeds United – handy if the Albion are desperate for three points to avoid relegation – with the campaign rounded off against West Ham United on May 22nd.
Of course, Brighton & Hove Albion’s 2021-22 fixtures are subject to change once Sky Sports and BT Sport start butchering the fixture list.
The full fixture list can be found embedded in the tweet below – we are never sure if those rumours about publishing in full without permission being punishable by five years of hard labour in a work camp outside Worksop are true or not…
🚨 𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗗! 🚨
Albion's fifth consecutive campaign in the @PremierLeague kicks off against @BurnleyOfficial away on Saturday 14th August.#BHAFC 🔵⚪
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) June 16, 2021
