Paul Merson and Chris Sutton disagree on score predictions for Tottenham’s trip to Brighton

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Tottenham make the trip to face Brighton on Saturday in a Premier League fixture. It is interesting to note that pundits Paul Merson and Chris Sutton have disagreed on their score predictions for the weekend clash.

Tottenham have made a strong start to life under Thomas Frank, winning three out of four in the Premier League. In addition, Spurs kickstarted their Champions League campaign on Tuesday night with a 1-0 victory at home to Villarreal.

The North London club now travel down south for a tough challenge against Brighton.

The Spurs predicted line-up against Brighton largely sticks with the core of players that have started the season so impressively. However, they have lost three of their previous four meetings against the Seagulls across the previous two years.

• READ MORE: £55m Tottenham star will come alive for Brighton after scoring in both games against them last season

Paul Merson thinks Tottenham will drop points at Brighton

According to Paul Merson, Spurs have a great opportunity to lay down a marker with a big win at the Amex Stadium against Brighton on Saturday. He’s predicted that it will be an entertaining 2-2 draw, though.

Merson told Sportskeeda: “This is the real acid test for Spurs. If they can go to Brighton and win this game, they can finish in the top five this season. It’s a chance for Tottenham to go out there and show people they aren’t ‘Spursy’. I don’t want Tottenham fans to feel like I’m being disrespectful because I’m a former Arsenal player, but they can’t be beating Manchester City and then losing to the likes of Bournemouth and Brighton!

“I think this is a big game and Tottenham have had issues away from home against such teams in the past. I expect a thrilling draw in this one.

“Prediction: Brighton & Hove Albion 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur.”

Chris Sutton backs Tottenham to lose away at Brighton

Meanwhile, Chris Sutton has tipped Spurs to leave empty-handed from their upcoming trip to Brighton.

Sutton told BBC Sport: “Spurs have started the season in a similar way to Liverpool, in that they have not always played that well but most of the time they have still got a result – apart from their defeat by Bournemouth…

“Brighton are inconsistent but they are brave and they have some dangerous attacking players. They will take the game to Spurs, and my gut feeling is they will take the win, too.

“Sutton’s prediction: 2-1.”

Tottenham’s defence gives them a chance in any match

Danny Murphy has hailed the Spurs defence for how well they’ve started the new season. They were conceding goals at a rapid rate under Ange Postecoglou, but Frank has completely tightened things up in such a short space of time.

Remarkably, Spurs have only conceded once in their opening four league matches, which was in the home defeat to Bournemouth.

They look incredibly strong as a defensive unit, especially with Cristian Romero and Micky van der Ven as the centre-back partnership. Incidentally, Jamie O’Hara’s assessment of Romero and Van der Ven is that they would start for any club side in the world right now.

Even though the Brighton trip is pretty tough on paper, Spurs should go there with huge confidence in their defence to keep them in the contest.