Brighton vs Luton LIVE: Premier League new boys face challenging opening – kick-off time, team news and how to follow

Premier League new boys Luton will get their 2023/24 season underway with a trip to face Brighton.

The Seagulls finished sixth last year and were one of the most potent teams in the division under Roberto De Zerbi’s guidance.

Brighton are likely to be without Moises CaicedoGetty

Luton are ready for their first Premier League campaignGetty

They will be looking for a quick start against the Hatters, who have been made relegation favourites.

Luton sealed promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs, and they have made nine first-team signings in a bid to strengthen the squad.

It will no doubt be a tricky campaign for Luton, but one the players, staff and fans are looking forward to.

Brighton vs Luton: Date and how to follow

This Premier League clash will take place on Saturday, August 12.

Kick-off at the Amex is scheduled for 3pm.

Unfortunately, this fixture will not be televised on UK screens due to the 3pm blackout in English football.

However, highlights will be available on the Sky Sports website and app shortly after the end of the match and then later on Match of the Day.

talkSPORT will have updates from the Amex as part of GameDay Live from 3pm.

Adrian Durham will take you through all the goals from the Premier League, EFL and beyond, including Brighton vs Luton.

talkSPORT.com will also be on hand for all the best post-match reaction.

To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream.

You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

De Zerbi is ready to lead Brighton into another campaignGetty

Brighton vs Luton: Team news

The Seagulls are likely to be without Moises Caicedo for this one.

The Ecuadorian midfielder missed the club’s last pre-season friendly with a hamstring issue, while he is also the focus of much transfer talk.

Jakub Moder will also miss out.

But there could be competitive debuts for Mahmoud Dahoud, Joao Pedro, James Milner and Bart Verbruggen.

Igor Julio arrived later in pre-season, so might have to make do with a place on the bench.

Meanwhile, the visitors have a number of injury concerns.

Dan Potts, Jordan Clark, Gabriel Osho and Reece Burke are all out.

However, there should be a number of first-team debuts.

Tahith Chong, Ryan Giles, Issa Kabore, Chiedozie Ogbene and Thomas Kaminski are all likely to start.

It remains to be seen if Ross Barkley is included in the matchday squad after only just completing his free transfer to Kenilworth Road.

Barkley won’t start but could be a substitute on the south coastLuton Town

Brighton vs Luton: What has been said?

Hatters boss Rob Edwards is confident his side will remain in the Premier League.

Speaking to the BBC, he said: “I am incredibly confident in this group that they will be very competitive this year.

“We all know what we want to achieve and we want to try and be in the Premier League again next season.

“I am under no illusions to how big a task that is, but I am really, really confident in this group.”

Brighton vs Luton: Match facts

Brighton and Luton haven’t met in a league game since 2007-08, with the Seagulls winning both games in League One that season. In the top-flight, their only two meetings were in 1982-83, both wins for the Hatters (5-0 home, 4-2 away).This is the first time Brighton and Luton will meet in their first league games of a season since the 1928-29 campaign in the Third Division South, won 1-0 by the Hatters.Brighton have won their opening league game in each of the last two seasons, last doing so in three consecutive campaigns between 1974-75 and 1976-77.This will be Luton’s first top-flight game since a 2-1 loss to Notts County in May 1992. They’re the 51st team to play in the Premier League, with two of the last three clubs making their debut in the competition winning their opening match (Huddersfield in 2017, Brentford in 2021).Brighton lost three of their six Premier League games against promoted sides last season (W2 D1), as many defeats as they’d suffered in their previous three campaigns combined (W8 D7 L3).Brighton have only failed to score in one of their last 28 Premier League matches, netting in each of their last 16 in a row since a 1-0 home defeat to Fulham in February. It’s the Seagulls’ longest scoring run in league football since a run of 22 between March and September 2011.Luton finished the 2022-23 league season (excluding play-offs) with a 14-game unbeaten run (W8 D6), conceding just seven goals in this period. It’s their longest run without defeat since a 28-game streak in League One between October and April in 2018-19.Luton didn’t win a single away league game in their last season as a top-flight club in 1991-92, drawing five and losing 16 of their 21 games. Overall in the top-flight they’re winless in 26 games on the road since a 2-1 victory at Aston Villa in March 1991.New Brighton signing João Pedro’s first league goal in English football came against Luton Town, scoring the winner for Watford in a 1-0 win in September 2020. He’s scored twice against the Hatters overall, only netting more in the English leagues against Huddersfield (3).Luton boss Rob Edwards will be the 11th different Welshman to take charge of a Premier League game. Each of the first three to do so won their first game (Mike Walker, Chris Coleman, Mark Hughes), while six of the last seven (including the last four in a row) have lost their maiden match in the competition.