West Bromwich Albion host Brighton and Hove Albion in the Emirates FA Cup third round on Saturday afternoon (ko 3pm).
The Baggies sit fourth in the Sky Bet Championship, while visitors Brighton arrive at The Hawthorns having collected 27 points from their 19 Premier League games so far this season, leaving them ninth.
The two clubs last faced each other in the world’s most famous cup competition as recently as the 2018/19 campaign, with the Seagulls advancing through to the fifth round courtesy of a 3-1 win in B71 AET following a goalless draw down at the Amex Stadium.
Albion have five FA Cup titles to their name, last winning the tournament in 1968. Brighton have never won the competition, but did finish runners-up in 1983.
How to follow the game
Live commentary of this weekend's Emirates FA Cup clash is available to WBA TV matchday subscribers.
If you don’t already have a subscription, you can purchase a monthly audio pass for £4.50 or a seasonal commentary pass for £45 for the remaining fixtures of the 2021/22 season here.
Live commentary will start at 2.45pm and can be accessed on the WBA app or here.
Alternatively, stay updated on all the action by following on our official Twitter account.
Opposition
Brighton have enjoyed a hugely successful opening half of the 2021/22 season.
The Seagulls, who have never finished higher than 15th in their four previous Premier League campaigns, sit inside the top half of the table having already won 27 points from their 19 games.
Only top three Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea, all on two defeats, have lost fewer matches in the Premier League than Brighton’s four so far this term, proving what a fine job boss Graham Potter is doing at the Amex Stadium.
The Solihull-born 46-year-old is familiar with The Hawthorns having spent three years at Albion between 1997 and 2000, with loans spells at Northampton Town twice and Reading included during his stint in the Black Country.
Potter’s side head to The Hawthorns having found form once more after a frustrating run which saw them go 11 games without a win in all competitions, drawing eight of those.
They’re unbeaten in their last three, winning at home to Brentford and away at Everton while also drawing at Chelsea in-between.
Classic clash
The Baggies beat Brighton 2-0 in the Premier League in January, 2018.
Jonny Evans and Craig Dawson were both on target at The Hawthorns that afternoon.
Did you know?
The clubs have only met 25 times, and only twice in the FA Cup.
The first match between Albion and Brighton was at The Hawthorns in a League Cup tie in January 1977 - a game the Seagulls won 2-0.
The Baggies boast the better head-to-head record with 10 victories to Brighton's six, with nine draws also thrown in.
Read all about it
Albion academy graduate Taylor Gardner-Hickman stars as the main man in Saturday's Emirates FA Cup edition of Albion News.
The youngster has enjoyed a meteoric rise to the first-team this season under Valérien Ismaël and in his action-packed six-page feature, the 20-year-old speaks of his delight at signing a new deal, the lengths he’s gone to in order to reach this stage, senior influences and the joy of fulfilling his first-team “dream” at The Hawthorns.
Copies will be available to purchase in and around the ground on Saturday afternoon, or alternatively programmes can be secured online here.
LV BET's latest odds
Albion come in at 9/5 (2.80) to win their FA Cup third-round tie against Brighton.
The Baggies measure up at 13/2 (7.50) to replicate their previous 1-0 victory against the Seagulls, with Callum Robinson at 21/10 (3.10) to find the back of the net again this Saturday.
LV BET also has Albion at 43/10 (5.30) to win with both sides scoring and at 11/10 (2.10) to qualify for round four of the competition.
Check out the new LV BET Bet £10 Get £10 customer offer here. 18+ begambleaware.org. Terms apply. Odds are subject to change.
Additional information
The UK Government has introduced legislation which requires everyone aged 18 and over - at sporting events with crowds of more than 10,000 people - to provide proof of double vaccination or a negative lateral flow test when entering stadia from Wednesday, December 15 onwards. Tests must have been undertaken no more than 48 hours prior to kick-off.
The legislation means all adults attending the fixture against Brighton will be required to present an NHS COVID pass on entry. Passes will be mandatory for as long as they are a legal requirement.
Fans are advised to download the NHS mobile app, if they have not already done so, to familiarise themselves with the relevant processes. For more information on the NHS app, click here.
In addition, supporters aged 11 and over will be required to wear face coverings while in an indoor setting at The Hawthorns. The Government introduced new rules last week which require with fans to wear masks while inside concourses and indoor hospitality areas.
Supporters are encouraged to visit wba.co.uk/covid to keep up to date with the requirements to attend The Hawthorns.
Click here for frequently asked question and further details.
