BBC Sport examines some of the key themes before Sunday's match (14:00 GMT), as both Brighton and Brentford chase consecutive league wins.

After five consecutive away games, Brighton return to Amex Stadium, where they are unbeaten this season, looking to build on their best start to a Premier League campaign.

The Seagulls are third and have already beaten the two teams above them, Arsenal and Manchester City. A title challenge appears unlikely, but their form marks them out as genuine contenders for Champions League qualification. Opta's supercomputer gives them a 67% chance of finishing in the top four.

Fabian Hurzeler's side scored a league-high 24 goals in their opening nine matches, while also ranking joint top for big chances created and first for shot-conversion rate, though it is worth noting they have outperformed their expected goals figure by almost seven, the widest margin in the division.

Brighton have been just as impressive at the back and Hurzeler was quick to praise his side's "defensive mindset" after last weekend's 1-0 victory at Etihad Stadium. Albion already have six top-flight clean sheets this term, just four short of their final total in 2025-26.

Head coach Keith Andrews described last weekend's victory over Nottingham Forest as Brentford's "best win of the season", praising his side for doing "the basics of the game really well". But the Bees will probably need an even better performance against in-form Brighton as they seek back-to-back league wins for the first time since February.

Although the victory against Forest was Brentford's first in four league games, they have lost only once in the top flight this season and have been beaten in just three of their past 20 league matches.

Andrews will also be encouraged by the improving form of last season's top scorer Igor Thiago, who, after a slightly slow start to the campaign, has now scored in consecutive games.

When these sides met at the Amex 12 months ago it was Thiago who netted the opening goal, but Brighton fought back to win through second-half goals from Danny Welbeck and Jack Hinshelwood.

That result extended Brentford's poor away record in this fixture. They are winless in all five of their Premier League visits to Brighton, losing three of those matches.