Brighton & Hove Albion

Graham Potter on BBC Radio 5 Live: "Chris Hughton did a fantastic job here so we want to carry on with that. We want to entertain but we want to get points

"We want players to be brave - it’s up to them to take responsibility. We know how we want to play but we also know we need to play properly."

Mark Scott
Match of the Day commentator

There's a feel-good factor around Watford after their highest league finish since the mid-1980s and an FA Cup final appearance.

Finishing as the best of the rest this time around is a realistic target as the Hornets enjoy some long-awaited stability under the impressive Javi Gracia, with Ismaila Sarr an exciting addition.

Brighton owner Tony Bloom is said to have one of the sharpest gambling minds around, and after almost nose-diving into relegation under Chris Hughton he has rolled the dice and brought in Graham Potter, who worked wonders at Ostersunds and did a fine job under testing conditions at Swansea.

Potter's CV ensures there will be plenty of intrigue into how he fares, and it's a safe bet the Seagulls will look extremely different under him.

• Brighton have not won on any of their last four visits to Watford (D2, L2), scoring just one goal in those games.
• Watford also hosted Brighton in their first league match last season, winning 2-0 through goals from Roberto Pereyra.
• The away team has failed to score in all four Premier League matches between Watford and Brighton.

Image source, Getty Images

For Brighton, meanwhile, a new season marks a new start.

Narrowly avoiding relegation at the end of the last campaign, they sacked manager Chris Hughton the day after the season ended.

It's been a busy summer since. Graham Potter was brought in as his replacement and the Seagulls have spent plenty in the transfer window, signing defender Adam Webster from Bristol City in a club record deal.

Other new arrivals include Neal Maupay, Leandro Trossard and Aaron Mooy - can they help Brighton to a higher finish this season?

Watford start the new campaign off the back of a season in which they recorded their highest league finish since the mid-1980s - 11th - and reached the FA Cup final.

Javi Gracia has made several new additions to his squad for the new term, breaking the club's transfer record to bring in Senegalese winger Ismaila Sarr from Rennes.

Craig Dawson, Tom Dele-Bashiru and Danny Welbeck have also moved to Vicarage Road - will their arrivals see the Hornets break into the top 10 in nine months time?

Image source, Getty Images

Ninety days is a long time.

Exactly 24.66% of 2019 has passed.

The UK's got a new prime minister and we experienced a heatwave that felt HOTTER THAN THE SUN.

But at long last, fear not. All is well.

Because the Premier League is BACK.

Image source, Getty Images

Watford manager Javi Gracia has chosen to rest new signings Ismail Sarr and Danny Welbeck, with the latter out with a long-term ankle injury, but new defender Craig Dawson does make his league debut for the club. Gerard Deulofeu, who scored 10 goals in the Premier League last season, starts after missing most of pre-season through injury.

Watford XI: Foster, Dawson, Deulofeu, Deeney, Cathcart, Doucoure, Gray, Hughes, Femenia, Holebas, Capoue

Subs: Gomes, Janmaat, Cleverley, Sema, Success, Kabasele, Pereyra

Image source, BBC Sport

Brighton boss Graham Potter has left record-signing Adam Webster on the bench for this one, along with fellow new signings Neal Maupay, Leandro Trossard and Aaron Mooy.

Brighton XI: Ryan, Duffy, Dunk, Stephens, Locadia, Gross, Murray, March, Montoya, Propper, Burn

Subs: Button, Maupay, Andone, Trossard, Webster, Mooy, Bernardo

Image source, BBC Sport