The Blues and Brighton remain locked at 0-0 at half-time at the Amex Stadium.

Town made two changes from the 1-1 home draw a fortnight ago with Wes Burns and Dara O’Shea coming into the XI.

O’Shea made his Blues full league debut on the right of the central defensive duo alongside Jacob Greaves with Luke Woolfenden left out of the 20-man squad.

Burns returned from his hamstring injury and came in on the right of the three behind striker Liam Delap with Chiedozie Ogbene on the bench. Omari Hutchinson was in the centre of the three with Sammie Szmodics on the left.

George Hirst was back in the squad on the bench following his knee injury, while former Blues defender Adam Webster was among the subs for Brighton.

The Seagulls made two changes from the team which drew 1-1 at Arsenal before the international break with Joao Pedro and James Milner dropping out due to injury and Georginio Rutter and Yasin Ayari coming into the team.

Town made a bright start with O’Shea playing an early ball wide for Burns, who crossed deep from the right and reached Leif Davis beyond the far post but the left-back was unable to get it under control.

But Brighton quickly began to see most of the ball and in the fourth minute forced Aro Muric into his first stop of the game.

Blues skipper Sam Morsy had been unable to clear from the edge of the box and Carlos Baleba seized upon it and struck a low shot to Muric’s left which the Kosovo international saved well with a strong arm and grabbed at the second attempt.

On seven, Morsy was shown the game’s first yellow card for a late tackle on Ayari not too far inside the Town half, the Egyptian international’s third yellow card in four matches so far this season.

The game was held up in the 14th minute for Hutchinson to receive treatment to what looked like a hip problem having been caught by Baleba’s knee as he turned away from the Cameroonian international, referee Sam Barrott failing to award a foul, much to the annoyance of the Town players and manager Kieran McKenna on the touchline.

The Seagulls were continuing to dominate possession with the Blues struggling to play their way through Brighton’s press but with the home side having been unable to turn their time on the ball into chances.

On 24, a Brighton corner from the left flashed across the area with Szmodics missing his clearing header at the near post appearing to have wrong-footed the players of both teams behind him.

A minute later, Kaoru Mitoma’s low ball from the left caught a heel on its way over, diverting it behind Rutter, who otherwise would have had a simple opportunity to score.

The Blues were at this stage under the cosh somewhat with Davis making a saving intervention in a central position on the edge of the six-yard box, then Danny Welbeck and Mitoma exchanged passes but the ball was overhit through to Muric.

As the game moved towards the half-hour mark, Morsy played a cross-field pass which reached Szmodics breaking inside on the left. The former Blackburn man took a touch but sent his shot well wide of Bart Verbruggen’s left post and the flag was raised in any case.

On 32, Yankuba Minteh stood up a deep cross from the right, Welbeck nodded down and Muric saved at his post, again grabbing at the second attempt.

Three minutes later, Muric was in action again making a superb double save. Rutter was superbly played in on the right of the area, cut inside and struck a shot which Muric blocked out to his right. Mitoma followed up but Muric had got back to his feet to save again, this time with his chest.

The ball bounced back out to the Japanese international, but this time his effort flew across goal much to the relief of the Town fans behind the goal, cheering and singing their keeper’s praises.

Muric was nominated for August’s Save of the Month award for a stop from Erling Haaland and will have an even better chance of winning September’s gong.

That was the last action of a half which had for long spells resembled an attack-v-defence training game with Brighton dominating.

Davis had made a number of interceptions and challenges down the left, while Greaves and O’Shea had made several strong tackles.

But it was the performance of Muric, who last season allowed a backpass under his foot and into the net against Brighton for Burnley, which had done most to keep the scoreline level at the break, showing why Town paid £8 million for him over the summer.

In addition to his stunning double save, the Kosovan had made other stops and had caught several crosses with confidence.

The Blues will hope that will continue after the break but also show more at the other end having failed to test Verbruggen at all with Davis’s early miscontrol their only touch inside the opposition box.

Town: Muric, Tuanzebe, O’Shea, Greaves, Davis, Morsy (c), Phillips, Burns, Hutchinson, Szmodics, Delap. Subs: Walton, Johnson, Townsend, Luongo, Cajuste, Ogbene, Clarke, Chaplin, Hirst. 

Brighton: Verbruggen, Dunk (c), Georginio, Minteh, Welbeck, Baleba, Mitoma, Ayari, Van Hecke, Veltman, Hinshelwood. Subs: Steele, Igor, Webster, Enciso, Adingra, Moder, Kadioglu, Ferguson, Estupinan. Referee: Sam Barrott (West Riding). VAR: Michael Salisbury (Lancashire).

Photo: Action Images via Reuters

hello66 added 17:05 - Sep 14 A seriously good point ! Well done, boys and well done away support!
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