Coppell's struggle touches a nerve

Brighton manager Peter Taylor will be all too familiar with what his Brentford counterpart, Steve Coppell, is going through at the moment.

Towards the end of last year, Coppell was winning all the plaudits as he guided Brentford to the top of the Second Division.

But his side have lost their last five games and their last seven away from home in a run that has seen them go from top of the table to seventh and outside the play-off spots.

Coppell refused to talk to the press after his side's latest defeat, Tuesday night's 1-0 defeat at Northampton, and Taylor will understand his frustration.

Last season, the former Crystal Palace and Spurs winger was feted by all and sundry after he guided Leicester City to the top of the Premiership - a feat which led to him taking temporary charge of England before the arrival last year of Sven-Goran Eriksson.

Yet after a dreadful run of results at the end of last season and the beginning of this campaign, Taylor was axed by the Premiership club. Strangely, he only found himself back in a job after his predecessor at Brighton, Micky Adams, left to join up with Dave Bassett at Leicester.

No one is suggesting that Coppell's position is in peril, but the former Crystal Palace manager clearly has a battle on his hands as he tries to turn things round at Griffin Park.

Taylor's side will provide a stern test. They are second in the table and boast the division's top scorer, Bobby Zamora, who has scored 20 league goals this season.

Zamora's goals have attracted the attention of a string of Premiership clubs, including Tottenham and Everton.

Brentford captain Paul Evans will return to lead the side after being rested for Tuesday's defeat and striker Lloyd Owusu and sweeper Gavin Mahon should be recalled to the starting line-up.

Brentford v Brighton
7.45pm, tonight, Griffin Park