The free-scoring Seagulls will descend upon Getafe tonight as two sides who play opposite brands of football clash in what promises to be an enthralling encounter just south of Madrid.

On one side, Brighton remain impressive, being dominant in the goalscoring statistics, averaging the most goals per game in the Premier League, and also leading the league in the number of clean sheets picked up.

On the other side lies Getafe. They're commonly dubbed "kings of haram-ball" due to their manager, José Bordalás, and his philosophy of anti-football: sitting back and defending, and hitting a team straight on the counter. Getafe are hated, as covered earlier on the Brighton Roundtable.

According to FotMob, they average just 37.7% possession per game, have already received 5 red cards in La Liga, and lead the league in many statistics related to their style of play.

Traditionally, this is the style of play that Brighton find the most difficult to break down and score past, evidenced by both Tromso away and Jablonec away earlier this season, drawing 0-0 in both games. In the latter, Jablonec could easily have won the game if they were more clinical, something the Brighton squad should expect from a more established side like Getafe.

So where can Albion produce a moment of quality against a well-drilled side defensively?

Part of the reason that Brighton have been so good this season is due to outperforming their xG, and there's a reason why.

Diego Gomez, Lewis Dunk, Yasin Ayari and Pascal Gross are just some of the names from Brighton's squad who have scored ridiculous goals from range with an extremely low xG number.

These goals have helped Brighton towards landmark wins, and scoring has many benefits to play in Brighton's favour.

One benefit is obviously having another goal to your tally, meaning Getafe would have to attack more to get that goal back, and leave space in behind. However, even if the long shots do not pay off, it would still force Getafe to press a bit higher, leaving the edge of the box and allowing that space in behind again.

Another positive of taking long shots is the possibility of deflections, which can either confuse the goalkeeper or give Brighton a corner, giving them a chance for a good cross into the penalty area.

According to the Premier League's statistics, Brighton have had 19 shots from outside of the box end up on target this season, which is more than any other side, proving that it could be a promising factor to consider in this game, especially with the quality of ball-striking that this group of players has shown.

How can you defend when you have the ball?

It sounds silly at first, until you look at the numbers. As mentioned earlier, Getafe average 37.7% possession per game in La Liga, the least of any side. And Brighton are extremely good at winning the ball back in the final third of the pitch, creating many goal-scoring chances from doing so.

If you take a team into unfamiliar territory whilst still playing to your own strengths, it adds up to a recipe for success for your team, and could be a potential route to goal for Fabian Hurzeler's side.

Of course, it is not without its risks, as they could play through the press and hit hard on the counterattack, or give the ball straight back and turn it into a tennis match, where neither side wants the ball. 

However, with Brighton being able to win the ball back in the final third of the pitch an average of 6.3 times per match, perhaps this tactic could give Getafe a run for their money...

Of course, Getafe are not immune to conceding goals.

Just last month, another of Europe's top scoring teams, FC Barcelona, were able to put three uncontested goals past Getafe, with two ex-Premier League players grabbing goals. 

In fact, just two weeks ago, Getafe conceded FIVE goals to Swiss side Lugano, in an absolutely dismal day for Bordelas' side, who were hoping for a very easy three points against a weaker opponent.

Perhaps Brighton can take notes from Barcelona and Lugano, as they have both been able to identify and exploit weaknesses in the Getafe defence, and provide them with the key. 

Brighton will be particularly motivated by the fact that they haven't won an away European fixture yet this season and can have a real chance here after smelling blood.

Overall, the two contrasting styles of play will meet face to face, with both Brighton and Getafe needing a valuable three points to boost their sides into qualifying for the next round. 

Hurzeler will need to work his magic, as the current Premier League Manager of the Month holder and nominee looks to seal another impressive win against a strong opponent while being able to rotate the squad and give players a chance to show their worth to his side.