Brighton may have stumbled out of the blocks, but the bookies look to have been a little too quick to write them off ahead of their trip to Oxford United.

The Seagulls opened up with a 1-1 draw against Fulham before falling 2-0 to Everton last weekend, yet both results told only half the story. In truth, Fabian Hurzeler's side outperformed their opponents on the balance of chances, generating 0.72 and 0.83 xG more than Fulham and Everton, respectively.

Squad depth should also prove a key advantage here, allowing Brighton to field a much stronger side than most top-flight clubs would manage in this type of cup tie.

Oxford, meanwhile, have made a poor start to their campaign. After three games played in the Championship, they sit 23rd, still pointless and struggling to impose themselves on matches. Their average of just 36% possession is the lowest in the division, and looks especially ominous against a Brighton team that thrives on dominating the ball.

The gulf in quality and resources between Fulham and Bristol City points towards a comfortable night for the Cottagers, and the performance data suggest the visitors could struggle to find a way onto the scoresheet.

Fulham have gotten off to a decent start this season, recording consecutive 1-1 draws in clashes with Brighton and then Man United. Defensively, they’ve looked particularly impressive, averaging 0.55 xGA from open play per 90, with the two penalties they’ve given away the only real dampener.

Bristol City’s record reads a little better on paper, with a win and two draws to their name, but the context matters. Those results came against Derby, Sheffield United, and Charlton - three of the Championship’s weakest sides, and the underlying metrics paint a less flattering picture. Despite netting five times, they’ve generated only 2.8 xG in total, ranking 20th in the league in that respect. This could easily cause them issues against a well drilled Fulham side, who are unlikely to give much away.