Brighton finished eighth last season and qualified for the Conference League, but have started this campaign brilliantly and currently sit third.
Has the strength of the start surprised supporters and have expectations changed as a result?
I think there’s definitely been a surprise that we’ve started so well, because we’ve suffered a lot of injuries early on and have lost a lot of good people within the dressing room, and a lot of experience.
The likes of James Milner, Joel Veltman, Solly March and Adam Webster all leaving felt like the end of an era. We also said an expected goodbye to Danny Welbeck, which was hard to take. Jan Paul van Hecke also got his big move and so did Carlos Baleba.
So, in saying all of that, I think there was
a fear we wouldn’t be able to replace all of that experience and quality.
Fabian Hürzeler was named Premier League ‘Manager of the Month’ after an unbeaten September in which Brighton beat Coventry 5-0 and Arsenal 3-0.
What’s impressed you most about the job he’s doing — and how far can he realistically take the club?
The thing that’s impressed me most about Fabian’s time at the club has been that he’s learned really tough lessons very quickly.
He’s never been afraid to hold his hands up and admit he was wrong, and he’s always tried to change things when they’re not working.
I think pragmatism goes a long way in the modern game, and I hope it leads us to our first ever major silverware. Crystal Palace have done it, Newcastle (sorry to mention them) as well — we can do it too.
Brighton have scored a league-high sixteen goals and also lead the Premier League for possession, shots on target and big chances created.
What makes this side so difficult to play against?
Our counter press is scarily good at the moment, but I guess there’s fear that it will be exploited one day.
I think what also makes us super tough to play against, with fear of sounding like Brendan Rodgers, is our character. We have a never-say-die attitude and we’re never truly out of a game.
Pascal Groß has been outstanding since returning to Brighton and already has three goals and three assists this season.
At 35, how important is he still to the way Brighton play?
Groß has one of the most intelligent football brains in the whole world and people say if he had pace, he would be one of the greatest players of all time.
Pound for pound, he’s the greatest Premier League signing ever, costing us -£3.3million in total. Yes, that’s minus. We’ve made profit on his time in Dortmund, and he’s come back to pick up from where he left off.
He’s our engine, our brains, our creativity, our identity personified. We’re so lucky to have him, so it worries me that he’s 35.
Danny Welbeck and Jan Paul van Hecke were two important players last season but both left during the summer.
How big were those departures, and are you happy with how Brighton replaced them?
As I mentioned earlier, Welbeck’s departure was quite a shock.
We’ve not quite seen his replacement come in yet, but he’s not really had a chance to because Babis Kostoulas has been performing so well. Promise David has had to stay patient and watch from the sidelines, but that was part of the club’s reasoning for losing Welbeck: to give our younger players a chance.
VanHecke’s replacement in Luka Vuskovic looks to be one of the signings of the summer.
He’s colossal, classy and is certainly living up to his name of being one of the most promising defensive prospect in the world right now.
Brighton added players such as Pascal Struijk and Luka Vušković to the defence during the summer.
Which of the new signings has impressed you most so far?
As mentioned previously,Vušković.
He’s come in with a hefty price tag looming over him, but he’s certainly proving why we’ve spent so much on him.
He’s already being tipped for bigger moves to the likes of Real Madrid, so I hope we can keep hold of him for more than a season!
Brighton are renowned for identifying and developing young players before eventually selling them for significant fees.
Who’s the next player in this squad that you think could develop into a major star?
Malick Yalcouye is definitely the brightest unknown star that’s come through the ranks this season.
He’s playing further up the pitch than many expected him to, but he’s going to give Hürzeler one of the biggest headaches once the likes of Jack Hinshelwood and Georginio Rutter are back to full fitness.
Kaoru Mitoma and Yankuba Minteh have both had injury problems, although Brighton possess plenty of attacking options elsewhere.
Who would you identify as the biggest threat Sunderland need to contain?
Our biggest threat at the moment, genuinely, is Groß.
If you let him pull the strings, Brighton will be purring. If Sunderland can find a way to nullify him, you’ll have a very good chance of winning the game.
Brighton’s aggressive press and high defensive line can make them dominant, but it can also leave space for opponents to counter.
Where do you think Sunderland can cause Brighton the most problems at the Stadium of Light?
As mentioned before, whilst I love our press, I do fear that it’s going to catch us out sooner rather than later.
But I won’t overly mind it, because I want us to play with that bravery and identity and to not give up on it the moment it goes slightly wrong.
So, if you can counter well, that’s where you can hurt us most.
Sunderland took just one point from the two meetings between the sides last season, but both matches were extremely tight.
What type of game are you expecting this time around, and what’s your score prediction?
Sunderland have been a breath of fresh air in the Premier League, and it’s nice to have such a historic club back amongst the very best in the league.
You ripped Europa League away from us last season at the death, so I’m hoping we can give some revenge.
I expect it’ll be a very tight game, but I’m going to go with another 1-0 win for the Albion.
