Brighton manager Chris Hughton believes that the club is in better shape than they were last season. Last season, Brighton came 15th in the Premier League. The Seagulls are currently 13th in the Premier League this season. Their solitary win came against Manchester United.
Hughton said, “I think we are better equipped (than last season). What we recruited in the summer, I think it puts us in a better place – and of course we have the experience of last season. The balance is making sure there is no complacency that goes with that, and we have to make sure we use last season to good effect.
We are aware of how competitive this division is. We have seen three teams from the Championship get promoted last season and stay in the division. Now we are looking at the three teams who have come up this season. I think they will all be very competitive and Wolves and Fulham have spent big money on top of that. It is going to be a very competitive division.”
Brighton’s last game ended in a 1-0 defeat to Liverpool. However, Chris Hughton was pleased with his team’s performance. He said, “I was delighted with the performance. But mixed emotions and certainly an emotion of disappointment, because there aren’t going to be too many times you go to Anfield – the form they are in – and have as good a chance as we did to get something from the game.
We conceded a poor goal but the fact we were pushing right towards the end and had two very good chances in that second period showed really good character.”
Brighton’s next match is a League Cup game against Southampton. The Brighton manager said, “We want to be as competitive as possible. But we want to use this for the squad – there is a real value of competition in the squad. It is difficult for the ones who are not playing, so I think this cup is a good way of using the players who have not played, but not taking anything away from the fact that you want to go through.
The squad is never a closed door and the moment people start thinking that, then they are wrong. These are opportunities, these games matter. The draw probably could not have been any tougher than it is – but we are at home, which is a plus, and we want to go through.”
