Brighton & Hove Albion

George Booth
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has been speaking to the media before Thursday's Conference League game against Getafe at Estadio Coliseum (kick-off 20:00 GMT).

Hurzeler confirmed Ferdi Kadioglu, Pascal Struijk and Femi Azeez will not be available to feature in the Conference League fixture due to their respective injuries.

He added: "They're getting closer, especially Femi. Regarding Ferdy, we still have a big hope that he might be ready for Sunday. And with Pascal Struijk, we have to go day by day."

The Seagulls boss expects a "tough opponent" and said the La Liga outfit is a "team that knows how to win".

Los Azulones sit 13th in the Spanish top flight, but are currently ranked 30th in the Conference League after picking up one point from their opening three league phase games.

Hurzeler added: "It's a team that plays quite vertical, long balls, second balls, [who are] good in personal duels, and can be very intense in personal duels.

"Therefore, we expect a team that has a clear style of play combined with individual quality."

Brighton suffered back-to-back defeats in the Premier League and Carabao Cup before their league fixture against Manchester City at the weekend.

However, Yasin Ayari's goal and the Seagulls' defence proved to be the difference as City were unable to find a way past Bart Verbruggen in the 1-0 victory.

Former Brighton forward Warren Aspinall, speaking on the Albion Unlimited podcast, said: "Defending starts from the front. This season they have done it brilliantly, they're pressing and hassling the opposition.

"It is a team effort, but the goalkeeper and the defenders will get all the credit.

"Winning is a habit. They have that habit of winning games, and it breeds confidence.

"It is rubbing off on each other's shoulders."

So far, Dutch goalkeeper Verbruggen has conceded seven goals and kept six clean sheets in the league.

The 24-year-old is already well on track to surpass the 10 clean sheets the Seagulls recorded last season.

"Clean sheets win you titles, not scoring loads of goals," added Aspinall.

"If you can get a goalkeeper that keeps so many clean sheets, then the keeper will save you somewhere between 16 and 18 points a season."

Boss Fabian Hurzeler will now look to take the high-flying Premier League form into the Conference League as Brighton travel to Getafe to face the La Liga side on Thursday at the Estadio Coliseum (20:00 GMT).

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Explore all Brighton content on BBC Sounds

Listen to every Brighton game live on BBC Radio Sussex, with all the build-up and full commentary with Johnny Cantor and Warren Aspinall, and there is a full preview of all Seagulls' matches on Fridays at 18:00 in The Weekend Warm-up

On the latest Albion Unlimited podcast, Johnny Cantor is joined by former Brighton players Warren Aspinall and Guy Butters as they preview the Seagulls' upcoming games against Getafe and Brentford.

Captain Lewis Dunk is also on the show as he talks about Brighton's strong defensive performance in the 1-0 win at Manchester City.

Listen below or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

Explore all Brighton content on BBC Sounds

Listen to every Brighton game live on BBC Radio Sussex, with all the build-up and full commentary with Johnny Cantor and Warren Aspinall, and there is a full preview of all Seagulls' matches on Fridays at 18:00 in The Weekend Warm-up

Brighton are keeping an eye on Estoril defender Jordan Arnolin, though the Portuguese 18-year-old is also attracting interest from Barcelona. (Record via Sport Witness), external

Meanwhile, Albion goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen would jump at the chance to join Real Madrid. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

The Athletic's Laurie Whitwell says Brighton's results and performances so far this season mean they look "strong" when it comes to mounting a possible title charge.

After Saturday's win at Manchester City, the Seagulls have now beaten both of last season's top two and have won five of their past six Premier League matches.

"Brighton have been brilliant to watch this season," Whitwell told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast. "The way they dismantled Arsenal was a thing to behold.

"They create in every game, wherever they go. Again it seemed end to end at the Etihad but Brighton put Manchester City under the cosh to begin with and were worthy of their lead.

"They are in that Leicester type of realm now where you're thinking surely not in terms of being in a title race.

"But, if they go to the Etihad and win, they've beaten Arsenal and clearly they're keeping clean sheets, then they do look strong.

"Yankuba Minteh and Karou Mitoma are not fit, and they've sold Danny Welbeck and Carlos Baleba, yet it is remarkable how they are able to regenerate and keep going."

Listen to the full episode of Football Daily on BBC Sounds

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Manchester City and Brighton.

Here are some of your comments:

Man City fans

Allison: When you are at home and top of the table, you should pick a team featuring your own strengths, not weaken it because you are worried about your opponents. Go for creativity and let the referee deal with their physicality.

Martin: A bad day and bad performances from the majority of City's players in the face of a dogged Brighton, who worked their socks off. On another day, City would have scored a hatful but ill fortune and poor finishing meant a determined Brighton won. Shoutout to Abdukodir Khusanov and Iliman Ndiaye but credit to Brighton.

Glynn: A very good defensive performance by Brighton, who offered very little up front after they scored. Too many below-par performances by City players - the exception being Elliot Anderson, who put in another strong performance.

Pete: We started better than expected but we have now lost two on the bounce - and lucky to win in midweek after being taken to penalties. We will forget how to win and Enzo Maresca will not last the season.

Brighton fans

Harry: A brilliant performance from the Seagulls. Great to get revenge for the Carabao Cup loss. We defended really well after going one up and always looked threatening on the counter. If we stay consistent, Champions League is definitely on.

Tim: Fantastic team effort. Bart Verbruggen was out of this world. Brilliant win. Hope we can carry it on all season.

Graham: Super performance. Great defensive display, and deserved revenge for the cup exit in which we were by far the better side.

Steve: Is it time for Brighton fans to start to believe? We always go with a sense of trepidation that we are flattering to deceive but surely, with 25% of season gone, we've beaten the current top two and only lost to the current fourth and fifth. Our chairman uses his analytics to put the right players in the right system, under the right manager. Could we upset the established big four or five? Could we do a Leicester?

Keifer MacDonald
BBC Sport journalist

They couldn't, could they?

That's the question football supporters up and down the country are asking themselves as Brighton continue to soar up the Premier League table.

The Seagulls sit third and are making a strong case to become the Premier League's most unlikely title challengers since Leicester City, priced at 5,000-1 by bookmakers, achieved the unthinkable in May 2016.

Brighton's steady rise since returning to the top flight in 2017 means any potential title triumph would come as less of a shock than the feat of Claudio Ranieri's fantastic Foxes.

Saturday's victory at Manchester City followed a 3-0 win over Arsenal in September.

These are results that will only strengthen the belief that something special - whether a first Premier League title or Champions League qualification - could be achieved this season.

Asked by Sky Sports whether his side could challenge for the title, Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen was keen to keep expectations in check.

"We are on game nine, so not really," he said. "We are just focusing every day on what's ahead of us and the job we have. We will continue to do that and see where it leaves us at the end of the season.

"We are happy with the way we are playing – not just the results but the way we are playing, too.

"We have to continue to develop that style and ruthlessness and we can do great things."

Read the full piece here

Brighton captain Lewis Dunk praised "the intensity, fight, togetherness and belief" of the team as the Seagulls picked up their first win over Manchester City at the Etihad on Saturday.

"It's huge," Dunk told BBC Radio Sussex. "It's a tough place to come.

"It won't go down as one of our prettiest games of football, but we dug in and fought hard.

"We scored a goal and then defended like animals right to the end."

Hit play above to listen to Dunk's full interview or find it here on BBC Sounds.

Albion goalscorer Yasin Ayari added: "Amazing team performance because to come here and win is not easy.

"We suffered, but we were resilient and in the end we leave with three points.

"It's always nice to score goals because I like to help my team win football matches.

Hear more from Ayari below or on BBC Sounds here.

John Bennett
Final Score reporter

Image source, Getty Images

The biggest compliment you can pay to Brighton is that results like Saturday's historic win over Manchester City are no longer a surprise.

Yes, it was their first victory at Etihad Stadium but this was no huge shock, no smash and grab, no big upset.

Before the game it didn't take a lot of imagination to see this coming; the Premier League's top scorers against a City side struggling to keep clean sheets.

You knew Brighton were going to find the back of the net, it was just whether they had enough resilience and solidity to keep things tight at the other end. After all, they were facing opponents who had scored in each of their last 24 Premier League games.

The answer was a resounding yes. Of course there were nervy moments in a second half dominated by the home team, and keeper Bart Verbruggen made a world-class save to push an Iliman Ndiaye shot on to the woodwork but Brighton worked tirelessly for their clean sheet and deserved the three points.

So it's no surprise that they're beating the likes of City and Arsenal, which means it surely wouldn't be a big shock if they managed to stay in a title race long term?

Maybe their congested schedule is the one thing that could hold them back? Indeed, Verbruggen mentioned that post-match, saying: "We'll see what happens because we have loads of games."

But when you look at their bench on Saturday, with the quality of Georginio Rutter, Malick Yalcouye, Jack Hinshelwood and Yankuba Minteh, you can see the strength of the squad and their ability to rotate in the Thursday European games.

Title race or not though, this Brighton now have the belief they can go anywhere, against any team, at any time and come away with victories.

With their biggest points tally after nine games of a top-flight campaign, this is already a season to remember.

Real Madrid are monitoring Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen as a future replacement for Thibaut Courtois. (Fichajes - in Spanish), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Shamoon Hafez
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Brighton had never won at Manchester City in 16 previous league visits but they ended that run through an early goal and stout defending.

Yasin Ayari made amends for his penalty miss in the shootout by converting at the same end for his third league goal of an eye-catching campaign.

Fabian Hurzeler's side have been the most entertaining Premier League side in terms of goals scored this season and their 24 strikes is unmatched by any other top-flight team.

They are a very well-drilled side, with relentless pressing and the reward for their supporters to make the second long trip up from the south coast in the space of three days was a thoroughly deserved three points.

Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "Really happy for everyone involved. A long journey, everyone contributed to the win. Really happy who the did the work in the shadows and we showed another good performance on the pitch. Togetherness gives us the rewards. On Wednesday we missed the luck, today we had a bit of luck but you have to deserve the luck and everyone worked hard for today.

"It was a completely defensive performance where everyone had the mindset 'I need to defend'. We would have preferred to have more of the ball but in certain moments you know when you come here you need to suffer and defend well in the box. We can talk about individual players but in the end everyone had a defensive mindset and stuck together."

On belief in squad and Bart Verbruggen providing stability: "Football is a lot about belief. You need to have players who spread that belief and Bart is a prime example of that. But they all have this belief that are capable of coming here and competing and winning these games. It's important to have this mindset and to spread it around the environment we work in and belief is key to winning these types of games.

"Coming here to [Manchester] City against one of the best teams in the league is always special. You have to be brilliant at the basics and everyone was contributing, from Tuesday when we travelled and we wanted to have a good four days and enjoy it and finish strong. Everyone can enjoy this win today."

Did you know?

• Brighton have beaten Manchester City away from home in any competition for the very first time, at the 18th attempt (drawn five, lost 12).

• Brighton have kept a clean sheet in six of their nine games - more than any other in the Premier League this season.

• Maxim De Cuyper already has as many goal involvements in the Premier League this season (five - two goals, three assists) as in his first season in the competition in 2025-26 in 30 games (five - two goals, three assists).

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Manchester City's performance

What did you make of Brighton's display?

Reaction and analysis to follow - and come back on Monday for a selection of your replies.

There are eight games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Chelsea v Manchester United (12:30)

• Bournemouth v Leeds United

• Brentford v Nottingham Forest

• Coventry City v Sunderland - first half on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2, second half on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Hull City v Ipswich Town

• Manchester City v Brighton - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Tottenham v Crystal Palace (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Aston Villa v Fulham (20:00)

Kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated.

Follow all of the action and reaction here

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Noel Sliney
BBC Sport senior journalist

Top-flight leaders Manchester City were given an almighty scare at home by third-placed Brighton in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday but they have won their past 10 league games on Halloween.

After making a combined 16 changes to their starting line-ups in midweek, which City won on penalties, both sides will be back to full strength for Saturday's rematch in the league (15:00 GMT).

Signs of vulnerability for City

Moving on from Pep Guardiola was never likely to be easy for Manchester City but their status as league leaders and Carabao Cup quarter-finalists shows they remain an excellent side.

Nonetheless, City's 100% winning league record this season was ended by Aston Villa last Saturday and they were rattled by visitors Brighton in midweek before winning a penalty shootout.

One weakness of Enzo Maresca's City is that they can be open in midfield and invite pressure. They have faced nine shots from counter-attacks across their past five games in all competitions, compared to five in their first nine fixtures.

While just one counter-attack has led to a goal, City have followed a run of five clean sheets in six matches by conceding 11 times in five subsequent outings.

Only five teams in Europe's five biggest leagues have a worse recent defensive record in all competitions over that period.

Albion's least successful trip

Brighton head coach Fabian Hürzeler felt Manchester City "had the luck" during Wednesday's Carabao Cup tie, adding: "We have a great chance on Saturday to take revenge."

He has elected to keep his squad in the north-west in-between successive visits to the Etihad Stadium, which come amid a sequence of five away matches in a row. Brighton are winless from the first three, each in a different competition.

Albion, though, remain the league's top scorers and a point this weekend would give them their highest tally after nine games of a top-flight season.

They are unbeaten in four league matches against Manchester City, including back-to-back draws at the Etihad, but have never won away in this fixture in 16 attempts.

It's the most times Brighton have faced a league opponent away without ever winning, as well as being Manchester City's longest unbeaten home record against a team without ever losing.

Manchester City knocked Brighton out of the Carabao Cup on penalties on Wednesday but I don't think we learned too much because both sides made so many changes.

I backed both teams to win last week - and was wrong both times - but I felt City played well against Aston Villa and were a bit unlucky to lose, and the same applied to Brighton in their defeat against Liverpool. They definitely had enough chances to get something from the game.

I am covering this game for Radio 5 Live. There should be some goals in it and I can see Erling Haaland getting a couple of them.

Sutton's prediction: 3-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Manchester City at Etihad Stadium (kick-off 15:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Chema Andres and Ferdi Kadioglu are expected to return to the matchday squad after missing the Carabao Cup game with respective hip injuries.

• Hurzeler confirmed a decision was made to rest Charalampos Kostoulas in the cup so he will be available on Saturday.

• Pascal Struijk remains sidelined but is training with the under-21s so should return to the senior squad next week.

• Hurzeler said "success is the only revenge" for the EFL Cup defeat at Manchester City and his players can "take confidence" from the way they performed over 90 minutes.

• He said "there will be different players on the pitch" for both teams but their "approach won't change." Hurzeler added: "We hope we finish this game with a better feeling than yesterday."

• On staying in Manchester and them being away from their families: "We try to be a family for the players and stick together in these moments. It's a big pro that we can connect with them and they're not alone in apartments. Not every player has family around so we can really build on connection with each other. Make the best out of it."

• He said the cup performance has given him options for his starting XI, but it will come down to who is "mentally and physically refreshed" to deal with the "intensity and demands" of Enzo Maresca's side.

• In response to whether a top four finish is the aim given their start to the season: "We should be a club that has high expectations. We have long-term goals, but speaking about them doesn't help us achieve them. What does, is doing the work. That's the only thing we can control."

• He said they "have to be fearless" week-in week-out to achieve the best results and this is what he instils in them in training.

Hit play above to hear more from Hurzeler or listen on BBC Sounds here

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your thoughts after Wednesday's EFL Cup game between Manchester City and Brighton.

Here are some of your comments:

Man City fans

Glynn: Enzo Maresca got out of jail with a poor team selection. They roughed us up so it was a moral victory. We now know what to expect on Saturday!

Harry: About what I expected from the B team. We were probably second best for the majority of the match against a fantastic Brighton side. I think the referee needed to be harsher. Rulli was fantastic and our subs made the difference. Getting a win under any circumstances was unexpected and very welcome. Credit to Brighton, showing us once again that there's a million better ways to spend £125m than Enzo Fernandez.

Brighton fans

David: So proud of Brighton to have been in the lead on two occasions and never gave up against probably the strongest current Premier League team so far this season. A horrible way to go out. Same again at the weekend, without penalties, please.

James: Albion needed to be more clinical. They had chance after chance to put the game to bed in the first half of the second half but weren't able to convert. Having said that, it was still an excellent performance and the quality of the football the boys are playing at the moment is fantastic.

Nick: Good performance. Better team on the night, should have put away one of our chances at 2-1 to kill it off. We didn't and paid the price. Had a slightly phoney feel to it, with the "main event" being on Saturday. Hopefully Hurzeler will use the disappointment to spark up a first league victory for the Albion at the Etihad.

Olly: Another good performance that should have ensured a win but for missed opportunities to finish the game off again. Unfortunately, our penalty shootout record is poor so another chance of a trophy is gone.