Sussex

Grace Wheeler
BBC Sport

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Aston Villa at American Express Stadium (kick-off 14:00).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• The boss gave us an update on his team news, he said: "Carlos [Baleba] and [Yankuba] Minteh, they won't be available. Then Kaoru [Mitoma] is still in his rehab, Stefanos Tzimas is still in his rehab, so therefore I think these four players, they will miss out. Besides that, we have no new injuries."

• Hurzeler spoke about the rumours linking Brighton midfielder Baleba with a move to Manchester United: "He is our player and I will never comment on any rumours that are currently in the media. It's also something I definitely can't control."

• On his players being linked with moves, he added: "There are rumours about the important players for us because they were a big part of the journey the last two years, but in football you all have to understand that it's normal if you're successful as a team, if the team is doing well, there's some good achievements then the individual can shine and then of course there will be a big ask for players. That's part of our identity, that's part of my job here. We also know that good achievements, big achievements, especially in the Premier League, you create offers, you create a lot of attention and so therefore we have to wait now."

• Hurzeler said changes across the Premier League mean his side must be well prepared, adding: "It will be very unpredictable, so we need to have a good start, we need to do the basic things right. I think this will be the key, that we know what is our foundation, what we need to be successful in the Premier League and hopefully we can manage it from the first second."

• On what to expect from the signing Promise David: "He is a great and very positive character. I think that's the first impression. Second of all, a goalscorer. He has goals in his body and in his mind and that's something that we definitely wanted to have. Today he will have his first session on the pitch with the boys and then hopefully he might be already involved against Villa."

• The Brighton boss is keen to evolve and become comfortable across competitions, stating: "We can learn from having more games, that we can grow into these moments where we play in several competitions. So that's what the club wants to do."

• He added: "That's what in general we see as a club as the next step. Hopefully we can qualify next week and then we're really looking forward for playing in several competitions. That means also new new challenges but we feel ready for that."

• The transfer deadline window is not over yet but Hurzeler seems content with the players he has: "I'm really happy with the squad. I love to work with the players we have and of course there are a lot of rumours at the moment, a lot of different circumstances, but me as a coach, I can only focus on that what I can control that's preparing."

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Chris Collinson
BBC Sport statistician

Image source, Getty Images

Brighton secured a place in the Conference League by finishing eighth last season but with some better finishing, they could – and arguably should – have finished slightly higher.

Defensively the Seagulls were one of the best in the league. They conceded the fewest goals outside of the top two, while they also impressively ranked sixth for shots faced and fifth for expected goals against.

The attack was not quite so impressive, although they still ranked in the top half for both shots and xG. But, despite only five teams creating better chances on average, only five were worse at converting them.

As a result, the Seagulls scored six goals fewer than expected given the chances they had, with 52 scored from 57.8 xG – only four teams underperformed their xG by more.

If they can fix their finishing while maintaining their all-round performance from last season, then Fabian Hurzeler's men should have a strong campaign.

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on Thursday's Conference League play-off first leg between Tromso and Brighton.

Here are some of your comments:

Jon: First game of the season against a much fitter team and draw away from home - I think we should be content with that. We have to feel quietly confident for the home tie.

Chris: Looks like we've continued the end of last season with a poor showing in the final third against Tromso. Same goal-shy issues and chances wasted. The Villa game on Sunday now looks worrying.

Phil: Apart from attempts by Georginio Rutter and Ibrahim Osman, Brighton's shots on goal were no better than the average professional player - hit way too high over the bar. They dominated, but faced a well drilled defence. In that situation, something different and surprising needed to be tried. I doubt it will play out any different in the home leg, and I'm worried Tromso will win with the proverbial sucker punch.

Pete: Tricky first game with everything to lose away from home on an artificial pitch 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle! Goalless draw is not the worst result but the Seagulls will have to be sharp at the Amex next week and try and dominate early on.

Image source, Getty Images

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler after a goalless leg in the Seagulls' Europa Conference League play-off: "I think we controlled the game but we weren't quick enough in possession. We still had a few opportunities, but I think overall Tromso defended well."

On Tromso's performance: "They had two big chances after transition moments [where] we have to defend better. Overall [they were] a tough opponent which is what we expected. I think we expected exactly how Tromso played. They defended well, very compact. They had a lot of players in their box who blocked the shots well, and they had a really good goalkeeper and were good in transition. We created opportunities, but in the end we have to be satisfied with a draw, although it's not the result we hoped for."

On the second leg at the Amex next Thursday: "Now we are looking forward to the opportunity to win the game in front of our own fans. There are certain aspects we have to improve against Tromso. Overall, like I said, they are a good football team so we will have to play on our highest level to win the game at the Amex."

Chris Collinson
BBC Sport statistician

Image source, Getty Images

In the Premier League last season, 13 of the 20 teams finished with between 40 and 60 points - the most in an English top-flight campaign since 2003-04 (also 13).

Was the Premier League so competitive in 2025-26 because the quality of the 'lesser' teams got better or the top teams got worse? It is hard to know for sure.

Given how savvy clubs like Brighton, Brentford and Bournemouth are, the vast amounts of money that enable even bottom-half sides to sign the best talent from abroad and the Premier League's current dominance of the Europa League and Conference League, it would seem to be the former.

However, the fact that promoted play-off winners Sunderland were able to finish above 13 teams in their first season back suggests the league was maybe not as strong as we think.

What we do know is that whether because they got worse or their opponents got better, four of the sides that finished in the top seven in 2024-25 - champions Liverpool, Chelsea, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest - took 79 points fewer between them last season.

While Forest's decline was perhaps expected given their incredible seventh-place finish in 2024-25 and their journey to the Europa League semi-finals last season, the others were far more surprising.

Sunderland and Leeds smashed the recent run of promoted sides struggling to compete by taking 64 more points than the teams they replaced in the top flight.

As a result, this season will be a bit of an upside-down one in that Bournemouth, Brighton and Sunderland have European campaigns to navigate while Chelsea, Tottenham and Newcastle do not.

Will we therefore see a bounce-back to the more 'traditional' order in 2026-27 or are we truly entering a new, fiercely-competitive era of the Premier League?

Read more on the Premier League's competitiveness

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

Get in touch with your views here

Come back to this page on Friday to find a selection of your replies

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BBC Sussex journalist Johnny Cantor has said Brighton will "probably be looking for £70m" for midfielder Carlos Baleba, who is set to join Manchester United..

"There's certainly no surprise in terms of everybody on the south coast has known of the interest in Carlos Baleba from Manchester United and I think people know that the player himself is quite determined to get to Old Trafford as quickly as possible," Cantor told BBC Radio Manchester.

"Probably an indication of that is the fact that he seems to have agreed personal terms a long time ago. It's more a case of coming up with the right fee. It did feel like his form dropped a little bit when the interest came in and maybe his head was distracted, he is still quite a young man so that may have been inevitable.

"It's all about whether the price is right when it comes to Brighton and selling their best assets.

"£70m would probably be where they are looking for. Brighton never actually name a figure at all. They will have a figure in mind but they will not divulge it. Until that figure is met, they will not sell. That price may have dropped over the last year or so depending on his form but I think they will be looking for something around the £70m mark."

Cantor provided an update on Baleba saying his ankle ligament injury is "not too serious" so Manchester United shouldn't "be unduly concerned about his availability".

Cantor added: "He's an undoubted talent, people always talk about him as this sitting midfielder and I don't necessarily see him as that. He is actually very powerful, he likes to drive forward. The only question marks over him is his mentality. It's such a huge move. The question is, will he be able to handle that - the weight of the Manchester United shirt?

"I don't think all three parties will want this one to go on because they were pushing for it a good eight months ago so it will be interesting to see whether it finally gets over the line."

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