Hurzeler keen to show response after learning from first Brighton loss

Fabian Hurzeler said Brighton will learn from their first loss under him as they aim to bounce back against Tottenham in the Premier League.

The Seagulls had enjoyed an unbeaten start under the German in all competitions, going unbeaten in his first seven matches.

However, after winning their opening two Premier League games, they drew three in a row before suffering that 4-2 defeat to Chelsea last weekend.

Hurzeler was not shying away from the poor result though, instead looking for the positives they can build on before the international break.

“It’s very important after defeat that you are honest to yourself, you reflect on yourself, what was good, what was not good in the game,” Hurzeler said.

“If you lose a game, of course, there are more negative points.

“But there were also some positive things. In the end, we have to learn from it; I have to learn from it because I was the responsible person for the match plan and the match plan wasn’t good enough. Now we try to show a reaction.”

Meanwhile, Spurs have won their last five matches in all competitions, impressively brushing aside Manchester United 3-0 in the Premier League last weekend before beating Ferencvaros 2-1 in the Europa League on Thursday.

They will most likely be without captain Son Heung-min again for the trip to Brighton, but Ange Postecoglou believes Spurs are settling into the style of play.

“It is always a shifting measurement,” he said. “Any time you go on a consistent run of form – and I think we have been consistent all year, but the results in the past five games have rewarded the performances.

“We are a developing side, still very much a young side. The squad is still developing together, so it suggests whatever markers we set we should be able to exceed.

“We have had belief, the energy accelerates, and the key is to keep it going. You don’t want to let it go.”

Looking to bounce back in the #PL! pic.twitter.com/nl8qhiC6Z9

— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) October 4, 2024

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Brighton – Carlos Baleba

After not scoring or assisting in any of his first 31 Premier League appearances, Carlos Baleba scored and assisted in their 4-2 defeat to Chelsea.

He is the youngest Cameroonian to both score and assist in a Premier League match (20 years, 269 days).

Tottenham – Dominic Solanke

Since the start of last season, the only Englishmen with more Premier League goals than Dominic Solanke (21) are Cole Palmer (28) and Ollie Watkins (23).

The Spurs forward is looking to find the net in three consecutive appearances for the first time since December 2023 before heading to meet up with England during the international break.

MATCH PREDICTION: TOTTENHAM WIN

Just one of the 14 Premier League meetings between Brighton and Tottenham has finished as a draw (1-1 in April 2018), with Spurs winning nine to the Seagulls’ four.

However, after losing consecutive Premier League home games against Spurs without scoring in 2021-22 and 2022-23, Brighton won this exact fixture 4-2 last season.

Brighton won six of their first 10 Premier League games in October (D2 L2) between 2017 and 2019 but have since won just one out of 16 October games since 2020 (D9 L6), a 4-1 win over Chelsea in 2022.

And given recent form, that run may continue, as the Seagulls have drawn their last two home Premier League matches, last drawing three in a row in November 2023. Indeed, since the start of last season, no side has drawn more home games than Brighton (8).

Tottenham, meanwhile, have won their last two Premier League games, last winning three in a row in December last year. Spurs have netted three goals in each victory (3-1 vs Brentford, 3-0 vs Man Utd), but have not won three consecutively while scoring 3+ goals since April 2022.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Brighton – 34.2%

Draw – 23.9%

Tottenham – 42%