Sport
Brighton are used to overachievement, but the start they have made to the 2024/25 Premier League season has set a new standard for the south coast club. The Seagulls are flying. Under new manager Fabian Hurzeler, they have taken seven points from a possible nine, beating Everton and Manchester United and taking a point from Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
Nobody truly knew what to expect from Brighton after a summer of change. Roberto De Zerbi left at the end of last season and maybe predicted the Seagulls would go through a transitional period under a new and inexperienced manager in the shape of Hurzeler. At 31, he is the youngest manager in the Premier League by a distance.
Instead, Hurzeler has built on the foundations left for him by De Zerbi and Brighton appear set for a big season. At the very least, they are heading in the right direction to better last season’s 11th place finish in the Premier League table. The way they are currently going, Brighton could be in contention to qualify for Europe.
This summer was a significant one for Brighton. They were the second-highest spending club in Europe, spending roughly £195m on transfers over the course of the window. Georginio Rutter arrived from Leeds United with Yankuba Minteh signed from Newcastle United after an impressive season on loan at Feyenoord.
Mats Wiefer came in from the same club in the Netherlands with Brajan Gruda, Ferdi Kadioglu, Matt O’Riley, Ibrahim Osman and Malick Yalcouye also joining the Amex Stadium outfit. This sort of investment was required to overhaul the Brighton squad which had started to stagnate towards the end of De Zerbi’s tenure.
There was also a number of outgoings at the Amex Stadium over the summer transfer window. Deniz Undav left for Stuttgart while Billy Gilmour departed for Napoli on deadline day. Pascal Gross joined Borussia Dortmund, Mahmoud Dahoud and Adam Lallana were also cut free by the Seagulls.
Hurzeler is still to integrate a number of his new signings, but Brighton already look up to full under their new manager. Against Everton on opening weekend, the Seagulls were intense with their counter-pressing and picked off the Toffees through direct running and their commitment to getting bodies forward quickly.
Against Manchester United, Brighton were able to find space inside the opposition penalty area with deliveries from wide areas. In possession, the Seagulls were able to hold their own. On top of this, their gamble of playing a high defensive line paid off as they suffocated United in the centre of the pitch.
Arsenal took the lead against Brighton in Saturday’s game at the Emirates Stadium and were in control until Declan Rice’s sending off changed the dynamic of the contest. Presented with an opportunity to take a grip of the match, Brighton imposed themselves and earned a point through Joao Pedro’s leveller.
“There is a good mix of the last manager [Roberto De Zerbi], who was build-up orientated, but maybe a bit of Jurgen Klopp thrown in,” said James Milner when asked about Hurzeler’s approach. “In terms of how we defend especially, the focus is on high intensity, counter-pressing and quick reactions to turnovers. The manager has put his own stamp and intensity on things, he wants us to play front foot with and without the ball.”
Brighton have proved themselves as one of the best run clubs in the Premier League over the last few seasons and their summer appointment of Hurzeler has only added to that reputation. The Seagulls could fly higher than even before as they enter a new era under the prodigious German manager.
