De Zerbi: Euro run’s costing us
ROBERTO DE ZERBI says playing in the Europa League is taking its toll on Brighton’s domestic form.
The Seagulls battled back from 2-0 at Marseille on Thursday to draw 2-2 and claim their first-ever European point.
But Brighton’s last Premier League game ended in a 6-1 thrashing at Aston Villa while they were also dumped out of the EFL Cup at Chelsea.
De Zerbi said: “It’s not because I like changing the players, I have to do it.
“Before we started the Europa League we were second or third table, we won five games out of six.
“Playing three games in a week is very tough for us. We have to be honest when we play not so well.
“I don’t want to put my focus on the Premier League or Europa League, we have to take it game by game, but we have many difficult situations.
“We have to adapt. If we reach European competition next season it will be different.
“The most important thing is to be honest and clear, we understand the situation very well and we must adapt and improve.”
De Zerbi has urged his players to use the wounds of their Villa mauling as motivation when Liverpool travel to the Amex Stadium today.
The Italian said: “We are still very sad and disappointed about the result at Villa Park but cannot change it.
“We can change things in terms of keeping the game in our heads as we did not deserve a day like that, but we have to accept it and improve.
“We lost 6-1 because Villa are a great side but also because we made a lot of mistakes.”
Brighton taught Liverpool a footballing lesson in this fixture last season and also knocked out Jurgen Klopp’s side from the FA Cup.
But De Zerbi knows a third win will be a tall order, and said: “Liverpool are playing very well this season. They have great players and manager.”