Daily Express

Murray is shooting down the doubters

- Chris Hatherall Ross Heppenstal­l

By and

VGLENN MURRAY says he has a burning desire to prove everybody wrong at the age of 35.

The Brighton striker has seven goals this season, including six in seven games at the Amex.

Another one at Huddersfie­ld today could put him level with Sergio Aguero and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the top of the scoring charts.

He would be ahead of Raheem Sterling, Eden Hazard, Mo Salah and Harry Kane, who all play tomorrow.

Murray said: “Once you get to a certain age, there’s a real determinat­ion to stay there because everybody starts to doubt you because of your age instead of your physical attributes. So I think it’s a mental thing that you’re determined to prove people wrong.”

His Brazilian team-mate Bernardo has grafted through a “difficult” time to prove his Premier League class too, according to Brighton boss Chris Hughton.

Bernardo joined in a £9million deal this summer but has struggled for first-team football.

The defender conjured up a man-of-the-match showing in Brighton’s league draw with Leicester however, leaving Seagulls manager Hughton with some explaining to do.

“It’s all about the competitio­n. “It has probably been difficult for him,” he said.

“But you can react in different ways: you can go the route that’s not advisable or you can knuckle down. And knuckle down he has.”

Huddersfie­ld midfielder Philip Billing has revealed that his club are still beating the odds.

He said: “When I signed, the chairman told me the goal was to reach the Premier League in five years. We did it a year early.

“He was not lying and to see how the club have progressed has been great. To get here was brilliant. We have to keep going.” BILLING: Optimism

The Foxes have come together after the devastatin­g loss of club chairman Vichai Srivaddhan­aprabha in a helicopter crash.

The tragedy has heightened determinat­ion at the 2016 Premier League champions to enjoy another successful season. They are unbeaten in three league games since the disaster and on Tuesday progressed to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.

Leicester host Watford today having last Saturday battled back to draw at Brighton despite seeing James Maddison sent off in the 28th minute when 1-0 down.

And Evans, who joined in the summer from relegated West Brom, said: “It is great to be part of a team which shows character. It has been amazing.

“I don’t think I have been involved in a unit which has been so together in terms of their fight and how close they are on and off the pitch.

“It is really refreshing to see.

The players here have been through a lot over the years. Winning the league sparked something special in this football club.

“You can see it among the lads and they are continuing to carry that spirit. Whenever you experience success as a team it is always going to bring you closer together. I experience­d that at Manchester United. Team spirit is going to be high. I have experience­d that over the years and it is great to get back into that at a club like this.”

Evans has started every game since replacing Harry Maguire when the England defender was injured at Cardiff on November 3.

Losing Maguire was a blow but his absence has been

 ??  ?? REALIST: Hodgson says there are no easy games in the Premier League STEPPING UP: Evans, second left, has filled the gap left by injury to Harry Maguire
REALIST: Hodgson says there are no easy games in the Premier League STEPPING UP: Evans, second left, has filled the gap left by injury to Harry Maguire
 ??  ?? HIT PARADE: Murray is second
HIT PARADE: Murray is second
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