WE CAN TAKE IT UP A LEVEL
<M<IP >8D<# <M<IP B@:B You just can’t Knock high-flying Seagulls
ANTHONY KNOCKAERT has promised there is much more to come IF Brighton beat the drop.
The winger was the star of last season’s promotion campaign but admits to finding life much tougher in the top flight.
Knockaert – Championship player of the year last term – turned in one of his best displays of the season as Chris Hughton’s side crushed relegation rivals Swansea.
The Frenchman netted his third goal of the season, but admits he has had to shift his focus and concentrate much more on defensive duties.
“It’s a different level,” he said. “You can see we play differently as well.
“We defend a lot more and it doesn’t allow me to go forward as much as I did last year.
“Obviously I tried to do my best defensively for the team and then I try to be in the box when I can.
“So it’s different, but if we stay up next year it will be different because we know the level and we’ll have one more year experience in the Prem. So, yes, it’s going to be better. “It’s always nice to score but I will first think about the team and do my job defensively and then see what’s going to happen. “I’d rather not score and the team wins, rather than the opposite. We had both (against Swansea) and it was a perfect day for me.” Knockaert slotted home Brighton’s 73rd-minute third. Glenn Murray had put the home side Ryan 7; BRIGHTON (4-4-2): Dunk 7, Bong Schelotto 6, Duffy 7, 78), Stephens 6, 6; Knockaert 7 (March 8; Gross 8 (Kayal Propper 7, Izquierdo 82). Subs: Krul, 90), MURRAY 9 (Locadia Bruno, Ulloa, Goldson. (h), Premier League, UP NEXT: Arsenal Sunday. Fabianski 6; SWANSEA (5-3-2): Hoorn 5 Naughton 5, Van der 6, MAWSON (Narsingh 46, 5), Fernandez Ayew 36, 5), Ki 8, 7, Olsson 5; Dyer 6 (A 6); Clucas 6, Carroll 6 (Abraham 65, Routledge, J Ayew 6. Subs: Nordfeldt, King, Bartley. Wednesday (h), FA UP NEXT: Sheffi eld Cup, tomorrow. 6. Referee: Mike Dean is the last man to YOUR TURN: Who and Swansea? have managed Brighton ahead with an 18th-minute penalty before adding his second midway through the second half.
Tammy Abraham’s shot deflected off Lewis Dunk for Swansea’s 85th-minute consolation with Jurgen Locadia wrapping up the home side’s win at the death.
Murray’s double took the 34-yearold’s league tally to 10.
And Knockaert added: “He is always in the right place at the right moment, that’s what I call a goalscorer. And for me he does his job perfectly.
Delighted
“It’s not about age, age is nothing now in football.
“You know if you are professional and you keep your head focused on your team, that’s what happens. I’m delighted for Glenn because he is a great man and he deserves everything.”
Swansea midfielder Ki Sung-Yueng admits the pressure has been ramped up ahead of Saturday’s clash with West Ham.
He said: “The next game is crucial for us. We need to analyse what was wrong in the game and we have to go forward.
“We don’t need to have heads down. Of course it’s a disappointment but the next game against West Ham, we have the possibility to win three points.”