SUPER GLENN RISES TO THE RESCUE Now Brighton feel at home in the Premier League
CHRIS HUGHTON believes Brighton’s fightback shows his side are beginning to feel at home in the Premier League.
A battling point may not be the kind of thing to get the pulses racing.
But Albion boss Hughton says the way his side recovered after falling behind to Steve Davis’s early opener shows they are developing the know-how to make their mark.
Glenn Murray’s 51st-minute header confirmed Brighton are a tough nut to crack at the Amex Stadium – and consolidated their mid-table position 10 games into the season.
The key to their progress has been their steady form at home, where they are unbeaten since the 2-0 opening-day defeat to Manchester City – a result that looks better in hindsight.
Quality
Hughton insists the table does not lie. He said: “When you go 1-0 down so early against a side that has so much quality, it’s credit to our lads for the way they responded.
“We always felt that when you are club that has just got promotion, a lot depends on your home form.
“From the way we have conducted ourselves in these games, we haven’t been embarrassed in any games.
“So we deserve to be mid-table but there is a lot more work to be done. You can lose four or five games on the spin in this division.
“The players have learned we have good players also and if we play well we can get results. And the confidence comes from what they have done so far.
“We haven’t done anything and the points gap between us and fourth bottom is only four points and that could change in a two-game period.
“But I have to be pleased. We are a
newly-promoted side and where we are after 10 games, then, I have to be pleased.”
Southampton could have moved up to seventh if they had held on to the lead given them by Davis.
The midfielder reacted first when James Ward-Prowse’s sixth-minute free-kick came back off the post to head home from close range.
Saints were looking to build on last week’s win over West Brom – and Brighton’s sluggish start suggested another three points would be coming their way.
Hughton’s side raised the tempo after the break with Anthony Knockaert beginning to pull the strings. But it was assist king Pascal Gross who delivered the cross that allowed Murray to head past Fraser Forster.
Gross has now had a hand in seven of Brighton’s 10 goals, including five assists, and ranks behind only Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva in the top-flight assist chart. The failure of Forster to prevent the goal raised questions about the keeper. But boss Mauricio Pellegrino leapt to his player’s defence.
He said: “It was a bit unlucky. The ball deflected off Cedric’s head and surprised our goalkeeper a little bit.
“From the outside every action looks simple, but from the inside every action is completely different.
“I see the team competing well, in terms of making right decisions in different moments.
“The team is growing and getting a little bit more mature.
“We think about reaching the top level with the top teams.”