Brighton & Hove Albion FC v Ipswich Town FC - Premier League
Fabian Hurzeler is enjoying a brilliant start to life at Brighton (Picture: Getty Images)
Fabian Hurzeler intends to ‘stop this statistic’ on Thursday night after Brighton’s surprisingly bad run against Fulham in the top flight.
The Cottagers host the Seagulls in the Premier League on Thursday, with Fulham hoping to climb back into the top half of the table and Brighton able to get back into the top four with a win.
Brighton bring the better form into the match but Fulham boast a brilliant record against their rivals in the Premier League.
The two clubs have met eight times in the Premier League and Brighton are yet to come away with a victory.
Fulham have won four of those contests with four ending in draws and the most recent a comfortable 3-0 win for the west London side.
Asked about facing a bogey team this week, Hurzeler said: ‘I see this as an opportunity to stop this statistic and to make it look better for the Brighton fans.’
Brighton will have to try and pick up that win without their manager on the touchline, though, after Hurzeler picked up a ban for three yellow cards.
Fulham FC v Wolverhampton Wanderers FC - Premier League
Marco Silva has good memories on facing Brighton (Picture: Getty Images)
‘I had this experience once in the Bundesliga,’ said the German boss. ‘It’s not the best experience to be honest, but it’s a fair punishment for me and I have to learn from it.
‘I trust my [coaching] team. I have two great assistant coaches with Crofty (Andrew Crofts) and Jonas [Scheuermann] who will do a great job.
‘I always say when I’m on the sideline that I’m not the main person. It’s more of a togetherness. It’s not like a one-man show. It will always be about ‘we’ and not ‘I’ or ‘me.’
‘In some moments I’m more emotional and in some moments he (Jonas) is more emotional.’
Southampton manager Russell Martin and Brighton and Hove Albion manager Fabian Hurzeler react following the Premier League match at the American Express Stadium, Brighton and Hove. Picture date: Friday November 29, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER Brighton. Photo credit should read: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.
Hurzeler clashed with Southampton manager Russell Martin last week (Picture: PA Wire)
Hurzeler has been impressed with Fulham and manager Marco Silva, pointing out this team’s strengths before his own side face them.
‘A very good team. Really good in possession, they have good patterns, they have great individual players who improve every game with and against the ball,’ said the Seagulls boss.
‘They do everything out of compactness. They try to be aggressive. It’s a very small, tight stadium. The pitch is not the biggest so it will be an intense game, a tough game and they’re doing great so far.
‘Marco Silva has improved the team and the players, and I have a lot of respect for him and for his work and it will be very tough to beat him.’
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