Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler spoke to the media on Wednesday evening after watching his side crash out of the Carabao Cup, losing to an inexperienced Arsenal ahead of hosting Leeds United.
Just three days ahead of Saturday’s clash in the Premier League, Hurzeler took his Brighton side to The Emirates to face a much-changed Arsenal side in the last 16. But he watched his side suffer a 2-0 loss.
An Arsenal side that included Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Max Dowman, and Andre Harriman-Annous took the lead just before the hour mark. Nwaneri got the goal, before Bukayo Saka made it two.
Brighton put in a good performance and were unlucky not to score, now losing two games in a row albeit against Manchester United and Mikel Arteta’s side. They have little time to prepare to take on Leeds.
Fabian Hurzeler during Brighton's Carabao Cup game.
Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images
Fabian Hurzeler explains why it is a ‘nice thing’ to face Leeds
Having lost two games in a row, and despite being knocked out of the Carabao Cup, Hurzeler seemed satisfied with his side’s display. Georginio Rutter started the game, lasting 67 minutes before coming off.
Hurzeler spoke to reporters after the game, and he says it is a “nice thing” that it is just three days until Brighton are next in action against Leeds, as they have the chance to put things right with a win, quickly.
“We have to take the positives and there were plenty of those. The nice thing is that we have our third game in a week in three days when we will try to do better against Leeds,” Hurzeler told Brighton’s site.
Fabian Hurzeler during a Brighton game.
Photo by Neal Simpson/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images
How many changes did Hurzeler make to his Brighton side?
Hurzeler made six changes to his Brighton side on Wednesday night, as he rested the likes of Lewis Dunk, Danny Welbeck and Yankuba Minteh. As is the way, Brighton’s focus remains on the Premier League.
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Those players will return on Saturday, though a reunion between James Milner and Leeds is in doubt with the veteran struggling with a muscle injury. Brighton could be without six others, including Solly March.
But there are a handful of Brighton players who will be asked to start a third game in a week, like Rutter and Carlos Baleba, when Leeds come to town. That could work in Leeds’ advantage come 3pm Saturday.
Leeds, meanwhile, could well have a full bill of health on Saturday but it depends on Willy Gnonto’s recovery from hernia surgery and whether Gabriel Gudmundsson has shaken off his knock last time out.