And one theme kept recurring – even when he was asked about something else.
It was very clear how much the Seagulls head coach wants to secure a win over the rivals.
Palace did the double last season and it was not hard to detect how much that still hurts.
Here are five key things we learned from the non-embargoed section of Hurzeler’s Thursday morning press conference.
What it means
Hurzeler referred to slow starts to the Palace games last season, to wanting to give fans and the club a win.
To his experiences with St Pauli in derby games.
To knowing what the Palace game means from the very start of his time here – and before that.
Remember he was in the away section for one of the many 1-1 draws between these teams at Selhurst Park.
And, yes, the Palace match WAS referred to by some in the press conference as a derby!
Even if you are keen NOT to call it a local derby – as many fans of both teams are – there is surely no denying it is pretty local and it feels rather like a derby.
Welbeck - one direct answer and one sidestep
Hurzeler was asked whether he would swap for Danny Welbeck for JP Mateta and was slightly confused for a moment.
At Brighton, JP means Jan Paul van Hecke.
But he said he would not swap his centre-forward for any player and cited qualities off the field as part of the reason for that.
As for England and any discussions he has had with Thomas Tuchel, Hurzeler was guarded in the extreme.
Zamora’s influence.
Bobby Zamora has been coaching Albion’s strikers but is currently sidelined after a hip operation.
The reporter asking about the Zamora influence did not seem to be aware of the that surgery.
Hurzeler wished the former Albion, Spurs and QPR striker a speedy recovery and said he has indeed had quite an impact on Welbeck.
Injuries - it's not all bad news
Joel Veltman loves a Crystal Palace game so it was encouraging to hear he would be back.
But (not necessarily based on anything that was said today) Mats Wieffer appears to remain the head coach’s preferred option in right-back/midfield hybrid role.
Hurzeler reported that Kaoru Mitoma is 50-50 for the Palace match ahead of two more training sessions going into the game.
While Jack Hinshelwood was included on the list of players who would not make it, that in itself was perhaps encouraging.
He has not generally been mentioned in recent injury updates as his absence, like those of Solly March and Adam Webster, has not been a game-by-game issue.
International call-up - confirmed
Not Welbeck but Charalampos Koroulas, who has been included in the senior Greece squad for the first time.
Hurzeler was delighted to see that and spoke about how tough it was for the forward to adapt to the extra workload he faced after his move from Olympiacos.
He said: “When he first came here, he suffered.”