Bart Verbruggen and Jan Paul van Hecke both appear in an unchanged Brighton side at Tottenham Hotspur, after the Dutch pair were linked with moves away from the club.
It will be De Zerbi's first home match in charge of Spurs.
Hurzeler has decided not to tweak the team which beat Burnley last time out – their fifth win in six league games.
Bart Verbruggen and Jan Paul van Hecke both appear in an unchanged Brighton side at Tottenham Hotspur, after the Dutch pair were linked with moves away from the club. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)placeholder image
Bart Verbruggen and Jan Paul van Hecke both appear in an unchanged Brighton side at Tottenham Hotspur, after the Dutch pair were linked with moves away from the club. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)
Despite reports that talks on a fresh contract have stalled, Van Hecke starts in defence. Any summer offers over and above £50m could be taken very seriously at Brighton.
Van Hecke joined Brighton for around £2m from NAC Breda in 2020 and is contracted with the Seagulls until June 2027. Spurs are among the clubs said to be interested in the 25-year-old.
Meanwhile, fellow Dutch international Bart Verbruggen starts, as usual, for Albion. The shot-stopper shared the number one role with Jason Steele, under De Zerbi, but has been the main man since Hurzeler took charge.
The 23-year-old former Anderlecht man has started all 32 Premier League matches this campaign and has been key in Albion's late push for Europe.
Verbruggen is contracted until June 2028 but has been linked with a summer move away from the Amex with Bayern Munich and Chelsea, among those linked.
The Dutch duo are expected to feature for their country this summer at the World Cup – which could strengthen their place in the shop window.
First on the agenda, though, is securing a place in Europe – which is very much on the cards for Brighton. A win against relegated-threatened Spurs would move them up to sixth, even if only temporarily.
Yasin Ayari is once again starting in midfield, with the injured James Milner not fit enough to make the the matchday squad.
Olivier Boscagli once again replaces the suspended Lewis Dunk.
Mats Wieffer, fresh from his brace at Turf Moor, keeps his place at right-back, with Ferdi Kadioglu on the left of the back four.
Joining Ayari in midfield is Pascal Gross and Jack Hinshelwood, whilst Diego Gomez, Yankuba Minteh and Danny Welbeck lead the attack.
Hurzeler has a wealth of high quality options on the bench, should Plan A not be fruitful. Kaoru Mitoma, Matt O’Riley, Georginio Rutter and Charalampos Kostoulas are the attacking options, whilst Carlos Baleba, Maxim De Cuyper, Joel Veltman, Igor Julio and Jason Steele complete the substitutes’ bench.
Solly March is absent from the squad.
Brighton XI: Verbruggen, Wieffer, Van Hecke, Boscagli, Kadioglu, Ayari, Gross, Gomez, Hinshelwood, Minteh, Welbeck.
Subs: Steele, Igor, Rutter, Baleba, Kostoulas, Mitoma, De Cuyper, O'Riley, Veltman.
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