Mats Wieffer of Brighton & Hove Albion is pushing for a first team startMats Wieffer of Brighton & Hove Albion is pushing for a first team start
Mats Wieffer of Brighton & Hove Albion is pushing for a first team start
Brighton team news ahead of their Premier League trip to the Etihad Stadium
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler says he thriving under the pressure as his side mount a charge for a top-four Premier League finish.
The Seagulls head to Manchester City on Saturday on the back of four straight league victories and are bidding to match their best winning run in the top flight since 1981, when they notched five on the spin.
Hurzeler’s side have closed to within three points of fourth-placed Chelsea and sit a point off the top six with 10 games remaining.
The Premier League’s youngest-ever coach said: “Honestly, I love pressure. So, I always find a way to deal with it.
“I never feel pressure from the owner or from outside because I put it on myself. In the end, the biggest pressure I put on myself because I’m the most demanding person.
“I want the best for the club, which is success. We do this by our daily behaviour, pushing our limits every day and getting the best out of the group. And then we will see where we end in our season.
“I have the biggest belief inside of myself that this team can achieve something because we have a great togetherness in the group.
“We have players with individual potential and that helps give belief to the whole club.”
One player who could be in contention is fit-again midfielder Mats Wieffer. The £25m summer signing has impressed from the bench in the recent matches and could be set for a first start since December when he sustained a knee injury in the 1-1 draw at West Ham.
"Mats Wieffer has a special profile for us,” said Hurzeler. “So he can play in several positions, that's so helpful for us at the moment, especially when we have a lot of players in our defensive line who are injured with small issues. Therefore we need players who can adapt quickly, who can play different positions.
“He can play as a right or a left back and as a six. It's really helpful to have him back to his best shape and he's really trying hard to get there and training hard every day to get there.
"I'm really happy that he's now in a situation where he can help the team no matter which situation he's in or which position he's playing.”
Likely XI: Verbruggen; Lamptey, Van Hecke, Webster, Estupinan; Hinshelwood, Baleba; Minteh, Goerginio, Mitoma; Pedro.