Sussex

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Brajan Gruda has said it will take "a few games" to get to "top form", having been sidelined by injury in the early weeks of his spell with Brighton.

Gruda, signed from Mainz in August in a deal worth £25m, had to wait until 6 October before making his Premier League debut for the Seagulls.

He has made two appearances as a substitute but is yet to start a match.

The Germany Under-21 international, who said he believes his best position is on the right wing, told BBC Radio Sussex: "I have a lot of friends now in the team, I feel comfortable at the club. When I leave training my family is there so I'm not alone, and the city is beautiful, so everything is perfect.

"It was not so easy [to settle initially] because, especially when you're injured, you have everything in your mind and you're thinking too much.

"Now I'm happy, the injury is going well. Of course, it is going to take some weeks and games to get to 100% and top form but I am in a good way."

Asked how he has found the intensity and the challenge of the Premier League, he said: "It was surprising, there's a lot of running back and forward, back and forward without stopping. It's very intensive and a little bit different to the Bundesliga.

"The manager said I needed a bit of time to get to 100% but he believes in me, he knows my qualities, so not to worry. He's helped me a lot."

Listen to the full interview on BBC Sounds

Scott McCarthy
Fan writer

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The main Brighton talking point from the weekend is obviously breaking four-on-one in the 92nd minute with the chance to go 3-1 ahead against Wolves and, 30 seconds later, the visitors scoring at the other end to ensure it finished 2-2.

I have not seen anything that ghastly watching Brighton since a blocked toilet overflowed and began flooding into a train carriage on the way back from a 2-0 defeat at MK Dons in 2009.

So we will not dwell on it. Either Mats Wieffer's terrible square pass which gave the ball away. The terrible defending which followed. The terrible ending to the game. Or that terrible journey home from Milton Keynes 15 years ago.

How about a positive from the draw with Wolves instead? Evan Ferguson ended an 11-month run without a goal for club or country when putting Brighton into what should have been an unassailable 2-0 lead with two minutes plus injury time remaining.

It was some strike to break his duck too. After creating the necessary space, Ferguson clinically picked out the bottom corner with aplomb.

His celebration was one of relief rather than joy, reflecting what a frustrating year it has been since he last found the back of the net away at Nottingham Forest on 25 November last year.

Ferguson is a magnificent talent who should be better for the experience of his barren spell - something almost all strikers go through and therefore have to find a way out of.

Ex-Albion forward Nicky Forster was notorious for it, going on long sequences without scoring. But once he notched one, the goals always flowed again.

The same can happen with Ferguson. Good news for Brighton and the Republic of Ireland, bad news for defences at the other 19 Premier League clubs.

Find more from Scott McCarthy at We Are Brighton, external

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has been speaking to the media before Wednesday's Carabao Cup game against Liverpool (kick-off 19:30 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Lewis Dunk "has a small muscle injury" and although Hurzeler does not know the time scale for his return "it is possible" it could be before the international break.

• He said "it won't be easy to replace" Dunk as he's "our captain and leader" but Igor Julio shows they have suitable replacements in defence.

• Jack Hinshelwood and Yankuba Minteh have been in training and "both have a chance" of featuring against Liverpool.

• Jason Steele will be in goal for the cup game and Tariq Lamptey could be given some minutes as he has been "looking sharp and strong in training".

• He said Danny Welbeck, who had a back injury, came through Saturday's game fine and "is an option" against Liverpool.

• On the disappointing draw against Wolves: "It's important you don't let yourself be defined by failure, failure should teach you. We were really honest with each other. But in general it was about learning from these things and trying to be better next time."

• On opponents Liverpool: "They are one of the best teams in the world but it is a game. We are capable of beating every team in this league. If you don’t have self-belief you shouldn’t be in games like this."

• He said he wants his team "to be ruthless" in and out of possession "because there will always be chances" in the game to cause damage.

Follow all of Tuesday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

There was late drama...

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And late drama...

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And late drama...

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Sometimes you just can't escape it.

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There were returns to goalscoring ways...

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And goalscoring partnerships...

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While sometimes the spoils just have to be shared...

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And after a busy day at work, sometimes you just need a lie down.

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