Brighton & Hove Albion

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There has been some pressure on players carrying an injury going into international breaks with their national side because you are contracted to these clubs and that is where your income is.

But, for me, as a player I had a similar mindset to Harry Kane that I would always be available - injured or not injured. I would have injections when I was on international duty just so I could represent my country because it meant that much.

It is difficult, however. If you look at Jack Grealish and Pep Guardiola's comments, he has a point because the forward has not been able to play for Manchester City because of injuries. So if you have been sidelined for three or four games, I would agree that you are then not fit and available to go on international duty.

But when you look at some of the other players, ones who have been playing and being managed by their club, then I do not see it being different to being played and managed by your country.

From the club's side, when they are competing at such high levels in the Premier League, you can understand why they would want their players to be rested and get fully fit again over the two weeks, rather than having to come back straight into a hectic period of fixtures.

I kind of get it from both points of view but, as a player, if I am half fit and being played by my club, I would be fully available for my national team.

It is really difficult with the pressure that is on the players, though. I would not look at it as a decision players have made solely.

Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson

Brighton's Tariq Lamptey is being monitored by Everton and West Ham, who both want to sign the right-back on a free transfer in the summer. (Football Insider), external

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Evan Ferguson (20 years and 26 days old) has now scored four goals for Republic of Ireland, with only Robbie Keane (seven goals) and David Connolly (six goals) scoring more for the Boys in Green before the age of 21.

With only four points separating third and 13th, we do not normally see that many teams in this type of mini league.

Normally, you might have the teams in a pack around the top four or five and then another pack underneath that with your relegation pack as well, so the fact there is so many teams in it at this stage is making it different.

From the mental side of competing in that, you look at Manchester United who have struggled so much this season and are sitting 13th. If they get a win, it can shoot them right up the table. They are in a position to think they are only a few points off the Champions League places' and that is good.

But it can work both ways.

Knowing the points are so close can keep you strong, keep you competing and have that competitiveness because you know a result can jump you up. But on the flipside, you could easily go from seventh down to 13th in one weekend or from third down to 10th.

How you deal with it depends on the manager, the players and also the psychologists within the group. Psychology in sport is really important for whether you see the situation as a positive or a negative.

Whether it stays like this all season is hard to say as there have been some really inconsistent performances and results. The most consistent team is the one sitting at the top.

I do not know what the rest of the campaign has in store for these sides because all the teams seem to be able to take points off each other this season.

Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson

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Former Brighton forward Bobby Zamora has been delighted to "help the club again" after being appointed as a striker consultant.

The 43-year-old is in his third spell with Albion as a club ambassador, having had two periods on the south coast as a player.

Speaking on BBC Radio Sussex's Albion Unlimited podcast, Zamora explained his new role: "I have been in working with the strikers - not necessarily with everything on the pitch but looking at previous games, providing a bit of analysis, sitting down with the players, talking about how they can improve their game and what we can work on.

"There's a lot of talent here. There are five guys that are genuinely all really good players and are all pushing each other. The biggest challenge for me is going to be dealing with those guys mentally.

"It is hard when you're a striker and the guys ahead of you, or in the team currently, are scoring goals and performing well.

"It is about managing that and trying to keep their confidence up, not their frustration."

Zamora scored 51 goals in 108 appearances for Brighton and says it was a natural decision for him to return as a coach.

"My history at the club is well known," he said. "Coming here, scoring goals and being a big part of its history is phenomenal.

"It is a big pleasure for me to be a part of it. I absolutely love the club. It's an opportunity for me to come in and help the club again, in a different way this time."

Listen to the full interview on BBC Sounds

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Former Brighton striker Warran Aspinall says Carlos Baleba has shown "glimpses of his potential" so far this season, adding that the defensive midfielder is "on a par" with former Seagulls player Moises Caicedo.

Speaking on BBC Radio Sussex's Albion Unlimited podcast, Aspinall said: "He is getting better and better. When he gets the ball on the half-turn, he uses his body and strength to get that quick five yards and get his head up. Then he can break the lines and take two or three midfield players out of the game straight away.

"Sometimes he takes too many touches with his head down and he gets all flustered. If he can get his head up and look around - because he's gained that space with his power in the first five yards - he can then play a simple pass.

"To become a top player now, he needs to be consistent. It's not about having three good games, three bad games.

"He needs to have games like he did against Manchester City, against a top-class midfield. We have seen glimpses of his potential.

"He gets frustrated with himself at times in games, but he doesn't need to do that. The world is his oyster.

"Moises Caicedo went for over £100m and Baleba is on a par with him. He is probably the next player that will be on the conveyor belt to go for bigger money. We need to keep these players if we can - they have all got a price tag on their heads.

"Carlos Baleba just needs to keep his feet on the ground [for now] and keep listening to Daddy [Danny] Welbeck."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds

On the latest episode of BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club, The New York Times' chief soccer correspondent Rory Smith speaks about whether a "still really young" Brighton side can upset the traditional top six in the Premier League.

After seeing off Manchester City last Saturday, does Smith believe Albion will make it into the top four or maybe even contend for the title.

"If Leicester can do it, then why can't Brighton? But the stars have to align there," said Smith.

Watch the full episode on BBC iPlayer or listen on BBC Sounds

The latest Albion Unlimited podcast has landed.

BBC Radio Sussex's Johnny Cantor is joined by former Brighton striker Warren Aspinall to discuss the 2-1 win over Manchester City and the tight battle for European football this season.

Also, hear from Danny Welbeck on stepping in as captain, the return of team-mates Matt O'Riley and Joao Pedro and midfielder Carlos Baleba's potential.

Plus, former Brighton striker Bobby Zamora joins the podcast to talk about his new striker consultancy role at the club.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Technical director David Weir and his assistant Mike Cave have led an overhaul of Brighton's recruitment department, involving the exit of several scouts, despite the club's successful record over recent seasons. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

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Henry Brownsey
BBC Sport journalist

There were plenty of memorable numbers across the weekend's Premier League football...

1 - How many games it took Brighton's Matt O'Riley to open his account in the top flight.

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250 - How many appearances Bruno Fernandes has now made for Manchester United, registering a combined 155 goals and assists in this time.

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4 - Consecutive defeats for Pep Guardiola's Manchester City side, and the first time he has had such a losing run in his managerial career.

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28 - Points Liverpool boss Arne Slot has earned in the Premier League in his first 11 games in charge - the joint-most of any new manager.

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80 - Seconds between Bournemouth going 2-1 up and Mikkel Damsgaard equalising for Brentford.

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1:48 - How long into the game Pablo Sarabia put Wolves ahead against Southampton - becoming the club's earliest Premier League goalscorer.

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22 years, six months, two weeks and three days - The amount of time Ipswich Town had gone without a Premier League victory before Sunday's win at Tottenham.

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Scott McCarthy
Fan writer

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Manchester City are one of the richest football clubs in the world and should be able to afford a deep squad with game-changing options on the bench.

Yet, at the Amex on Saturday, it was Brighton who had their substitutes to thank for securing them three points against the serial Premier League champions.

Joao Pedro and Matt O'Riley both scored from the bench. Carlos Baleba played an equally important role after coming on at half-time, helping the Albion get on top by winning the midfield battle.

Brighton will have a fight on their hands keeping hold of Baleba beyond next summer if he carries on performing as he has so far this season.

The wealth of options available to Fabian Hurzeler comes from the near-£200m spending spree Tony Bloom went on in the summer. The Albion now have a squad capable of coping with injuries to four, five or six first-choice players.

But solid recruitment is only one part of the story. Hurzeler deserves an equal amount of credit for the way he is managing his players - and, in particular, his use of the bench.

The City win was not the first time Hurzeler's substitutions have helped deliver three points, either. Home victories over Manchester United and Tottenham also came thanks to major contributions from the bench.

Not many managers outwit Pep Guardiola and surely nobody else has done it aged 31. The Seagulls are soaring and the sky looks the limit for Hurzeler.

Find more from Scott McCarthy at We Are Brighton, external

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The New York Times' chief soccer correspondent Rory Smith, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club about Brighton's fine start to the season under Fabian Hurzeler:

"The appointment itself was incredibly brave. If you look back, to say that Brighton, a top-10 Premier League club, were going to appoint a 31-year-old manager... it's not that long ago that English football wouldn't really have been ready for that idea, and he would have been chased out in about three weeks.

"He needed a good start. It would have been difficult for him if Brighton had got off to a rocky start and there would have been questions around the club about whether he was too inexperienced.

"He wasn't like [Roberto] De Zerbi, who had managed in the Champions League when he came to Brighton. He had Serie A experience. Hurzeler hadn't and was unusually young.

"But the way he's taken to it has been remarkable, and he has had a lot of support from Brighton. I think they and Manchester United spent more than any other team in Europe, which is a big commitment for Brighton. Most of it was spent on young talent from unusual places.

"Brighton have a courage in the way that they work, but also they have a certainty. I think we underestimate how remarkable it is that Brighton are up there again because we've got so used to seeing Brighton in the top 10. It should still be impressive to see Brighton in the top 10 of the Premier League."

Watch the full episode on BBC iPlayer or listen on BBC Sounds

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Brighton and Manchester City.

Here are some of your comments:

Brighton fans

Chris: That was a fantastic win and every credit to the manager for the changes he made in the second half. The calibre of the substitutes also demonstrated the excellent strength in depth we have now with the likes of Lewis Dunk, Solly March and Yankuba Minteh still to come back. A very exciting few months ahead.

Mark: Memorable evening at Amex Stadium. City may have dominated the first half but Carlos Baleba dominated City in the second half. He’s putting in man-of-the-match performances week after week in the way that Moises Caicedo used to. The Seagulls legendary player recruitment process strikes again - our next £100m player?

Chrissy: Unbelievable scenes. Showed no fear against City and stuck to our system. Thoroughly deserved the three points. We played with courage and belief. Absolutely buzzing - loved it.

Man City fans

Ian: City started the season playing better than they usually do but too many players are off form. Ilkay Gundogan is a shadow of his former self, as is Phil Foden and to a degree Bernardo Silva. Erling Haaland works off a minimal supply that has now virtually disappeared. Savinho is still adjusting while Matheus Nunes is not City standard. All this on top of critical injuries. It will improve.

Danny: Dominating possession but not scoring enough goals has been an issue with City. What’s the point of possession if you dont make it count? They need to be more direct and quicker moving forward. The ball needs to be played to Haaland’s feet more and he needs to be demanding of the ball.

Phillip: Again very disappointing. We didn’t deserve to win unfortunately. Yes we are missing key players , but players like Foden who are now senior players in my opinion are not doing enough . He runs round like a headless chicken . But the fact is we are missing Rodri as he dictates pace and direction of play . We look lost without him .

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Former Brighton striker Glenn Murray, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast about the Seagulls' 2-1 win over Manchester City:

"Brighton were a bit timid in the first half - they were maybe a little bit overawed - but it was almost beneficial going behind because all of the sudden they had nothing to lose.

"Joao Pedro made a huge impact but the player who made the difference was Carlos Baleba. What a talent that lad is.

"When you think that Moises Caicedo walked out of the door for £104m, I can't see him walking out for any less than that."

Ex-Premier League midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker: "It's a well-structured [scouting] network. A friend of mine is involved in the network has told me how they operate and it's credit to them.

"They're such a well-run club and they deserve all the credit they're getting."

Listen to more analysis on BBC Sounds

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Brighton striker Danny Welbeck spoke to BBC Radio Sussex about some of his team-mates after Saturday's victory over Manchester City:

On Matt O'Riley: "He's been so good at the training ground. You can see his attitude and mentality. He's been there for everybody, so for him to come on and get the winning goal is an amazing feeling. We all gave him a massive applause when he came into the dressing room and it's a night he will never forget.

On Joao Pedro: "It's amazing to have him back. The quality when he came on was evident for everybody. He's a fighter and a warrior, and he goes right until the end.

On Carlos Baleba: "He can be unstoppable. If he keeps up with that desire and passion, he can go right to the top. He's got all of the attributes to be a world-beater."

Listen to the full interview with Welbeck, and more from Fabian Hurzeler and O'Riley here

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Former Premier League striker Alan Shearer spoke to BBC Match of the Day about Carlos Baleba's impact in Brighton's victory over Manchester City:

"First half, Brighton were too nice and showed too much respect [to City]. They stood off and let them play and that caused them all sorts of problems.

"Second half, it all changed. He [Baleba] came on and got among them. He showed energy, aggression and he got rattled them.

"Brighton were a completely different team in the second half and it started because of him, he played on the front foot. They should have scored four or five.

"He was absolutely wonderful. He changed the tempo and performance on the front foot and defensively. They got the three points which they deserved."

Listen to the full analysis on BBC iPlayer

Tottenham are keen on a move for Argentine midfielder Facundo Buonanotte, 19, but will have to compete with Leicester City, where he is on loan from Brighton. (Fichajes - in Spanish, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

Highlights and analysis from Saturday's six Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Wolves 2-0 Southampton

• Brighton 2-1 Man City

Phil McNulty
Chief football writer

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Brighton's outstanding win against Manchester City at The Amex Stadium on Saturday night took second billing to the headline news about the latest calamity to befall Pep Guardiola's Premier League champions.

It must not be overlooked, however, just how good Fabian Hurzeler's side were in recovering from conceding an early goal to Erling Haaland, recovering to overpower City and deservedly come from behind to win 2-1.

The traffic was flowing all one way for nearly all of the second half, Brighton's assault on the City goal fuelled by an increasingly expectant home support.

It was only Brighton's own wastefulness in front of goal that kept them trailing until substitute Joao Pedro, the fit-again Matt O'Riley with his first goal for Brighton since signing from Celtic, scored twice in five minutes late on to give The Seagulls what they deserved.

Brighton continue to tell a remarkable story after plucking 31-year-old Hurzeler, a virtual unknown in England, from Germany after he led St. Pauli into the Bundesliga to succeed Roberto De Zerbi.

They stood in the Premier League's top four after Saturday's results.

Hurzeler has seamlessly continued the work of predecessors Graham Potter and De Zerbi with a fearless, all-out attacking style with Brighton never taking a backward step, as Manchester City discovered to their cost.

Manchester City join Manchester United and Tottenham - who lost 3-2 at The Amex after leading 2-0 at the interval - in being eventually worn down by this hugely entertaining Brighton team.

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Brighton midfielder Matt O'Riley spoke to BBC Match of the Day after scoring his first goal for the Seagulls against Manchester City: "It feels really nice, it's just nice to be back playing football. It's my first injury in professional football. I was able to stay positive during my rehab and that has enabled me to come back even sooner which is really nice.

On Carlos Baleba: "He is strong. To put it simply he is an absolute beast. It's nice to play alongside someone like that because he just smashes everyone and makes my life quite easy."

On whether he thought the game was there to be won: "Yeah, especially when there is only one goal in it. The kind of team that we are, we create so many chances it was just a matter of taking those chances and being ruthless. Against teams like Man City it's little details and today we were ruthless."

On whether Brighton can win things: "That should always the aim right. The manager speaks about trying to challenge the establishment and that's what we are trying to do. We're a club that is progressing really nicely in my opinion so why not."

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Fabian Hurzeler spoke to BBC Match of the Day after Brighton's victory against Manchester City: “I’ve had great experiences at my former clubs, so I wouldn’t say it’s the biggest win of my career – but it’s an important one.

“Last week, we talked about a great performance but not the result against Liverpool. Today we got a result, so I’m happy.

“On the one hand, it’s important to gain self-confidence from games like this. On the other, it’s important to stay humble, keep focusing on the hard work and keep focusing on the process.”

What he told his players at half-time: “In possession, to stay more patient and to make City move. In the first half, we played too many vertical balls and gave too many easy balls away. The subs were great for us. They had an impact and if you have that in the squad, it helps you.”

On Carlos Baleba: “Every player who came on had an impact on the game. Of course, Carlos is showing a great development. He’s a different style of player. He has a different profile, and sometimes you need that profile to get back control of the game.”

On Matt O’Riley: “Part of it is how he worked for his comeback. A lot of players would keep their head down and be negative, but he was very positive. I’m happy he got what he deserved.”

On Brighton’s fans: “It’s so important to have the crowd behind us. They’re our 12th man. We have to make the Amex like our home castle. It’s the support from the fans that makes other teams’ experience not that easy. They’re the most important people and we need to make them happy.”