Brighton & Hove Albion

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Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler speaking to BBC Sport after today's defeat: "We conceded the goals too easy. We didn't score in the phases when we had plenty of chances and that is why it is a bad experience. It is very disappointing but we should see this as a lesson for us.

"There is a lot of theory now about what would have happened if we scored but we didn't find it and we need to find a solution.

"I always see the challenge to find the solutions. We are in a process, development is not always linear. You have to stay clam and stay focused."

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Brighton’s performance

What did you make of Crystal Palace’s display?

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

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Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against a variety of guests.

For week 16 he takes on darts star Stephen Bunting, who is a Liverpool fan.

Bunting, who is ranked eighth in the Professional Darts Championship (PDC) order of merit, takes on Alan Soutar or Kai Gotthardt in the second round of the PDC World Championship, which starts at London's Alexandra Palace on Sunday.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

No top-flight team has drawn more home games (four) than Brighton this season, and Crystal Palace have drawn the most in total (seven) of any Premier League side - including four of their past six games.

As regular readers will know, I am happy to be led by statistics sometimes, and they make this the easiest prediction I have ever made.

Bunting's prediction: 2-2

There will definitely be goals in this one.

Read the full predictions and have your say here

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As Brighton prepare to host Crystal Palace in the Premier League this weekend, Fabian Hurzeler has been revealing all about his relationship with opposition manager and "great coach" Oliver Glasner.

The two bosses got to know each other "a little bit" during their managerial spells in Germany, which happened to land at the same time, as Hurzeler took charge of St Pauli and Glasner led Eintracht Frankfurt.

"When I was at St Pauli, we played a very similar system. We both played with five at the back," said Hurzeler.

"He had great success with his former club, Frankfurt, winning a trophy with this club is a big thing. His style of play was outstanding. He was always very compact and very good in transition.

"When he arrived at Crystal Palace, he immediately had an impact on the club and on the Premier League. That shows his quality."

Hurzeler added that he has been in contact with Glasner since taking charge of the Seagulls in the summer: "We were in touch. We had some calls because we know each other a little bit.

"He is very helpful and open-minded. He is a great coach.

"He has achieved a lot of things and he is continuing to make a big career. He is a role model, I think, in how he acts and how humble and grounded he is.

"He has the attitude to become a great manager."

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Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler expects new signing Diego Gomez to join his first team squad immediately when the Paraguay international joins the Seagulls from Inter Miami on 1 January.

"What he has is something special," Hurzeler said about his new recruit. "He has the right attitude towards football. He loves to play it. You can feel his passion every time you talk with him. You can see his passion in his eyes.

"When you see him playing for Paraguay and for Inter Miami, you see that he is ready to sprint and ready to make the last break to give everything for his club.

"That is something we need here. It is about having players with passion for football, the right attitude, and a willingness to work on themselves to improve and use every day to get better - and that is something he has inside of him.

"That is something special for such a young player."

On how long it will take the 21-year-old to adjust to the English top flight, after previously playing in Major League Soccer, Hurzeler added: "We have some examples, from the summer, that show how challenging it is to come from a different league to the Premier League.

"It takes time - sometimes it goes faster and sometimes it goes a little bit slower.

"It will be a big challenge for him, but it is up to us - as a club and as a team - to fully integrate him as soon as possible."

Millie Sian
BBC Sport journalist

Fabian Hurzeler has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game at home to Crystal Palace (kick-off 14:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Joel Veltman is "50:50" to play with the defender needing to be reassessed "in the next few days". Hurzeler also ruled Jack Hinshelwood as "40:60" to play with Ferdi Kadioglu at "20:80" and James Milner at "10:90". "Those are percentages," Hurzeler clarified.

• Meanwhile, Solly March is "closer and closer" to returning from injury. He could be a "possible option" for this weekend, but Hurzeler said there is a need to be "really patient" with players returning from injury. He added: "[March] is doing well and progressing really well. He is pushing to be an option for the squad, but it's about talking with the medical staff to work out when is the right time to integrate him into a matchday."

• He has been "reflecting" on his management of the side, particularly after recent dropped points: "It is always the first thing, to reflect on myself, my decisions and my behaviour. You cannot be critical of other people if you are not the most self-critical person in the building. It always starts with me."

• It has been "nice" to have a full week of preparation. The squad has been working on their "game management" and how to "fulfil that winning culture". He added: "It is a lot of work, but work pays off."

• He is aware of the importance of the game with Palace, saying there is no need to "artificially emphasise" the rivalry: "Luckily, I saw the game live at Palace last season and I experienced how the rivalry is and the mood between the two clubs. It is about the three points but, on top of that, it is about the meaning of the game. We need to give everything to win this derby."

• On Palace, who are unbeaten in their last four games: "They are a compact team with individual quality. They are very good at defending and very good in transition. We are going to have to be aware of not giving the ball away. Where they are at the moment doesn't represent their real quality or ability."

• He also revealed Oliver Glasner has been a "role model" for him: "When I was at St. Pauli, we played a similar system with five at the back. He had great success with his former club, Frankfurt. Winning a trophy with this club is a big thing. His style of play is outstanding - always very compact and good in transition. When he arrived at Palace, he immediately had an impact."

• He added that they have been in contact since he took charge of the Seagulls: "He is very helpful and open-minded. He is a great coach for me. He has achieved a lot and is continuing to make a big career. He is a role model. How humble and grounded he is - he has the attitude to become a great manager."

• Jan Paul van Hecke, who could make his 50th Premier League appearance this weekend, has been one of the "most underestimated" in the league: "He is not only a player who really wants to develop himself every day, he also has this winning mentality inside him. He is ready to grow and be a leader."

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

Full commentary of Brighton v Crystal Palace from 14:00 on Sunday on BBC Radio 5 Live

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Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma has progressed the ball furthest upfield of any non-defender in the Premier League this season (1,899 metres).

He has made 79 progressive carries of 10 metres or more, which is the second-most of any player in the league behind Kyle Walker-Peters of Southampton (80).

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On this week's Albion Unlimited podcast former Brighton player Warren Aspinall praised the performance of summer arrival Mats Wieffer in Sunday's draw at Leicester City.

"He is an excellent player. After that 45 minutes [against Leicester] I want him in there week in and week out," said Aspinall.

The Dutch international won more duels than any other Brighton player (seven) in his 45 minute appearance and provided the assist for Yankuba Minteh to score the side's second goal of the game.

Aspinall added: "You don't see many midfielders nowadays that can do box to box, but he is one of them.

"He can sit in front of the back four and cover across if the centre backs go forward, he can do all of that, but I want to see him getting into the box more."

Wieffer has played just 409 minutes so far in the Premier League this season, having seen his pre-season hampered by an injury picked up at the European Championships in the summer.

However the Dutchman's display at King Power Stadium demonstrated that he is starting to find his feet in the Premier League.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Brighton's 23-year-old Brazil forward Joao Pedro is a priority signing for Liverpool next season. (Universo Online in Portuguese – subscription required), external

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

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On the latest episode of BBC Radio Sussex's Albion Unlimited podcast, former Brighton player Warren Aspinall discussed the side's concerning trend of dropping points from winning positions in the Premier League this season.

Fabian Hurzeler's side held a two-goal lead heading into the final 10 minutes at Leicester on Sunday, but were made to settle for a point after the home side scored two late goals.

"If you want to make it into Europe, top teams don't drop points like this. It is about game management, isn't it?" said Aspinall.

"14 points [dropped] is the most in the Premier League. We are top of that league and we don't want to be. It is not like we were winning 1-0 or 2 - we are two clear goals in front with four minutes to go against Leicester. Wolves was different because it was 90 minutes played, but it is about game management."

Brighton have taken the lead in 12 league games so far this season, but have only won six of them, drawing four and losing two.

Up next for Hurzeler's side is the visit of rivals Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

BBC Sport, with the help of data from website Premier Injuries, external, has taken a look at which side has suffered most from injuries this season.

Fabian Hurzeler has had a tough start in English football from an injury perspective - although his side sitting seventh in the Premier League table suggests he is more than capable of coping with it.

West Ham fans may be even more frustrated about their season when they learn that they have had the least amount of injury setbacks in the top flight.

Comparing the injury situation now with the same stage last season, the overall numbers are actually down, according to Ben Dinnery of Premier Injuries Ltd.

"Year on year, there has been about a 20% reduction in the number of injury incidents and about a 30% reduction in the 'burden' on clubs - the amount of days missed by injured players," he said.

His data is calculated from the opening day of the season, so players who were already injured going into the campaign - such as the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries to Brentford's Rico Henry, Aston Villa's Tyrone Mings and Brighton's Solly March - do not count.

"Perhaps the narrative [of an increase in injuries] is driven by some high-profile managers and the prominence of major injuries to higher-status players, such as Manchester City's Rodri," Dinnery added.

"The injury narrative is not being pushed by Kieran McKenna at Ipswich or Brighton's Fabian Hurzeler.

"They are not using their sidelined players as excuses, even though Ipswich have lost some huge players as they try to adapt to the intensity and rigours of Premier League football.

"Brighton didn't have a great record last year, but had European football to contend with. The headline numbers are one thing, but football is a contact sport. Perhaps it is testament to their recruitment of a squad with strength and depth that they are still doing well despite the number of injuries."

On the latest episode of BBC Radio Sussex's Albion Unlimited podcast, Brighton defender Tariq Lamptey and midfielder Mats Wieffer speak to Johnny Cantor about their seasons so far.

The Athletic's Crystal Palace journalist Matt Woosnam also joins the show to preview Sunday's game at Amex Stadium.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

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Brighton are set to sign "dynamic midfielder" Diego Gomez from Inter Miami in January.

The Seagulls have agreed a deal for the 21-year-old to join the club from the MLS side for an undisclosed term when the transfer window opens on 1 January.

Gomez began his career with Paraguay side Club Libertad Asuncion, where he scored six goals and provided four assists in 52 appearances after making his debut in May 2022.

He joined Inter Miami in July 2023, where he scored on his MLS debut and has since become a regular in the team, playing 28 times and contributing six goals and seven assists as Miami reached the MLS playoffs and qualified for next summer's Club World Cup.

Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler said: "We're looking forward to working with Diego very soon. He has already made a real impression both at club and international level.

"Like all young players who come to us from abroad he will need a period of adjustment to the Premier League, but I feel he can make a big contribution and I'm looking forward to working with him."

Gomez is a Paraguay international and has picked up nine caps since making his debt in 2022, including taking part with the national side at the 2024 Olympic Games.

Albion's Technical director David Weir added: "We're pleased to welcome Diego to the club, and we believe he will be a very good addition to our squad.

"He's a dynamic midfielder who can contribute goals and assists and we believe his physical profile will be important as he adjusts to the challenge of the Premier League.

"He has only recently finished the MLS campaign so we're confident he will be ready to compete for a place in the squad when he joins us next month."

Scott McCarthy
Fan writer

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What went wrong for Brighton at King Power Stadium? In the immediate aftermath, I had no idea where to even start.

So, to try and fathom how the Albion had thrown away a 2-0 lead with five minutes remaining against relegation-threatened Leicester, we asked the question on the We Are Brighton social media accounts.

Bad substitutions from Fabian Hurzeler? Poor attitude thinking the game was won? Fragile mentality? Lack of leadership? Individual mistakes you cannot legislate for? Or all of the above?

The most common answer was all of the above, suggesting a myriad of problems had littered the Foxes draw. But then Hurzeler came out and said: "Everyone in the stadium thought the game was done."

It was a fascinating comment. I do not believe a single person in the Albion away end thought leading 2-0 with five minutes plus injury time to play meant the game was done.

Even a goldfish has enough memory capacity to recall what happened six weeks earlier, when Brighton led Wolves 2-0 in the 87th minute. Let alone football fans still scarred by a catastrophic collapse that ended in a 2-2 draw.

It is never over in the Premier League until the full-time whistle blows. Hurzeler and Brighton have now found that out twice, contributing towards a grand total of five points out of a possible from 18 from fixtures against Ipswich, Nottingham Forest, Wolves, Southampton, Fulham and Leicester.

Whatever the underlying issues are that prevent Albion beating teams in the bottom half of the table, Hurzeler needs to address them – and fast.

One can only imagine the reaction among Seagulls supporters if there is a repeat when 17th place Crystal Palace visit the Amex on Sunday.

Find more from Scott McCarthy at We Are Brighton, external

West Ham will step up their interest in Brighton striker Evan Ferguson when the January transfer window opens. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer news? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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

Here are some of your comments:

Leicester fans

Vincent: I thought from the offset we looked composed, organised and positive in our play. We looked on par with a very good Brighton team. It looked like we were playing under Enzo again at times. You could see the quality of Brighton and their goals took the wind out of us. Ruud made some astute changes and after Vardy's goal we looked on to get something. I'm glad I stuck around for it! Brilliant!

Lewis: Great game. We lacked a bit pace upfront so the ball over the top was never on, yet we played it over and over again. But some great football out there. Soumare and El Khannouss both played amazing - tracking back and winning it back. Defensively Kristiansen did not do very well with two goals from the left side, though he was played quite high up. Overall we fought to the end and got a point.

Steve: If we had 12 Jamie Vardys we'd be regularly winning the Champions League. The guy's a genius and next to Gordon Banks a deserved club legend.

Brighton fans

Tim: To throw away a two-goal lead to a bottom six side late on - yet again - is a sign of a poorly coached side unfortunately. Hurzeler is not learning from mistakes and is too naive for the Premier League.

Ben: Taking off Ayari and Mitoma was an error. We lost control and gave away two more points. We are looking more like Spurs each day- brilliant one moment but with a soft belly.

James: If we are serious about becoming a team who consistently challenges for European spots then we need to weed out the individual mistakes and complacency that has caused us to throw away two-goal leads to Wolves and Leicester, as well as drawing with lowly Ipswich and Southampton. Beating City, United and Spurs is all well and good but the results against teams we're expected to beat need to follow as well.

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Brighton full-back Tariq Lamptey spoke to BBC Radio Sussex after Sunday's draw against Leicester:

"We're disappointed not to get the game over the line but we take the positives and use it as fuel for the next game.

"It's a problem if you don't create chances. But we are creating them, which is good whether you take them or not. We take responsibility as a team for everybody and we make sure we keep getting in there.

"It's a strong group - we'll keep tight. We know we have quality and what we can achieve. There's not panic or anything. We just need to get our head down and keep working."

Listen to the full interview here

Mark Chapman presents highlights and analysis from Sunday's four Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from the rest of the weekend.

If you missed Match of the Day 2, catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

And you can watch Saturday's Match of the Day here.

Listen back to Sunday's full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Fulham 1-1 Arsenal

• Leicester City 2-2 Brighton

• Tottenham 3-4 Chelsea