Brighton secured a 1-0 victory over Manchester City at the Etihad on Saturday, a result that propelled them to third in the Premier League table with the league's best goal difference. The win came just days after a penalty-shootout defeat to City in the Carabao Cup and followed a 2-0 loss to Liverpool, leading many to believe their impressive start to the season had stalled.
Returning to the Etihad for the second time in four days, Fabian Hurzeler's side took an early lead through Yasin Ayari's goal on 11 minutes and defended resolutely to secure the win. The result underscores the club's consistent management and recruitment, with no one surprised by their form despite the summer departures of Jan Paul van Hecke, Carlos Baleba and Danny Welbeck.
Old-school approach pays off
Hurzeler, at 33, is regarded as one of Europe's promising managers, but he emphasises traditional football values over modern innovation. After Brighton's 3-0 win over Arsenal in September, he told talkSPORT: "We wanted to win the small battles first. What I mean is win the first header, win the first tackle, win the first throw-in, win the first corner. It sounds a little bit old school but it really was our approach because when you win these small battles, then you grow into the game."
Following the victory against City, the German reiterated this philosophy, saying: "There's an old phrase: defence wins you battles and wins you championships."
Hurzeler's future and title hopes
Despite speculation linking him to a potential vacancy at Manchester United, where Michael Carrick's position is precarious, it is understood Hurzeler would reject an approach, having no plans to leave Brighton imminently. From a sporting perspective, staying on the south coast offers the chance to continue his work, with Brighton having a serious opportunity in the UEFA Conference League and a realistic shot at a top-five Premier League finish.
The alignment between Brighton's boardroom and pitch is something clubs like United can only dream of, and with many of the traditional top sides in transition, there may be no better moment for an outsider to challenge for the title. Whether Brighton can emulate Leicester City's title triumph remains to be seen, but the current partnership with Hurzeler appears a perfect match.
