Hurzeler Tells Brighton Fans to Celebrate After 5-0 Palace Derby Rout
Brighton have surged into third place after crushing Crystal Palace 5-0 in Sunday’s derby, and Fabian Hurzeler has told supporters to celebrate the result rather than start studying the Premier League table.
Key takeaways
- Brighton scored three times inside the first 10 minutes against their rivals.
- Jaydee Canvot’s own goal opened the scoring before Diego Gomez struck from the halfway line.
- Yasin Ayari, Charalampos Kostoulas and Jack Hinshelwood also found the net.
- The Seagulls have taken 16 points from their opening seven league matches.
- Crystal Palace remain on seven points, with Pierre Sage accepting responsibility for the performance.
Hurzeler demands focus after derby rout
Brighton briefly moved up to second with their emphatic home victory, but Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest later left Hurzeler’s team third.
The manager urged fans to enjoy a huge derby-day result without getting carried away by the early standings. He said supporters should put away their phones, enjoy the evening, have a beer or another drink, and proudly wear the club’s colours.
Hurzeler insisted league positions are not currently part of his thinking. Results can bring immediate praise or criticism, he said, but Brighton can only control the level of their display.
His message inside the club is unchanged regardless of form: improve performances, develop the players and continue progressing as a team. Hurzeler believes the priority now is reviewing the Palace win, recovering properly and preparing for Thursday’s next assignment.
Palace apology and Brighton’s demanding run
Palace manager Sage apologised to the travelling fans after his side were overwhelmed from the opening stages. He said the team did not perform at the expected standard and failed to grasp the significance of the occasion.
Sage said he could not explain what had happened, but accepted that his players did not show up in a match that mattered deeply to the club and its supporters.
Brighton now switch to Conference League action against Czech side Jablonec on Thursday. They then travel to Anfield to face Liverpool next weekend.
October concludes with a double meeting against table leaders Manchester City, with Enzo Maresca’s side scheduled to face Brighton in both the FA Cup and Premier League.
