New Brighton & Hove Albion manager Fabian Hurzeler has enjoyed a stellar start to life in the Premier League.
After helping St. Pauli secure Bundesliga promotion last term, the 31-year-old tactician joined the Seagulls to replace Roberto De Zerbi in the summer.
Not even the most optimistic Brighton fans could have imagined a better way for Hurzeler to get his maiden experience in top-flight management underway than leading the East Sussex outfit to their best-ever EPL start.
Brighton slumped to a frustrating 1-1 home draw to rock-bottom Southampton.
However, it’s worth mentioning that a controversial VAR call spared the Seagulls’ blushes, denying the Saints a late winner at the Amex Stadium.
That stalemate put Brighton’s 23rd Premier League point on the board, making up for their best-ever point haul after 13 top-flight rounds.
Remarkably, they spent the night in the top two of the top-tier table more than three games into a season for the first time in club history.
With Brighton’s remarkable run of form under Hurzeler, it’s no surprise that Premier League betting on Betway has seen a surge of interest in the Seagulls as potential dark horses for a European spot this season.
Confident travellers
Heading into Thursday’s away encounter against Fulham, Hurzeler’s men occupy an incredible fifth place but can leapfrog Manchester City into third with a win at Craven Cottage.
The German coach addressed the media in the build-up, confirming the club will not rush Solly March’s return from a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
March’s recovery will be a massive boost for the Seagulls, but they’ve fared well without their talismanic midfielder, nonetheless, especially on hostile turf.
After last weekend’s games, only Liverpool and Chelsea have racked up more away victories in the Premier League this season than Brighton’s three (D1, L2).
Incidentally, their only road defeats came at Anfield and Stamford Bridge.
Despite those results, Hurzeler’s men have been phenomenal in high-profile fixtures.
Giant slayers
With a bit of luck, Brighton could’ve toppled Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in August, only for a lack of composure in front of goal to condemn them to a 1-1 draw against the 10-man Gunners.
Hurzeler’s men have been synonymous with wasting clear-cut chances, and they must improve in that area to bolster their hopes of bettering the club’s best-ever sixth-placed finish in the Premier League.
Capturing the signature of Flamengo prodigy Matheus Goncalves could help the club in the long run amid speculation over the 15-year-old’s switch to East Sussex.
Hailed for his ‘incredible left foot,’ the Brazilian youngster could join the club in the January transfer window.
Goncalves’ compatriot, Joao Pedro, has settled well at the Amex, where he inspired Brighton to a 2-1 triumph against Manchester United in August.
United’s crosstown rivals Manchester City encountered the same fate here as Hurzeler’s side pulled off a sensational second-half comeback to claim a 2-1 win last month.
Finally, Brighton outscored another direct European rival, Tottenham Hotspur, running out 3-2 victors in a five-game thriller on home turf in October.
What to improve?
Hurzeler’s frontline has run like clockwork, bagging 22 goals in 13 matches.
Often quick out of the blocks, the Seagulls have taken a half-time lead in a joint-league high eight games this term.
That’s largely thanks to their free-firing attack.
But there’s ample room for improvement at the back as they’ve failed to keep a clean sheet in top-flight action since a 1-0 win at Newcastle United in mid-October.
Brighton’s defensive frailties have seen them register just three league shutouts in 2024/25, highlighting the importance of shoring up their backline.
If Hurzeler can address this issue, there’s no doubt the Seagulls could aim for what would be a sensational top-four finish.
