Every word from Fabian Hurzeler ahead of Sunderland away

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The German's team will be looking to bounce back from last week's defeat to Arsenal.

2026-03-13T13:15+00:00

Fabian Hurzeler's team are 14th in the Premier League. 📸 by Paul Hazlewood.

Fabian Hurzeler was asked about his comments regarding Arsenal, as well as possible suspensions for himself and Lewis Dunk, in Friday morning's press conference.

Can we start with team news for your trip to Sunderland – how’s Kaoru Mitoma?

We have to see how training goes today [Friday]. He's the only player where we have some concerns, so we have to wait until training has finished today and then we can make a decision about that. All the others will be fine.

So given that he's going to train today, that's a good sign. It's not as bad as it potentially could have been?

No, it's not as bad. The scan showed no injury so it's just a question of pain and if you can handle it or not.

And what about your captain, Lewis Dunk, he obviously didn't play against Arsenal. Is he going to be available?

Yes, he will be an option.

Solly March as well?

Everyone is back. The only injury concern we have to deal with is what I mentioned.

Kaoru obviously missed two and a half months earlier in the season with an ankle injury. Is this a separate injury? Is it on his same ankle?

Honestly, it's no injury, so we had a scan, everything is fine. Therefore it's just a painful thing he suffered and it’s just a case of overcoming this pain. It has nothing to do with his old injury.

So you'd expect him to probably be ready for the international break to meet up with Japan, with important games against England and Scotland?

I think so.

Evan Ferguson had surgery this week on his ankle. Have you spoken to him since that?

I will speak to him to today because I think that he has received a lot of messages and I want everything to calm down, then I will speak to him today or tomorrow. I spoke to him before the surgery and I want to give him some time. It's not great news for us or him. It's bad for everyone. But I'm a hundred percent sure that he will come back stronger and we will give him the support he needs, but I'm a hundred percent sure that he has the attitude and mindset to come back stronger. Hopefully it doesn't take that long.

Does he have a future at Brighton, long term?

Yes, every player who has a contract has a future. We all know what Evan is capable of doing. He proved it so many times playing for this club. He had some really good games for Roma, he scored some goals. We are all happy for when he’s back because then he can have a big impact on our game.

You made some comments about Arsenal’s tactics. You talked about their time wasting. Do you still stand by what you said after that game?

Mikel Arteta's Arsenal are top of the Premier League. 📸 by Paul Hazlewood.

Yes, I think it's very important to say one thing about that and I said it in a press conference before the game, that I really admire what Arsenal have achieved so far this season. I really admire seeing Mikel Arteta, his team, his players and all the staff with how they work. And I will be the first one who will congratulate them if they win the Premier League. I didn't want to upset anyone – the staff or the players. But on the other side, I will stick to my thoughts that some things I wasn't happy about and that night, all the numbers give me the confirmation about what I was saying afterwards regarding time wasting. I think we just need to find clear rules about that.

But again it's very important for me and I also said it to Mikel afterwards, then during the week, that I really admire his work. I really admire what Arsenal are doing and therefore I didn't want to create that noise. I just wanted to make my point about how I was feeling. But it has nothing to do with what Arsenal and Mikel Arteta has achieved with his players – that's just incredible, very impressive. And I said it before the press conference that Arteta is, for me, one of the best managers in the world. I see him as a role model, but I think it's still very important in life to say your opinion, to not hide your opinion. Even though we are a smaller club, I think we also should do it because that evening we tried hard to win the game. We faced an Arsenal team that are different things. The next time we have to find a way to beat them and therefore it will be a different challenge.

But it was important for me to say that I have big respect for everything, for everyone who's involved in their achievements this season so far. But I think it's also on the other side, very important to share an opinion I have inside of me and to stick to my principles.

Did you reach out to Mikel Arteta after what you said? You said you had another conversation with him after the game?

It's nothing personal and I have said it before that I have huge respect and I see him as one of the top managers in the Premier League. I love to see them playing and I also admire a lot of elements of what they're doing. I texted him and I said the same thing to him as well, that I have huge respect for everyone from Arsenal and that I will be the first person to congratulate him when they win the Premier League because if they win it, they definitely deserve it. But on the other side, they're just things that made me emotional. I'm a person who sticks to my principles. I'm a person who sticks to my opinion, although it created a lot of noise. But I think that's also important in life no matter for who you are working for, to stand by your opinion. But on the other side I just told Mikel that I admire what Arsenal are doing and his work and our mutual respect. Nothing should stand in between of us.

Do you think that your comments perhaps united some of the fans or some of the few that perhaps were quite critical of you? Maybe they thought they'd seen another side of you, they've seen a bit more of a passionate Fabian Hurzeler?

I'm always passionate. I think Andy [Naylor], you made an article about my yellow cards! I think it shows that I'm passionate about this club. I want to achieve things for this club. I want to be there for the supporters. I always try to get the best out of this club and I want to have a good connection to the supporters. I know they are critical when we don't have a good run, and they can be critical. But what's always important for me is that I'm standing on the sideline for the club, I'm standing there for supporters and I try to get the best for them. I try to get a good result together with my team, so that they can enjoy the weekend, and that's what I'm standing for. So I wouldn't say that you saw a different person. I'm always very passionate. I love this game. I love working for Brighton, I love wearing the Seagulls’ colours and I will always be a hundred percent passionate about this club, maybe sometime too much regarding the yellow cards I have already received. But that's what I can always promise and what I always commit, that I'm more than a hundred percent Brighton and I want to achieve great things for this club together with the supporters.

There's been a lot of debate this week about the performance of the Premier League clubs in Europe, in the Champions League. I just wondered what your own take on that was, given the fact you were a former Bayern Munich youth player and managed in Bundesliga.2. Do you think that the standard of the performances by the Premier League clubs, maybe we aren’t as good as we think we are?

No. I completely disagree. I watched a lot of the games, the Premier League clubs played and we can go through every individual and I saw a lot of good performances. So just say we looked at the Newcastle game. I think they had a great performance. They were leading until the last action of the game. These show the small margins that can make the difference in the Champions League and you have to pay attention for 95, 96 minutes. But I'm not into this discussion that the standards from the Premier League has decreased. There was one match day, I would say one week where the results didn't go in the favour of the English clubs, but I'm a hundred percent sure in one week it can look different and then we won't have this discussion anymore. I'm a hundred percent convinced that all the Premier League clubs will bounce back and all the coaches will find good solutions in the second leg. Let's see how the results will go in the next week. But I'm still a hundred percent convinced that this league is definitely the best league.

When you messaged Mikel, did he reply?

Yes, I think we had a good exchange before in general. Also afterwards, of course, he shared his opinion. I shared my opinion, but in the end it's football – it's about emotions, it's about everyone. I admire his work and we are still in a good exchange and therefore I wish Arsenal and him all the best.

You mentioned the passion you have earlier, you’re one yellow card away from a two-game ban in the remaining matches…

I'm doing well at the moment, so I think we shouldn't open this topic up because if you open it, it might happen. But I take care of myself. I take care of my behaviour. Again, it's something where I definitely need to improve. I try to improve, I try to work on it and it's not something that happens overnight, but I think it shows my passion for the game, for the club.

Lewis Dunk is also in a similar position – at risk of a two-game ban. Is that something that's going to have to come into consideration for the next few games until Burnley away?

Lewis Dunk could make his 500th start for Albion. 📸 by Paul Hazlewood.

No. We try to get him on the pitch. I think he's experienced enough to handle these kinds of situations. He's my captain, he's my leader. He will always be on the pitch if he's a hundred percent fit. So we don't try to manage his minutes, only if he has some problems with his body. But overall, I've picked him because I believe in him, that he can handle this kind of situation. If it happens, we have players who can replace him.

If he does start tomorrow, it'll be his 500th start for the club. So that shows how important he is to you and the team.

Definitely. And I think especially in the last weeks his performances have even improved and therefore it shows that he's not done yet. I'm pleased that just two, three days ago I had a conversation with him that I don't take these things for granted what he's doing for the club. He suffers, he has some problems with his knees but he's always there for the club and that's something what we also shouldn’t take for granted. He proved that with the performances and that shows that he's on the right way.

In terms of Sunderland, did you watch their FA Cup game against Port Vale?

Yes. We watched it and we try to get the right conclusions out of it, but I think it's very difficult to compare a cup game with a Premier League game, we expect a completely different opponent. We expect a loud stadium. We expect an opponent with a lot of self-confidence because they have had a really good season. So that's a big challenge.

They're on 40 points. Their manager, Regis Le Bris doesn't think they're safe yet. Brighton are on 37. In terms of relegation or where you could finish this season, where do you think you are about now?

Regis Le Bris has won 35 games of his 84 in charge of Sunderland. 📸 by Paul Hazlewood.

I think it's not about watching the table. It's really about going game by game. We have nine games left. We should focus on our performances. Regarding performances, we are definitely on the right way. Tomorrow it's a different challenge in a different environment, to show again that we can bring the highest standards on the pitch and that we can do the basic things right. This will be another opportunity tomorrow where we have to focus on us, on performing well and then we will get the results we deserve.

A few games ago, there were boos from some sections of the home crowd at the Amex. It's been announced this week that a large proportion of fans have renewed their season tickets for next season. Does that give you the belief that you have actually got the majority of people behind you?

I think it's important to understand that everyone is allowed to share their emotions in our stadium because we want fans that are passionate. We want the fans that share their opinion. If I do bad things, if we are on a bad run, I'm responsible for that and the fans can criticize me. But I felt, for example, against Arsenal that we created a really good atmosphere. We created an atmosphere where the opponents don't want to come to our stadium. They try to do different things to win this game. That shows that if we stick together, if we are all connected to each other, we can be a stadium, we can be a club, that no one wants to play at or against. And that's something we all have to create. That's something where I need the fans. And I mentioned this time wasting thing before the game against Arsenal and immediately recognised that the fans were behind it and they got after it. That's something that gave us so much energy. And if the fans listen to this press conference, I want them to know that I am grateful and thankful that they created this environment. That's something we have to keep working on. Sharing emotion, sharing opinions is definitely good, but if they create this energy together with us, if we create this energy in the stadium, then we can be a stadium where no one wants to travel to. That's my goal to get with the fans to achieve these things. Everyone who's traveling to Sunderland already now, I know that the support will be incredible and we are grateful for that. When we have the next home game, we all together should create an environment where no one wants to come into our stadium. That's something that we have to see as long-term goal as this club together with the fans. I'm really happy that you mentioned this information that a lot of supporters renewed their season tickets and will continue the support of us.

Jack Hinshelwood has signed a new contract. Talk to us a little bit about him, his roles this season and how you see his future.

Jack Hinshelwood's new contract runs until June 2029. 📸 by James Boardman.

I think we saw a really good version of Jack Hinshelwood in the last game. We saw what he's capable of doing. He can create a lot of danger with his understanding of the game. He can create a lot of danger attacking the box. He has had a lot of game time in the last matches and therefore he also a good understanding of defending, of attacking and of pressing in the right way. We are all pleased that he signed a new contract. I'm very happy to work with him and hopefully that's just the beginning of a long journey.

We see from a lot of successful clubs how if they keep players for a long period of time, it can help build. When you look at Lewis Dunk and Solly March, could Jack Hinshelwood have that longevity, do you think?

Yes, definitely.

And what makes you say that?

He's a Brighton kid. He went through the academy. He has the right values in his character. He always puts the team first. He always puts the club first. And I think these are the values that Solly March and Lewis Dunk have. These are also the values that Jack Hinshelwood has. On top of that, he's a really good football player.

Just finally from me, do you have a bit of sympathy for Olivier Boscagli this season because he did really well in the game against Arsenal and obviously he's fighting for a place where you've got two centre-backs who are your first choice?

Yes, definitely. And I'm really happy with how he's doing at the moment, how he's acting. He can be very disappointed because he's not starting every game, but he's doing well when he plays the game. I'm pleased with how he behaves. I'm pleased that he puts the team first, that he understands the situation and is trying to keep improving in every training session. I am a hundred percent convinced at one point the chance will be there, the opportunity will be there where he will play several games in the season. He has to be ready for that. That's his job at the moment, that he tries to be in the best shape if the chance is there so that he's immediately ready to take it. We know what he's capable of doing. We know and he already proved it this season that he can help us as a team, but now he has to wait for his opportunity.