Every word from Fabian's pre-Palace press conference

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Albion head to Selhurst Park on Sunday in the Premier League.

2025-11-06T12:45+00:00

Fabian Hurzeler is looking forward to renewing rivalry with Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Can I get up to date with the injury news that you may have? Do you want a list, or do you want to tell me?

I need a list at the moment as there are quite a lot! But we start always with the positive. So, after the game against Leeds, we have no new injury concerns and Joel Veltman will be back as an option so that's a positive. Kaoru Mitoma is very close to being an option so that's a positive. The negatives are that Jack Hinshelwood, James Milner and Brajan Gruda will miss the game.

What’s the likelihood of Mitoma being involved percentage wise?

It's a 50-50. We will see how he does in the training sessions before Sunday but we’re certainly not ruling him out for Palace.

You have been here long enough now to really understand how important this game is for the fans haven't you?

I understood it from the first second and I think it's a big responsibility we have, not only for us but for the whole club to give something back and especially for our supporters. We have to promise to never give up. We have to promise to put the most effort we can into this game and try to do everything to win. In the end, you can't promise wins but you can promise that you will leave your heart on the pitch. That is what we try to do on Sunday.

Does the fact that you are very close to Palace in the Premier League - one place and one point between you - make it even more important?

I would say you shouldn't focus on the table that much at the moment. We are desperate to win this game because it has a big meaning for the fans. The supporters have been great this season home and away so we have a big responsibility to give them something back. Let’s see what happens on Sunday.

Does the fact there were three red cards in the last game against Palace underline the need for your players to control their emotions?

If you are too emotional you can't make the right decisions, therefore we need to find the right balance. We need to have a good start to the game. I think that was something we missed in both [Palace] games last season. We have to go into this game with the right intensity, with the right courage and just continue like we played against Leeds United.

I'm going to ask again about Danny Welbeck and this talk about potentially an England recall. Give us a bit more detail about that vote the players had about whether or not he should be recalled for England.

I think it's very important to have exchanges with each other, to build relationships and therefore we always to start our meeting with a thing that it's ongoing in the media and I asked whether Danny should be in the squad and everyone had the same opinion that he should be – every hand went up. It was a nice discussion but it’s not something we can influence. We can only support Danny and then see what decision Thomas [Tuchel] will make.

We shouldn't focus too much on things we can't control. We should focus on a good training session today, we should focus on preparing well for the game on Sunday.

Would you swap Danny for Jean-Philippe Mateta?

No. Like I always try to emphasise, he (Danny) is a great connector. Beside the pitch he's a great leader. He's a great role model and I think he's in outstanding shape.

Fourteen years ago Danny Welbeck sat on the bench for England alongside Bobby Zamora, who is now the club’s forwards’ coach. What's their relationship like on the training pitch?

First of all Bobby has had a hip surgery as a consequence from his career so we all wish him well in his recovery. They have a lot of exchanges, they do a lot of finishing drills together. When they're outside of the pitch they have a lot of talks. They have a very trustful relationship.

What have you made of how Crystal Palace have developed under Oliver Glasner?

Just impressive. They're very stable in their results. They're difficult to beat. They don't concede a lot of goals. When you can play like this you can win titles. Of course, in some moments you always need luck. They seem to be consistent with their starting XI so most of the time the same players are playing, and they can build a lot of connections on the pitch. That’s a huge advantage for them.

I have a lot of respect for the work of Oliver Glasner, not only for what he achieved with Palace but also with his clubs in Germany where he did a brilliant job. As a young coach it's always helpful to have an exchange with experienced coaches. But like I said, on Sunday I have to fight for Brighton to bring this win back.

How much does a rivalry mean to you as a coach?

I had a lot already at St Pauli and it was always special and was always very big for me, and that's why I really know the importance for the fans. I know it's not just a game for them. Therefore, I can promise them that we will give everything for them to win.

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Now you've experienced being a coach away at Selhurst Park do you prepare for this game any differently?

No, I wouldn't say that you can prepare in an artificial way, as it's difficult to replicate the atmosphere.

For me the most important thing is really focus on the performance: how we defend, how we defend set pieces, how we are mentally prepared. If we play with the same effort we showed against Leeds, if we have this readiness and if we have this togetherness, then we have a big chance to win this game.

No one has scored more goals in the Premier League in the last eight games than Brighton. How much confidence does that give you that you can break down a defensive unit that has been very strong this season?

I think the main thing will be to fight again for the clean sheet, to defend the set pieces well, to be good in counter attacking because I think they're really strong when they win the ball and they try to attack through Mateta and with their fast wingers. I think they're one of the best teams in set pieces, not only corners and free kicks but throw-ins are a big part of their game.

So we must be prepared for that and then I'm sure when in we are possession that we will find solutions.

Stefanos Tzimas was named in the senior Greece squad this week. How much have you enjoyed working with him so far? And how excited are you by his potential?

He's had a little bit of game time in the Premier League. I'm excited about his development. When he first came here he suffered he wasn't ready for the intensity and for the demands we have. And now he's adapting quickly and he's doing well. And that's what I always say. If you show us in training that you’re ready to play in the Premier League, then of course you will deserve a chance.

And that's the same for Tommy Watson and Babis [Kostoulas]. They are progressing well, they are doing well. And if we see consistently in training then for sure they will get more and more game time. And then they can have a big impact on our game. They all have big potential. They can be huge players for Brighton in the future, but we have to do it step by step.

For Stef, that's a big honour so I'm very happy for him and it should also give him an understanding of what it needs to get the rewards and to make the next step. Every young player needs to understand this.