News

Potter: We know what we have to do

Albion head coach with defiant message ahead of restart.

By Alex Stedman • 18 June 2020

By Paul Hazlewood
Albion head coach Graham Potter.

Graham Potter says both himself and his players are under no illusions as to what they need to over the course of the next five weeks.

The Seagulls begin their remaining nine matches against Arsenal at the Amex this Saturday, and the boss was in buoyant mood as he assessed the challenges they face to preserve Premier League status.

He said, “There is a big job to be done, but we know that responsibility and the challenge. 

“Premier League games are tough so we have to play well, we have to fight, do our best, focus on the things we can control and just play football as well as we can. 

“If we do that I think we can get the job done, but we know it’s a big challenge.”

17:13

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Potter's Arsenal Press Conference

All 92 remaining Premier League matches this season will be played behind closed doors. 

Potter admitted that the absence of supporters would be noticed but challenged his players to deal with what is aunique scenario. 

"In terms of the environment, it’s completely different,” he added. 

“You can’t even say chalk and cheese, can you? It’s even further away than that. Thirty-thousand people getting behind the team creates a noise and an atmosphere that won’t be there, it’s as simple as that. 

“Home advantage? Of course everyone would say you’d rather play Liverpool without the Kop there because that’s how much supporters play a part in the game. 

“But we know that’s not going to be an excuse for us. We know the circumstances and what we have been through as a country and as a sport, we have to play with no supporters. 

“Who knows how it will go? I think you probably lose a bit of the home advantage, but even that’s caveated with if the home supporters are really behind you. 

“Sometimes you can play at home and it can be nervy and tense and that can maybe not help. 

“There are lots of variables I don’t necessarily worry about too much. We know we are going to play with no supporters - we have to get on with it.”