Potter: Post lockdown form kept us up

Albion boss Graham Potter says the way his side have played since the restart is the main reason they have secured Premier League football for another season.

A point against Newcastle from Monday’s 0-0 draw saw Albion move up to 38 points for the campaign, a tally that means they are now safe from the drop with the final game of the season at Burnley on Sunday to come.

Potter said, “You can talk about performances, but it’s about getting the points you need and getting over the line. We wanted to do it on our terms and get the points and not rely on anybody else.

“It wasn’t a classic by any stretch of the imagination but I am so proud of how the players responded to the lockdown period and to how we have approached this unique situation. We’ve got the job done and we’re very proud to be in the Premier League next year.

“We always try and have the same approach in terms of balance between attack and defence, but at the same time you know you’re coming to a unique situation.

“There’s no crowd, drinks breaks and five subs so it’s a completely unique environment that we have had to adapt to.

“Two points above the relegation zone when we restarted, with Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool at home, if you looked at it from the outside, you’d probably think ‘Brighton are in a bit of trouble here.’

“So credit to the players, they focused on what we need to do, got the balance right in terms of getting the points and we’re delighted.”

Looking back over the 90 minutes against Newcastle, Potter felt his side struggled to make the breakthrough in the final third.

He added, “There weren’t too many clear-cut chances to be fair. It was a game that lacked quality – Newcastle played with a back five and defended deep.

“With the attacking players they’ve got in Almiron and Saint-Maximin they’re dangerous if you lose the ball, so there was probably a little bit of that in how we approached our play. We tried, but we lacked a bit of quality in the final third.”