Alexis Mac Allister agrees with Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola’s assessment that Albion are the best team in the Premier League at playing out from defence.
Guardiola heaped praise on Roberto De Zerbi’s players last week when he said, "The best team at making the build-up in the world is Brighton. There is no team better that make the process to get the goalkeeper to bring the ball into to the last quarter."
Our Argentinian World Cup winner puts that down to De Zerbi’s influence.
“I agree [with Guardiola]! I think we do it quite well but Roberto deserves this [recognition],” Mac Allister said. “Since he came here, we build up from the back and we work on it almost the whole week so it is nice that a coach like Pep Guardiola said it. At the same time, we know and we think we can do it even better.”
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Alexis will be hoping he and his teammates can build on their 2-1 win over Chelsea on Saturday – Albion’s first ever league victory at Stamford Bridge – when they take on Manchester United in the Emirates FA Cup semi-final on Sunday.
De Zerbi confirmed Evan Ferguson will miss the game after the Irishman picked up an ankle injury, but Albion have some great forward options in the Danny Welbeck, who scored Albion's equaliser, and the emerging Julio Enciso.
The Paraguayan scored a phenomenal winning goal against Chelsea and Mac Allister was suitably impressed.
JuliOH MY WORD! 🚀 @JulioEnciso33 💎
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) April 17, 2023
“When I see him, I see myself. When I came here, it wasn’t easy. The language, the culture, everything is different. It’s not easy when you don’t play so I try to speak with him every day to see how he feels and push him to train better and try his best.
“After you win something or score you are in a good moment, but you have to keep going. This is the time for him to realise he needs to work even harder.
“I don’t need to say good things about him because everyone saw what he can do [against Chelsea] so there is no point. But I will keep speaking with him, trying to tell him he needs to focus on the next game and do his best.”