Brighton’s brilliant Danny Welbeck is fulfilling five-word Ferguson prediction 13 years later | OneFootball

There is a sense that Fabian Hurzeler is simply awestruck at the mere thought and sight of people older than him still being good at football, like the teenager at five-a-side made to look foolish after underestimating his mate’s slightly chubby, entirely greying dad.

It would explain a great deal of his season spent courting the most absurdly boring record-breaking controversy imaginable by thwarting the world’s Gareth Barry truthers and placing James Milner on a curious pedestal, often seemingly at the actual expense of Brighton themselves.

“It’s his effort, how he behaves as a professional,” certainly reads like a Hurzeler quote on Milner. “He is there for the team on and off the pitch. It is no coincidence when you see him working.

“I have worked with him now for almost two years. He seems to be in his best shape ever and therefore it is no coincidence, because how hard he works is just impressive.

“The medical team do a great job, together with his team-mates. He always tries to push himself.”

The only thing missing is a reference to the 40-year-old being a “role model”.

But those words were reserved for Danny Malbec, the fine wine defying accepted career trajectories and producing his best performances at 35.

The consummate squad option for elite clubs has seamlessly transitioned into a reliable line-leader, a step or two down from Your Arsenals and Your Manchester Uniteds Of This World.

When Welbeck joined Brighton, Graham Potter said he would “complement our existing striking options”.

Five and a half years later, the thought of him merely supplementing Neal Maupay, Aaron Connolly, Leandro Trossard, Percy Tau and Alireza Jahanbakhsh is mildly absurd.

The complement has become the complete centre-forward. A player without whom Brighton would feel lost going forward.

Welbeck’s first two contracts with the Seagulls were for just 12 months each. That he has since signed a pair of two-year renewals and ought to be offered the same length of deal again soon is testament to his enduring excellence.

It is rare for a player’s first ten-goal season to arrive in his mid-30s. It is unprecedented, certainly in the Premier League, to repeat the feat in consecutive campaigns.

The touch and finish to beat the watchful Murillo, Ibrahim Sangare and then keeper Matz Sels was exceptional and worthy of the feat.

One more goal in Brighton’s final ten games would make this Welbeck’s best scoring return in a single Premier League season.

Sir Alex Ferguson once dismissed concerns over his output, Welbeck having scored a single goal as Manchester United were crowned champions in 2013.

The Scot predicted then that Welbeck would “eventually become a regular goalscorer”. Ferguson probably didn’t have 13 years down the line in mind at the time, but still.