How Fabian Hurzeler and Brighton turned their season around in just 41 days | OneFootball

Forty-one days after a 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace left Brighton 14th and sections of the Amex booing, Fabian Hurzeler’s side beat Liverpool 2-1 and are back chasing Europe with four wins in five.

That run featured victories over Brentford, Nottingham Forest, Sunderland and Liverpool, with only a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal interrupting momentum. “The learning process was that we didn’t play better, we just managed the game better, the key moments of the game better. It wasn’t that difficult, because I am very convinced about what I am doing and my principles,” said Hurzeler, speaking to The Athletic.

The reset began after Palace, when a darts tournament led by James Milner and a stay at St George’s Park helped tighten bonds. Captain Lewis Dunk felt the extra time together strengthened camaraderie.

Results did not flip immediately, with a 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa and a 3-0 FA Cup exit at Liverpool following an earlier 2-1 win at Manchester United in round three. A 2-0 victory at Brentford then kick-started the surge, driven by veterans Milner, Pascal Gross, Dunk and Danny Welbeck. Milner, 40, made his record 654th Premier League appearance, Welbeck has scored four in this sequence, Dunk has two clean sheets, and Gross added an assist and a Germany recall.

Hurzeler advanced Jack Hinshelwood into the No 10 role behind Welbeck, and the 20-year-old set up winners against Forest and Liverpool. Even after Dunk’s back-header gifted Liverpool’s equaliser to Milos Kerkez, Welbeck settled it.

A consistent back four in front of Bart Verbruggen has underpinned the revival, with Mats Wieffer at right-back, Ferdi Kadioglu on the left and Jan Paul van Hecke alongside Dunk. Dunk is banned for the next two matches after a 10th booking for time-wasting. Kaoru Mitoma and Carlos Baleba returned as late substitutes against Liverpool, and Solly March has minutes with the under-21s.

Source: NY Times