Dreadful form, daunting run-in… shellshocked Brighton are in a fight for survival

Chris Hughton spent Sunday picking over Saturday’s humiliating 5-0 defeat to Bournemouth with his Brighton players and hopes the shock of that loss will galvanise them ahead of tonight’s highly-charged meeting with Cardiff City at the Amex Stadium.

Victory for Hughton’s side will move them eight points clear of Neil Warnock’s team, who lie third bottom, but a third successive home defeat will leave Albion positioned precariously just two points above the relegation zone ahead of a daunting run-in.

The Albion manager held a meeting to go over Saturday’s horror show and he acknowledged the manner of his side’s defeat was a gift to Warnock, his opposite number, as both men attempt to gain an edge in a game that will have a major influence the outcome of the relegation battle.

Premier League relegation battle

“If we were playing a team that was on the back of a poor performance then I would be doing everything I could to give my players the confidence of going there and getting a result,” said Hughton. “But that’s management.” He added: “I wouldn’t say it was a calm meeting because it’s about opinions. Sometimes the difference between getting beat big and getting beat not so big, means you can put more emphasis on what the players need to do.

“It can be that we need a bigger reaction because we were that bad on Saturday that we have no choice but to be a lot better. There was a lot wrong and they will have to make amends for it.”
Brighton’s efforts weren’t helped by the dismissal of Anthony Knockaert and Hughton warned that his side cannot afford another slip in discipline in what will inevitably be a tense atmosphere.

“It’s hugely important,” he added. “It’s important that we keep our composure, that we stick to a game plan and it’s important that we don’t allow ourselves to get frustrated.”

Warnock, whose side lost 2-0 at Burnley, turned to Tiger Woods and the 43-year-old’s unlikely comeback victory in the Masters in his efforts to inspire his players to a win that would revive their hopes of avoiding an immediate return to the Championship.

Remaining fixtures

“We just have to look at the golf and at what Tiger has done – amazing,” Warnock said. “Nobody gave him a chance either; he has been written off that many times, and we have.

“Obviously, over the last few weeks we have felt sorry for ourselves a few times. We haven’t got time to do that [at Brighton] and if it’s not good enough then we accept it. But this is an opportunity to give ourselves a chance till the end of the season. We have to grab that.”

Acknowledging that this game represents his side’s best chance, he added: “Yes, I think you can say that. I thought we had to beat Burnley and Brighton if I am honest, so we are already one down. So it becomes even more important for both teams.”