Fabian Hurzeler believes Brighton are riding a wave of confidence after two impressive away victories ahead of their showdown with Arsenal.
The Seagulls have suddenly found their rhythm, scoring five goals against Coventry last Sunday before producing another comeback victory in midweek.
Brighton fell 2-0 behind against Manchester United in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night but refused to collapse.
Instead, Hurzeler’s side fought back to seal a dramatic 3-2 victory and book their place in the next round.
The results have given Brighton plenty of belief before the champions arrive at the Amex Stadium on Saturday.
Hurzeler believes the team’s recent time on the road has also helped strengthen relationships within his squad, with those connections potentially proving crucial against Arsenal.
“The players are in a good mood. They have a lot of confidence,” he said at a press conference on Friday.
“They have a lot of belief in themselves. They build connections, especially when you have these long away trips.
“We really try to make them connect through games, through conversations, through discussions they have, and I think that’s crucial that we can use this time very effectively because on the pitch in the end it will come back to these things – how strong are the relations, can they trust each other, can they rely on each other? So yes, it’s positive.”
The German coach now wants Brighton to transfer that confidence into another demanding Premier League assignment.
Arsenal will provide a major test, but Brighton head into the fixture with momentum on their side after showing character in their latest two matches.
The comeback against Manchester United was particularly significant.
Going two goals behind could have ended the contest, but Brighton responded strongly and turned the game around. That resilience will be tested again when they face the reigning champions.
Hurzeler also confirmed that Brighton have no fresh injury concerns ahead of the Arsenal clash, giving the manager a strong selection pool for Saturday’s encounter.
There was further good news for Malick Yalcouye, who has earned an international call-up from Ivory Coast following a series of impressive performances.
The youngster’s progress has caught Hurzeler’s attention both on and off the pitch.
“He deserves it,” the German said. “Since he started for pre-season, he made some very impressive performances on the pitch, and also besides the pitch, he’s integrating more and more. And now he gets the the rewards for playing that well.”
Yalcouye’s recognition is another positive development for Brighton, who continue to place significant emphasis on developing young talent.
For Hurzeler, however, the immediate focus is Arsenal.
Brighton’s recent form has created belief inside the dressing room, while their away victories have shown the squad’s ability to respond when games become difficult.
The challenge now is maintaining that mentality against a team with a formidable reputation.
With confidence rising, injuries under control and players increasingly building strong connections, Brighton will enter Saturday’s clash believing they can make life uncomfortable for the champions.
Hurzeler’s side have already shown they can score heavily and recover from difficult situations.
Against Arsenal, they will need both qualities again.
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