Sussex

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Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler speaking to TNT Sports: "We did not play on our highest level, Jablonec defended well and defend box well, good movement in transition. Overall not the result we wanted, but we have to keep going.

"If you play 0-0 then you didn't create enough, that's definitely something we have to get better at. We have to understand what it needs to play in this cup, understand we have to be brilliant at the basics. We weren't good at the basics today, that's something we have to improve."

On why his team couldn't find a way through: "Good defending, crosses not where we wanted to have them. The precision in the last action was missing, that's something we have to improve.

"The longer the game got, the more space they had to make transitions. We tried to push hard for scoring the goal and of course they had the space to make counter movements. In certain moments we were lucky.

"We always learn, I think it's important to take things away from this game and improve in the next game. There is no time for a lot of disappointment, we have to focus on the next game."

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

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Come back to this page on Friday to find a selection of your replies.

There are 18 games in both the Europa League and the Conference League on Thursday - with Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Sunderland involved in the former, and Brighton the latter - and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Jablonev v Brighton (17:45)

• Lech Poznan v Sunderland (17:45)

• Besiktas v Crystal Palace

• Bournemouth v AC Milan

Kick-off times 20:00 BST unless stated. See the fixture list in full here

Follow all of the action and reaction here

New this season: Live match updates

Fans of Premier League clubs can now get real-time scores live on their phone lock screen for every game.

Simply follow your favourite football teams on the BBC Sport app for updates throughout the 2026-27 season.

Find out more here

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New this season: Match of the Day Predictor

Simply predict the outcome of the six fixtures we've selected from across domestic and European competitions every week.

Players can join at any time, get involved with the latest round and start building a streak.

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You can find the predictor in the navigation bar at the top of this page, or on this link

Sheffield United legend Billy Sharp joins the pod following his retirement after a 22-year-long career. He tells us what made him an EFL bagsman and how he knew it was time to hang up the boots.

Burnley have not won at home in the league for an entire year- how real is the threat of back-to-back relegation? What's the root of their problem?

Where's it going wrong at Derby County and Norwich City?

Plus, there's been a sacking in League Two: having been let go by Crawley Town, what next for Colin Kazim-Richards?

Listen to the full episode above or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has been speaking to the media before Thursday's Conference League game against Jablonec at Stadion Steelnice (kick-off 17:45 BST).

• Pascal Struijk is out but will be back in contention "quickly", while Femi Azeez is still injured and his return remains unclear at this stage.

• Asked about the wider health of his squad, the Brighton boss said "everything is fine".

• Hurzeler said his side will not "underestimate anyone" as they face Czech side Jablonec in their second Conference League match, adding: "We know we have to play at our highest level. Jablonec won against Rangers and played a really good game last week against Freiburg."

• Excluding the Conference League qualifiers, Jablonec are winless in their last six games in the third tier European competition, conceding at least once in each of those games. But Hurzeler said: "We watched these kinds of games, and we saw that they are a team that try to build from the back. They want to play football, and they have good individual quality."

• Asked if Premier League clubs are a big target when playing in Europe, Hurzeler offered: "For a lot of opponents, playing us might be the game of their lives. Our mindset has to be right. If you think 90% is enough, you have no chance. The mindset must be that this is another great opportunity to show our principles, style of play and standards. Every individual must go onto the pitch wanting to play the best game of their life. If we get a good team performance, we have a chance to win."

• The German boss praised his staff for Brighton's emphatic start to the season, as they have scored 23 goals in their last seven games, stating: "All my staff do a great job in the shadows because I think no one sees how much effort they put into planning these kinds of trips so well."

• Hurzeler added: "Hopefully, we have a lot of games, so there has to be a long-term plan, there has to be a mid-term and also short-term plan, and therefore, I'm really pleased with how everyone sticks together, how everything is planned. Of course, there has to be a lot of planning in different departments, not only regarding organisation, also my analysis department, the medical department. Everyone who's involved in our journey has to play a big part in it, and they all do a great job so far. Hopefully we can keep it like this and the most important thing will always be our performance on the pitch, but all the people who do the work in the shadow contribute to the performance on the pitch and that's very important for us."

Chelsea have joined Galatasaray in the hunt for Brighton's 23-year-old Sweden midfielder Yasin Ayari. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent

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The Premier League's Key Match Incidents Panel has supported Pascal Struijk's red card against Sunderland - despite the Brighton defender having his suspension overturned on appeal.

Struijk was sent off after 57 minutes at the Stadium of Light when he was adjudged to have fouled Sunderland forward Wilson Isidor as he tried to run on to a through-ball.

Referee Thomas Bramall did not give a foul initially, but he was sent to the pitchside monitor by the video assistant referee (VAR), Neil Davies, who deemed the Dutch defender had denied Isidor an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.

Brighton successfully challenged the red card at a Football Association disciplinary commission, meaning he was available for Sunday's 5-0 win over Crystal Palace - though he missed the game through injury anyway.

The three members of the FA commission unanimously determined that Isidor "had not taken control of the ball and the pass was clearly going to run through to the goalkeeper".

Yet the KMI Panel, upon which five people sit, came to the opposite conclusion, with both votes split 3:2.

It decided Bramall was incorrect not to give a foul and a red card, and the VAR was right to intervene.

Only two panellists felt the intervention was "incorrect due to the subjectivity of whether Isidor would gain possession" before goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen.

The KMI Panel features three former players or coaches, plus one representative each from the Premier League and Pro Ref.

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Goals from the halfway line are etched into football fans' minds across the globe - David Beckham against Wimbledon in 1996, Xabi Alonso against Newcastle in 2006 and Wayne Rooney against West Ham in 2017.

Now, Brighton's Diego Gomez's name will be added to that list after his spectacular finish to beat Crystal Palace's Walter Benitez.

On the latest Albion Unlimited podcast, former Seagulls forward Warren Aspinall said: "Diego Gomez has driven it and he meant to do it. It is a wonderful strike.

"It's a beautiful goal. It will be up there as goal of the month in October, if not goal of the season."

Before Sunday, the Paraguayan's last Premier League goal was in March against Nottingham Forest.

Fabian Hurzeler remained a calm presence when asked about Gomez's goal at the weekend, and the German's focus was on the upcoming ties in the Europa League and Premier League.

"We have to stay very humble. The season will be long," said Hurzeler.

The 33-year-old will hit the 100-game landmark as Seagulls boss against Europa League opposition Jablonec on Thursday.

In charge since June 2024, Hurzeler has won 46 games, drawn 27 and lost 26.

"Hurzeler is miles better since he started off," added Aspinall. "He is willing to learn, and that is all you can ask for."

Listen to Albion Unlimited in full on BBC Sounds here

Chris Adams
BBC Sport

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After seven Premier League games, Brighton sit third on 16 points behind reigning champions Arsenal and table-toppers Manchester City, who have a 100% record. But can the Seagulls maintain their momentum and mount a serious title challenge?

"Why not?"

That's the opinion of Match of the Day pundit Dion Dublin, who played in Manchester United's 1992-93 title-winning side. "Because what we've seen of them this season is just togetherness, harmony... the manager's making good decisions.

"[Pascal] Gross is leading the line in regards to what goes on on the pitch and what is the right kind of way they want to play. And everybody's chipping in with goals. The look a very, very frightening team at the moment."

In the summer of 2025, Brighton lost their top scorer Joao Pedro to Chelsea, and history repeated itself this year when the Blues lured veteran forward Danny Welbeck to Stamford Bridge.

Once again, however, the Seagulls' enviable data-led recruitment model, aided by club owner Tony Bloom's close links to Jamestown Analytics, appears to have found a promising replacement.

Having been used primarily as a substitute last season, Greece striker Charalampos Kostoulas has been entrusted to spearhead the attack, and the 19-year-old has repaid the faith shown in him by Fabian Hurzeler with three league goals and two assists.

Only Lamine Yamal has more goal involvements among teenagers in Europe's top five leagues this season.

Kostoulas has a strong supporting cast, including Jack Hinshelwood, Yasin Ayari, Malick Yalcouye and Maxim de Cuyper, not to mention a rejuvenated Gross pulling the strings from a deeper position.

With 11 league scorers already - while also being the beneficiaries of three own goals - Hurzeler's men are sharing the load impressively. As well as being the division's top scorers, Brighton have had the most shots on target and sit second for xG, shots and big chances.

In the top five European leagues, only Barcelona, with 39 goals from nine La Liga matches, have more domestic league goals than Brighton.

Read the full piece here