Hurzeler Identifies Bournemouth as a Top Premier League Side

Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler has stated his belief that Bournemouth ranks among the Premier League’s leading teams, ahead of Albion’s away match against the Cherries scheduled for Saturday at 15:00 GMT. During an interview with BBC Radio Sussex, Hurzeler remarked: “It is a really big challenge because, for me, Bournemouth are one of the biggest teams at the moment. They have quality, a good shape and, at the moment, are one of the best teams in the league.” He further added: “It is an even harder challenge [after we beat Manchester City]. We have to fight for the small things and the personal duels, and then we will get what we deserve.” Hurzeler continued, detailing Bournemouth’s strengths: “They have the ability to suffer and also the ability to hit teams on the counter. They have Evanilson, they have Semenyo, they have Kluivert so there is individual quality. They have great players at the back and in midfield. [They are a] very strong team and a very compact team so there was no surprise they beat these two big clubs [Arsenal and Manchester City].” The two clubs, Brighton and Bournemouth, are located 96 miles apart on the south coast, leading some to suggest that Saturday’s upcoming fixture could be classified as a local derby. Regarding the potential derby status, Hurzeler stated: “I love derbies. I didn’t really know it was a derby, so that’s new to me. I am looking forward to it if it is a derby.” He added: “I am looking forward to it if it is not too!”