Brighton star explains how Potter and De Zerbi are ‘completely different’ on a day-to-day basis

Brighton & Hove Albion star Alexis Mac Allister has detailed how current manager Roberto De Zerbi is completely different from his predecessor Graham Potter on a day-to-day basis.

De Zerbi arrived at Brighton in the middle of September as Potter’s replacement following the latter’s decision to join Chelsea after Thomas Tuchel’s sacking.

The Italian arrived at the club with big shoes to fill after Brighton had enjoyed several successful years under Potter’s guidance.

The feeling was that it would be an easy transition for the former Sassuolo and Shakhtar Donetsk manager as he shares a similar footballing outlook to the man he was replacing.

That has proven to be the case, with De Zerbi quickly integrating himself into life with the Seagulls and building on the infrastructure available.

Brighton have continued to impress, heading into the international break sitting seventh in the table and just a point behind Liverpool in sixth.

On the face of it not much has changed from Potter, but Mac Allister insists the current Brighton boss is very different to the former one behind the scenes.

“Between Potter and De Zerbi there are things in common in terms of day-to-day work: they both want to keep possession of the ball and a high pressing,” he told Tuttosport.

“In these two aspects they have similar ideas, but the way the two manage the day-to-day work is completely different: De Zerbi is more focused on tactics, his work sessions are less physically demanding, but you always have to stay alert and mentally alert.

“Potter and De Zerbi’s methodologies are both very interesting: both the Englishman and the Italian are amazing technicians. We at Brighton want to continue on this path: in the early days of Roberto’s management, we struggled to find the type of game he was asking of us.

“But now we are assimilating what he dictates completely, and the whole of England, indeed the whole of Europe, has realised that we are a team that plays great football and that we have interesting ideas.

“Facing us is not easy even for the teams that are up there, at the top of the Premier League. We have earned respect: when Manchester City, Arsenal and the others face us they have the certainty that they will have to fight, sweat it out until the whistle blows.

“So, if we are not quite the ‘Matagigantes’, the Premier’s giant-killers, we are a constant problem for the big boys. I am overjoyed and proud to be part of Brighton: the ambition to keep growing, to improve, is a constant.”