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Brighton and Hove Albion manager Fabian Hürzeler has detailed how he managed to beat Manchester United in the Carabao Cup this week.

The Seagulls pulled off the shock of the week as they came back from 2-0 down at Old Trafford to win 3-2.

Hürzeler and his side had looked set for a difficult evening after goals from Shea Lacey and Mason Mount put Manchester United 2-0 up inside 10 minutes.

Charalampos Kostoulas got Brighton back into it in the 46th minute, though, and a super second half performance followed with goals from Pascal Groß and Maxim de Cuyper sealing the victory by the 70th minute.

It was the first time since 1984 – 42 years ago – that Manchester United had lost a game when leading at half-time. And Hürzeler says it was built on a conversation in the Brighton dressing room.

“We talked a lot about belief before the game,” he told Sky Germany.

“When you go to Old Trafford, you need belief—in yourself, your teammates, your own quality, our system, our principles, and our values. And when you find yourself trailing by two goals, the most important thing is not to lose that belief.

“The second point is character. In situations like that, there are two paths: either things get completely chaotic and everyone does their own thing, or you stick to your match plan, remain calm and composed, and trust in yourself.

“Those two things were incredibly important for us. As a team, we also benefit from the fact that the bond between the players is getting stronger all the time. They are getting to know each other better – both on and off the pitch – and building trust. That connection is extremely important.”

Faith is key for Hürzeler

Brighton

Of course, the Brighton manager had not anticipated his team being 2-0 down to Manchester United within two minutes. That was very much not in the game plan they had drawn up before the game.

But, again, it all came down to belief. And it was that belief he has in his squad and, perhaps himself, that led to the turnaround.

“No, the plan definitely isn’t to go two goals down!” he added.

“But regardless of whether you’re leading or trailing, you always need the belief that you can win the game. That is crucial, especially against teams with such outstanding individual talent- against a Premier League top three side.

“Regardless of the system or tactics, you have to believe in yourself and your team. That’s why it will always be a topic of discussion when we play the big teams.”

What manager said about star veteran and pressing

Pascal Groß put in an excellent performance for Brighton in their victory over Manchester United. The 35-year-old return to the Premier League club in January, having failedto get the minutes he wanted at Borussia Dortmund.

A fan favourite for the Seagulls, that extended to his manager too: “He just doesn’t stop! It’s incredible what intrinsic motivation he has. When you talk to him about his vacation, other people tell you about which beach they lay on and what they did. Pascal tells you about which race he ran on some island. That’s special. He just can’t sit still. He has to be doing something, running, playing padel, moving around somehow. You can see that in his fitness and, of course, in his game.

“Maybe he’s not the most dynamic player, but he has incredible physicality. He simply always runs more than his opponent. In English, they say, “Outwork, outrun.” You have to work harder and run more than your opponent. That’s exactly what Pascal does in every match. And he does it every two or three days. On top of that, he understands the game incredibly well. I think he’ll become a very good coach. He thinks ahead, understands the connections, and can be an extension of the coach on the court. For me, too.”

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