Brighton start brave new era away at Everton

Here we go again. Everton v Brighton marks the start of another football season. With it comes the hope and optimism over what the next nine months might bring.

A return to Europe under the youngest permanent manager in Premier League history? The Albion winning their first ever piece of major silverware under the youngest permanent manager in Premier League history?

Goals galore under the youngest permanent manager in Premier League history? Or a battle against relegation under the youngest permanent manager in Premier League history?

The only thing which seems certain is that we are going to frequently hear how Fabian Hurzeler is only 31-years-old. And that it makes him the youngest permanent manager in Premier League history.

Brighton have undoubtedly taken a gamble. Not just because Hurzeler is the youngest permanent manager in Premier League history.

But also because of his experience. Or lack of it. Hurzeler had just 18 months as head coach of St Pauli under his belt when the Seagulls swept down the Reeperbahn to lure him away.

Brighton could be anything under Hurzeler. That is reflected in the Premier League betting markets, like those on daily betbuilder tips. The bookmakers have the Albion at 6/1 to finish in the top six and 12/1 to be relegated. No other club have such close odds for two totally contrasting outcomes for the season.

The bookmakers are not the only ones who cannot make up their mind on Brighton. Writing for the BBC about Brighton season predictions, Mr WAB said of the Albion’s finishing position: “Absolutely no idea. My suspicion, though, is that it will be sink or swim.”

“Fabian Hurzeler is either going to have Brighton challenging for Europe again and everyone praising the genius of Tony Bloom for appointing him. Or Sami Hyypia Version 2. Nothing in between.”

For Brighton fans, the uncertainty adds to the usual excitement surrounding the opening game. It is not just Hurzeler who is an unknown, either.

The Albion will breach the £100 million for player incomings this summer for the first time in their history. The midfield spine of the team over the past two successful seasons under Roberto De Zerbi – Moises Caciedo, Alexis Mac Allister, Pascal Gross and soon Billy Gilmour – has gone.

Rather than replace those three (four when Gilmour eventually moves to Napoli) with new central midfield players, Brighton have focussed on wingers.

Four of their summer recruits are wide players, meaning Hurzeler can now fill an entire starting XI with wingers. Is it possible to wing matches in the Premier League with three, four, five or even six wingers in the same team? We might be about to find out.

Pre-season has done little to help form opinions. Brighton won four games out of four and scored 14 goals. But it was hardly the most challenging of schedules; two J-League sides who were League One standard at best, QPR who finished 18th in the Championship last season and Villarreal.

The scoreboard showed the Albion eased past the wonderfully nicknamed Yellow Submarine 4-0. The reality though is that if Villarreal had a half-competent striker, they could have racked up two or three of their own.

If Brighton give Everton the sort of chances they gifted the La Liga outfit, a sticky afternoon could be in store against the Toffees That is before you even get to the Sean Dyche factor.

Ah yes, Dyche. For most clubs, Everton would be considered one of the gentler away introductions to life in the Premier League for a new manager. But not a Brighton.

Dyche is the Albion’s kryptonite. He has not lost a game at the Amex in over a decade as both Burnley and Everton boss. The Albion picked up a couple of wins at Turf Moor during the Covid years, but they are yet to beat Dyche at Goodison.

Hurzeler’s aggressive pressing style with a fluid formation, players frequently switching positions and at times only two men back against Dyche’s regimented style will be quite the tactical battle

It is easy to imagine the Albion hunting in packs to overwhelm Everton, just as it has every opponent in pre-season so far.

But it is equally possible that a Jordan Pickford punt forward catches every Seagull bar Lewis Dunk and Jan Paul van Hecke miles up the pitch and the Toffees hit Brighton on the counter. Just as they did five times when Dyche masterminded a 5-1 win over Brighton at the Amex in May 2023.

Everton have an additional reason to be fired up. With building work on their new Bramley-Moore Dock Stadium progressing nicely, the visit of Brighton will be the last ever opening game of the campaign to be played at Goodison.

The Toffees will want to bow out from their home of over a century in style this season. Dyche will be desperate to set out their stall for doing so right from the first whistle.

Welcome to England, Herr Hurzeler. Time to see what the youngest permanent manager in Premier League history is made of.