Bookies gripped by Fabian Fever ahead of Brighton v Man United
Fabian Hurzeler was asked in his press conference before Brighton Manchester United how it felt for the Albion to go into the game as favourites.
Brighton. Favourites. Manchester United. Just let that sink in for a minute. Ridiculous, isn’t it? And that is before you even consider where the two clubs were at the end of May.
Whilst United were celebrating winning the FA Cup, the Albion were without a manager. Roberto De Zerbi’s desk was cleared having butted heads one too many times with Tony Bloom and Paul Barber.
How do you replace an inspirational head coach who had scaled heights no previous Seagulls boss has come remotely close to?
Bloom decided the answer was Herr Hurzeler. The youngest permanent manager in Premier League history is already going down a storm with Brighton supporters.
Winning your first competitive game in charge 3-0 away from home will do that. But one swallow does not a summer make. Just ask Graham Potter.
Glow Up also secured a 3-0 victory on the road in his first game in charge. It would be six weeks until he tasted victory again.
His Albion side ended up looking bang in relegation trouble until lockdown arrived and held up the Premier League for three months. Time which Potter put to good use, planning how to help maintain the Seagulls’ cherished top flight status.
The difference between Potter and Hurzeler is that the rest of football is also already starting to get swept up in Fabian Fever. Even the bookies.
What else can explain the team of a 31-year-old managing only the second Premier League game of his life being favourites to defeat the mighty Manchester United?
In response to that press conference question, Hurzeler struck the perfect balance of confidence and realism. “We shouldn’t hide. We should go into the game with self-confidence,” he said.
His answer sat between what De Zerbi and Potter might have said. De Zerbi would have dared to dream, his big balls believing the Albion more than capable of winning.
Potter would have talked up United. It would have been carefully laid preparation so that if Brighton did win, he could bask in the glory of masterminding miracle work. The Albion drawing or even beating United? Hail Potter a genius or take a history lesson.
But history lessons are old hat. What Brighton were doing 50, 25, 10 or even just five years ago is fast becoming irrelevant to the current day Albion.
Expectations can no longer be set based on what happened at the Goldstone Ground, during exile at Gillingham or through the Withdean Years.
They instead come from the insane amount of money Bloom has spent this summer. By the time the transfer window slams shut, it is likely to have passed the £200 million mark.
The Manchester United game will not just be Hurzeler’s first competitive match at the Amex. It will also be the first time many Seagulls supporters will have seen the most expensively assembled squad in the club’s history.
Players like Yankubu Minteh, Mats Wieffer, Brajan Gruda and £40 million record buy Georginio Rutter are fuelling optimism that Brighton can return to Europe in the not-too-distant future.
If it were to happen as soon as 2025-26, games like United at home are the sort Brighton need to win. The Red Devils can probably hope for a third place finish at best, more likely fifth or sixth.
In other words, the same sort of final position the Albion require to secure Europa League football once more.
United are direct rivals now for Europe. Based on Brighton being 6/4 with most firms and United 7/4, it is a battle which bookies feel the Albion have the edge in.
We could be in for an incredible afternoon to kick off an incredible season of football at the Amex. Or we will get turned over 8-0. Just don’t go leaving early because of the storm or anything.
Just seen what the weather is doing tomorrow 😱
Any other Brighton fans considering not going to the Amex or leaving early because of the storm? #BHAFC
— We Are Brighton (@wearebrighton) August 23, 2024
If you know, you know.
