Could Brighton fans finally be in for a comfortable Premier League season?

If you are on Twitter, chances are you have seen the meme featuring Antonio Conte saying how he hopes for just one regular week of top flight football and how it will never happen.

For a time, that is kind of how it felt supporting the Albion in the Premier League. Chris Hughton did a fantastic job, not only getting the Albion promoted but keeping them in the top flight for three consecutive seasons. There were times, however, when fans were watching games from behind the sofa.

Last season under Graham Potter Brighton showed flashes of how resilient and streetwise they could be. An absolute must for survival in this league.

Game management improved, and you could tell that they were an excellently coached group, but there was still more than an element of danger despite it being, on paper at least, Brighton’s most comfortable season in the Premier League so far.

This season’s predictions for where Brighton will finish in the table have been more erratic than Boris Johnson’s hair. We have had the full spread from pushing for European places in the top eight with the right signings, to comfortably mid-table, to narrowly avoiding relegation again, to dead certs for the drop.

Like Antonio Conte, when it comes to Brighton, fans and pundits alike aren’t too sure what ‘regular’ will be. But there are reasons to be positive.

Of course, it is only a small sample size, but the Albion’s start to the season has been terrific. The comeback against Burnley on the opening day was the type of performance seen altogether too few times over the last few years. But everyone keeps saying what a miraculous job Sean Dyche has done there over the years, so Brighton must have done well.

Let us talk about Watford. Like thousands of other fans, this was my first opportunity to get back to the Amex for 17 months. And what a day it was.

Okay, so the weather wasn’t perfect, and staff shortages meant queuing for a beer took a little longer than normal, but it was going to take more than that to dampen my experience.

From the off, Brighton looked dominant, pegging Watford back from minute one. Let us not forget, as well, they looked pretty good when beating a decent Aston Villa side 3-2 the week before.

The first goal of the afternoon was encouraging for several reasons. Not only because it gave the Albion a deserved lead, but it was important who scored it.

Shane Duffy had recently said how he had hit “rock bottom” and felt that his chances in the Premier League were over after his loan spell with Celtic.

Injuries to Joel Veltman and Dan Burn, and the sale of Ben White to Arsenal have obviously played a part in Duffy’s return to the side, but he’s grabbed the opportunity presented to him with both hands.

He was immense against Burnley on the opening day, and he was confidently solid against Watford at the weekend. The hairs on the back of my neck were standing up when the North Stand erupted into the first of many choruses of Duffy’s chant, so God alone knows how the man himself must have felt.

Possibly the most dominant display, though, came from that man from Mali… again. (Man, I hope we hold on to him). Yves Bissouma really would not look out of place at any of the top teams across Europe.

It was like men against boys in the middle of the park against Watford, with Bissouma and Adam Lallana absolutely running the show. Bissouma is so intelligent on and off the ball he must be frightening to play against.

Just ask Tom Cleverley, who was dispossessed so handily by Bissouma for the second goal of the afternoon and Neal Maupay’s second of the campaign.

The rest of the game was comfortable, if not spectacular, and the Albion held on with relative ease – another sign of that improving game management. So, plenty to be cheerful about, then.

Taking chances was arguably the main issue last season, so four goals in two games is encouraging. Defensive solidity looks present again, despite the injuries and White’s sale.

Versatility within the squad will play an important part as well. I know some people like to have a pop at Potter on occasions for playing players out of position, but with your two first choice right full backs or wing backs unavailable it makes sense to me to play one of your most technically gifted players there.

Pascal Gross is such a good footballer and professional that I am sure he would do a decent job in goal if he was asked to play there, and he certainly would not grumble about it.

Players returning from injury will provide more options, particularly defensively, and there is still time before the transfer window slams shut for new faces to come in.

Last season’s fringe players look to have improved as well; Alexis Mac Allister has had a really good start to the season, and the more I see Jakub Moder the more I like him. Add to this the fact that the squad have had another year and more of a normal pre-season with Potter, I see plenty to be positive about.

As a word of caution though, and as we and Antonio Conte know, who is to say what is regular in the Premier League? But, could this finally be the season when the Albion do not have the threat of relegation looming over their heads for the majority?

Time will tell, but I am going to stick my neck out and say yes. Yes, it is.