Fabian Hurzeler was rewarded for treating the FA Cup with respect in the 31-year-old German’s first experience of the competition.
Brighton & Hove Albion’s head coach, beset by injury problems, picked a strong starting line-up for the 4-0 rout of Championship hosts Norwich City in Saturday’s third-round tie at Carrow Road.
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Hurzeler fielded nine of the 10 outfield players that finished the preceding 1-1 draw at home to Arsenal in the Premier League. Georginio Rutter (2), Julio Enciso and substitute Solly March gave the squad the tonic of a comprehensive victory after a run of eight matches without a league win, including six draws.
The Brighton boss will now be hoping the confidence-restoring result at Norwich boosts the aim to reach Europe, either via a high league finish with his side currently in 10th place in a congested table, or by lifting the FA Cup.
Forward-line relief
Hurzeler faced a selection poser in the centre of his front line. Joao Pedro and Evan Ferguson are both injured and Danny Welbeck had made just one substitute appearance in seven matches — all three players suffering ankle ailments. Welbeck was only fit enough for the bench.
Rutter’s best position is the No 10, although Hurzeler used the £40million record signing as the No 9 in the pre-Christmas draw at West Ham with limited effect.
The manager adapted at Carrow Road by playing Enciso as a No 9 dropping deep into pockets, his fourth start in five matches after a change of mindset in training put the Paraguay international back in Hurzeler’s good books. Rutter operated in the space between Enciso and right winger Yankuba Minteh.
Rutter showed the aerial prowess of a No 9 by nodding Hurzeler’s side into a 37th-minute lead. He arched backwards to end 13 appearances without a goal, stretching back to early October, with a well-placed header from six yards.
The Frenchman doubled the cushion in first-half stoppage time — and also doubled his tally for the season to four goals — with an angled drive inside the area into the roof of the net. The last time he scored twice in the same game was for Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga in November 2021.
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Enciso got on in the act in the 59th minute, robbing Norwich substitute Brad Hills to curl in his first goal of the season, right-footed from an acute angle. That sealed the deal, enabling Hurzeler to substitute both of the goalscorers shortly afterwards to give Welbeck some minutes on the comeback trail.
There was further good news after the game, as Hurzeler told The Athletic the twisted ankle suffered in training by Joao Pedro on Wednesday is “not that bad”, a scan having revealed no serious damage.
Special moment for March
March had only been on the pitch for three minutes as a 71st-minute replacement for Minteh when he gave Hurzeler “goosebumps”. An angled left-foot shot completed the scoring on the long-serving utility player’s second late outing as a substitute following 15 months out with knee damage.
March’s glee was matched by his team-mates. Goalkeeper Jason Steele ran the length of the pitch to join in the celebrations for the 30-year-old. Hurzeler said: “That was a special moment for me, because I have got to know him better and better. When I started here (in July) he was in rehab. He is a special character. You really feel how much it means to him to wear the shirt.”
March came on at right wing-back in a change of system, Hurzeler switching to a back three. He returned to action after his long lay-off at right-back in the closing stages of the 0-0 home draw against Brentford at Christmas.
“I have played literally everywhere apart from centre-back and central midfield, but I still think right wing is my best position,” March told The Athletic after the game. “It’s been tough. I just need to start building my fitness. I cannot play 90 minutes every week. That is probably not going to be the case for a few months. I’ve just got to manage it and make an impact when I can.”
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Calculated risk with Van Hecke pays off
A thigh injury sustained by Igor Julio in the second half against Arsenal has left Hurzeler with a shortage of central defenders. The Brazilian revealed on social media that he will be sidelined “for a few months”.
Long-serving skipper Lewis Dunk was ruled out for the second match running at Norwich by a calf problem. The 33-year-old has been absent for seven of the last 14 games with two different calf injuries — as many in total as he missed in the whole of last season.
Igor’s second-half replacement against Arsenal was Adam Webster, making his return from 13 matches out with a hamstring injury. The circumstances left Hurzeler with a dilemma against Norwich over who should partner Webster on his first start since October.
It was a straight choice between Dutch regular Jan Paul van Hecke or giving a senior debut to 19-year-old Northern Ireland international prospect Ruairi McConville, who has been on the bench five times in the Premier League since late November.
The calculated risk of picking Van Hecke — bearing in mind Premier League fixtures coming up in quick succession at Ipswich Town on Thursday and at Manchester United three days later — paid off.
Van Hecke came through unscathed and, with the comfort of a 3-0 advantage, Hurzeler gave McConville his senior debut in place of Webster after 71 minutes.
A knock-on effect of the centre-back shortage was a place on the bench for Ed Turns. The 22-year-old had loan spells last season with Leyton Orient and Crewe. Turns had not featured in a first-team matchday squad since two appearances in the Carabao Cup in 2021 and 2022 during the reign of Graham Potter.
(Top photo: Shaun Brooks/Getty Images)
