Fabian Hurzeler picks out seven Leeds United players for praise with Brighton warning and Whites declaration

Boss Fabian Hurzeler has reeled off seven Leeds United players for praise and saluted the “brilliant” work of opposite number Daniel Farke in a Brighton warning ahead of Saturday’s clash at the Amex.

Brighton are now beginning their third season with young boss Hurzeler at the helm, the 33-year-old having guided the club to two consecutive eighth-placed finishes.

Hurzeler’s team started the new campaign with a bang as they hammered Aston Villa 4-0 at the Amex, Brighton then suffering a 4-3 loss at Chelsea on the back of Thursday night’s 4-0 win at home to Tromso in the Europa Conference League.

Hurzeler’s side will now face a Leeds team in just their second season back in the country’s top flight, Brighton now in their tenth consecutive year in the Premier League following their promotion as Championship runners-up back in 2017.

Hurzeler, though, has declared that Leeds have already become a difficult team to beat under Whites boss Farke, the Brighton boss saluting the “brilliant” work of his opposite number and reeling off seven Leeds players for particular praise including “key man” Ethan Ampadu.

The Seagulls boss says his men face a big challenge in Saturday afternoon’s clash at the Amex but with Brighton’s ultimate focus on reaching the levels produced against Villa in the club’s second home game of the new campaign.

Speaking at Friday morning’s pre-match press conference, Hurzeler was asked how impressed he had been with Leeds and their unbeaten start.

“They just continued the performances how they ended last season,” said the Seagulls boss.

“A very intense team, very aggressive, a clear style of play.

"They try to attack the box, a lot of players, they show a great team effort so overall a very difficult team to beat.

"I think Farke does a brilliant job there and they are a side rich in quality.

"They have players who ask for the ball a lot of times, they have Ampadu who is definitely a key player for them.

"They have Stach in the midfield. Tanaka if he plays who always wants to have the ball, who always wants to be involved in the game.

"They have Okafor, a good one against one player, Calvert-Lewin, a great striker, Aaronson who can attack to death, Wilson who is there now so I think they have a really, really good balance.

"They have a really, really good team and it will be a big challenge for us but we try to focus on us, try to reach the levels we reached at home against Villa and then we we will have a good chance to do it in this game.”