Hurzeler: Rutter had his best training week at Brighton

Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler has credited competition from Babis Kostoulas for pushing Georginio Rutter to produce his best week of training since joining the club.

Rutter made a strong start to the season, contributing to Brighton's 4-0 win over Aston Villa, before injury kept him out of three Premier League fixtures.

Kostoulas took full advantage of the absence, scoring twice and registering two assists during that spell. The Greek striker's form earned him a Premier League Player of the Month nomination for September — an award that ultimately went to teammate Pascal Gross.

"Georginio started so well this season, then he got an unlucky injury, then Babis was performing, Babis is in now and you won't take him out, because he is performing," Hurzeler said. "That annoys Georginio Rutter a little bit. He sees these things, but the only thing an individual player can do is try to react to this by showing it in his daily behaviour. We know what Georginio is capable of doing, he has unbelievable potential."

Hurzeler was nonetheless keen to highlight the response he has seen from the former Leeds United forward in recent days.

"I need to praise Georginio because he's had the best training week he has ever had since he came here," the Brighton manager said. "I am really happy with Georginio and how the squad has responded in general to the competition."

Hurzeler added that greater squad depth has raised the level of internal competition across the group. "We have more availability so we have more competition and the players feel it. But the players are supportive of each other and very demanding of themselves. Hopefully Georginio can continue like this, because he had a great start to the season."