Chris Hughton hopes Brighton can remain in control in the relegation battle
Monday 1 April 2019 15:26, UK
Brighton boss Chris Hughton admits he was relieved to see Chelsea come from behind to beat relegation rivals Cardiff on Sunday, a result that eased pressure on the Seagulls.
Speaking after Brighton's 1-0 home defeat to Southampton, another of the sides in the battle to avoid the drop, Hughton accepted there was still "a lot of work to do" in their remaining matches.
That result left Brighton in 15th position, level on 33 points with Burnley and the Saints, both of whom have played more matches.
"It doesn't feel any more pressurised than other periods," Hughton said. "We have never been, looking at where we are in the table, too far away from where we are now.
"We are a team that are still going to have tough games every week. We are not going to be in a position where we can regards ourselves as comfortable.
"We are among a group of teams that are fighting every game and we have to be fighting, if anything, even harder now."
Having watched Cardiff denied crucial points against Chelsea at the weekend, Hughton is now plotting his side's trip to Stamford Bridge, knowing a win would take them eight points clear of the bottom three.
Asked if he was pleased with Cardiff's most recent defeat, Hughton said: "Of course it's normal that as soon as our result is finished you want the other teams around you to have not done well, but we would prefer certainly to make sure it's in our hands.
"We want a response from our players (against Chelsea). There isn't anywhere we have gone thinking we will lose a game.
"We know we are reliant on playing well and the opposition playing poorly."
