'Bad injuries always affect the team' - Fabian Hurzeler provides update on missing Albion midfielder and forward whose full Premier League debut was cut short
Stefanos Tzimas could be set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines but the exact nature of his injury is yet to be disclosed.
The 19-year-old – who scored his first goal in England’s top division at Nottingham Forest on Sunday (November 30) – was rewarded with a start just three days later against Aston Villa.
But his dream evening at the Amex was cut short mid-way through the first-half.
Greek journalist Dimitris Manakos reported on X: “Tzimas goes to close down [Pau] Torres and gets his studs stuck in the floor and twists his knee. He was down for about five minutes…Stay strong, Stef!”
Sussex World asked Fabian Hurzeler, in his post-match press conference, for an update on Tzimas – and Yasin Ayari, who was not in the matchday squad.
On Tzimas – and to what extent his 24th minute injury impacted the game plan – he said: “Of course, bad injuries always affect the team, but in the end I think we reacted quite well.
"We have to accept it, I don't know what the exact injury or issue is. We will have to wait for the scan tomorrow.
“It was his first start, he started the game well, so for sure it's disappointing for us and for him.”
On Ayari, he added: “A small issue with his muscle, so hopefully he can recover quick and be back at the weekend.”
Albion’s eight-month unbeaten run at the Amex – dating back to April 2 at the hands of Aston Villa (0-3) – came to an end on Wednesday night against the same opponents.
This was despite taking a 2-0 lead. Jan Paul van Hecke bundled the ball home after just nine minutes before Jack Hinshelwood – Tzimas’ replacement – forced Pau Torres into an own-goal.
However, the Seagulls – who had won the previous ten home matches and were unbeaten in five league games – crumbled. Ollie Watkins scored a brace before half-time and, after the break, Amadou Onana and Donyell Malen put the visitors two goals ahead.
Van Hecke grabbed one back with his second of the evening but a dramatic late equaliser eluded them.
Hurzeler said: “We defended quite well in the first half – the goals we conceded were out of nowhere.
"Of course, conceding a goal shortly before half-time is not easy. We pushed the reset button because in the end nothing happened in half-time.
"It was a 2-2, still in a good position to win the game. We tried it in the second half, we showed personality, we showed character, but in the end – the small margins made the difference.”
Hurzeler was concerned that Brighton conceded two goals from set-piece situations.
"I think it's more about the individual behaviour and they got two goals after set-pieces,” he said.
"We know how important set-pieces are and we weren't able to defend it today, but that's something we'll be analysing and we keep pushing.
“There were two teams who wanted to score, want to play football and then sometimes these games happen. It's not the game we wanted to have, of course when you lose it's even harder.
"But like I said, we have to get the right understanding of how and why we lost the game. We have to analyse it without any emotions, be rational, be clear and do it better on Sunday.
“Of course it's disappointing when you're leading 2-0 but these moments can happen, especially in the Premier League and when you face a good team.
"It shouldn't happen, that's why we will analyse it and try to make it better the next time.”
In August, Brighton appointed Yannick Euvrard as set-piece coach. The 39-year-old spent the previous two years at Anderlecht.
Hurzeler admitted Euvrard’s work is still in progress – with one goal scored from a set piece on Wednesday and two conceded.
“When we look, for example, at Arsenal, who are the best at the moment – how long it took time to be good in set-pieces,” Hurzeler said.
"I think almost three years.
"Some things – when you really want to follow them and are convinced that they can make a difference in the game – you really want to push hard on them.
"That needs time, so that's something we have to understand.
"We did quite well in the season, especially how we defended.
"Today was not the best day for that, but overall I'm very convinced and happy with how we're doing it, how the players are committed to it.
"There are some set-backs, but now it's important in the progress regarding set-pieces. It's very important to react on that and to analyse it and make it better next time.”