Brighton's German star gives verdict on 'incredible' 18-year-old Jack Hinshelwood after Brentford goal

The 18-year-old scored his first senior goal for Albion as he powered a header into the corner to make it 2-1 against the Bees at the Amex on Wednesday night.

The Seagulls academy product is a midfielder by trade but for four straight games he has played as a full-back, and his defensive qualities were plain to see when he cleared a shot off the line with the game still at 1-1.

Head coach Roberto De Zerbi lauded the teenager and compared him to club legend Pascal Gross, who scored and bagged an assist for Hinshelwood, and now the German has waxed lyrical about the youngster.

He told My Albion TV: "It's incredible. He deserves it. He has trained with us for a long time. We have players who you maybe have not seen yet on the pitch because we have a strong squad but he is capable of everything. He listens every day to the gaffer [De Zerbi], tries to learn and I think he has a lot of fighting spirit, is good on the ball, shows desire - and what a person as well."

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Gross was indebted to Hinshelwood against Brentford as the 32-year-old was dispossessed outside his box and a few seconds later, Thomas Frank's men were denied by the rising star's quick-thinking.

And the German international said Hinshelwood has all the key ingredients to be a success going forward.

"They [Brentford] nicked the ball off me when I thought I was in control. We had about three bodies on the line. One player makes a mistake and the others try to solve it and that's what a team is about. We are not playing on our own," Gross added.

"He [Hinshelwood] is very smart, he's humble, he listens, he understands the game already. He's a great, great person. Not only did he have the desire to win the header, he had desire at the other end of the pitch as well. That shows already the player he is."