Liverpool vs Brighton in the Premier League from Anfield - Sunday 2pm

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler insists his team are well placed to compete with the Premier League’s big guns ahead of trips to Liverpool and Manchester City.

The Seagulls have soared up to third on the back of an impressive start which has seen them win five games, with just one defeat, and lead the way on 23 goals.

Hurzeler, though, wants his players to continue to show the required mindset rather than get swept up in all the plaudits coming their way.

A much-changed Brighton had to settle for a goalless draw in their Conference League tie away at Czech minnows Jablonec on Thursday night.

Hurzeler knows his team cannot afford to let their standards slip if they are to leave Anfield with a positive result on Sunday. They then have a double header against Manchester City - firstly, in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday and then in the Premier League on Saturday.

Hurzeler: We are playing the best

“The upcoming games are great opportunities to prove this, but we shouldn't take these upcoming games and project them onto the whole season,” said Hurzeler.

“We know that we are playing against the best teams in the Premier League in their stadiums, so it will be a completely different challenge than we've had before. You can't compare these games with the games before. You have to go there and play every game from point zero.

“But what I can say is that I believe we can do it. This is a great opportunity to prove ourselves, to prove to everyone that we should be exactly where we are at the moment.

“Therefore, we go with a really positive mindset into these games - not trying to prove it to others, but trying to prove it to ourselves and being convinced that we can do it.”

The German is often quick to say there is no momentum in the Premier League as every game is different and brings it own unique set of challenges.

We start from zero

“If you want to make the next step you always have to prove it from point zero. You can't be satisfied with the things you've achieved. You need this hunger to get better in every game and in every training session.

“You need the mindset that you have to compete with yourself and your own mindset, to not be satisfied and to always keep going. We don't have to prove it to anyone from the outside because we did it the last two seasons.

“We've had another good start, so we know what we are capable of doing. But to maintain this, you have to prove it to yourselves every day - not only on match day, but every day.

“Come in here, fight against yourself, try to get better, and win this battle against yourself; then you can win other battles.”