Graham Potter makes Adam Webster 'mistake' and substitution admission after Southampton draw

Brighton were two up against the visitors, but after the deficit had been reduced to one just before half time, Webster, who had been playing well, misplaced a pass in the second half, leading to the Saints’ equaliser, and was then substituted after an hour.

Speaking after the game, Brighton boss Graham Potter revealed that it had not been Webster’s mistake which had caused his substitution.

“It’s unfortunate that it happened like it did, but the thought was 60 minutes after the time he’s had with his injuries.

"And obviously he played 30 minutes on Wednesday [Man City] as well, so it was important for us to have him available to us for the rest of the season, and I think 60 was what we thought was the right thing.

"It was just unfortunate that the mistake happened a bit before that.”

Before the Southampton equaliser, Webster had a good game, looking assured defensively, and calm on the ball.

As a result, his manager was pleased with how he had performed. “I thought he did well, it’s unfortunate the second goal, we can do better as a team, recognising that we’d got away with a couple of misplaced passes, and in the end you don’t.

"Still a great strike from Ward-Prowse, but first game back for a while, it’s not easy.”

With Potter’s attractive style of football, wanting his defenders to play out from the back, he didn’t seem too disheartened by Webster’s misplaced pass having caused the Southampton second, perhaps understanding that as a danger when playing to his philosophy.

The Seagulls boss even praised Webster for his forward passing before the mistake. “We performed well as a team first half and he [Webster] contributed to that with some good balls into the front players, defended the box well when he had to, so good.”

With Wolves their next opponents, it is expected that Webster will see more action this coming weekend.