Graham Potter's 'best player' sets Brighton points target ahead of Liverpool showdown

Brighton and Hove Albion's stand-out performer during the painful loss at Newcastle United is convinced the team can turn their poor run of results around.
Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Steven Alzate was praised for his display during the 2-1 loss at Newcastle UnitedBrighton and Hove Albion midfielder Steven Alzate was praised for his display during the 2-1 loss at Newcastle United
Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Steven Alzate was praised for his display during the 2-1 loss at Newcastle United

Saturday's 2-1 defeat at the Magpies was Albion's fourth consecutive Premier League loss and they have conceded nine goals and scored just once in that period.

Steven Alzate started at St James' Park and was one of the few highlights to emerge from a disappointing trip to the north east.

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Alzate was included from the start as Yves Bissouma dropped to the bench and Potter said after the match that that Alzate - despite being substituted on 79 minutes - was Brighton's 'best player' on the day.

Brighton welcome title-chasing Liverpool to the Amex Stadium this Saturday and the Reds - who progressed in the Champions League in midweek after a 2-1 aggregate victory against Inter Milan - will be determined to narrow the six point gap between them and league leaders Man City.

Playing Liverpool is one the toughest challenges in world football but one Alzate is ready for.

“When it’s not going your way in football it feels like nothing will fall for you," the Colombian international said. "We’ve got a good group and despite a few losses we’ve still got high spirits in the dressing room.

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“Every team will have a tough period and we’re going through ours now, so we need to stay strong and keep believing. We will start getting points again soon.

“Every season you want to demonstrate progress and we showed some of our best form at the start of the season – we need to rediscover that.

"Before the season people outside the club said we should be happy with staying in the league, then after five games they thought we’d be challenging for Europe.

“In the dressing room we’ve always been realistic. We’re confident we can beat that points tally of 41 with 11 games still to play.”

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Before their bad run, Albion often found a way back into matches when going a goal. It demonstrated the fighting spirit in the squad but Alzate insists they need to control games better.

“We have come from behind to get points quite a few times and now we’re losing in those positions, which is not nice.

"But we never go into a game thinking ‘we’re going to concede first and try to equalise’. We look to control the game from the off and get in front, but it doesn’t always go that way.

“Even if we get to half time in games with the score at 0-0, it’s a good position. We have to make the most of our opportunities, because we make a lot of chances but don’t always put them away.”

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Alzate, 23, has found first team opportunities hard to come by this campaign but hopes his performance at Newcastle - and the praise from his manager - can help him get a run in the team.

“I feel like whenever I get an opportunity I take it but I can only do my bit and perform. It’s the manager’s call whether or not I’m in the team but I was happy to hear those words on Saturday.”