Graham Potter 'very fortunate' to bring up special Brighton landmark

The 46-year-old, who replaced Chris Hughton after the 2018-19 season, has steered the Seagulls to ninth this campaign and has them on track to record their highest-ever top-flight points tally and league finish.

Brighton are on a club record seven-game unbeaten run in the Premier League and are just four points off the European places.

Potter, who left Swansea City to take up the post at the Amex, has also won plaudits for implementing an expansive style of football and unearthing hidden gems like Tariq Lamptey, Neal Maupay and Leandro Trossard.

Ahead of Tuesday night's game at Old Trafford, Potter said he was 'very fortunate' to be bringing up a century of games in charge.

But the former Swans boss revealed his first season at the helm was 'the toughest year' of his life.

Potter said: "I found out just before the press conference, it’s a nice, proud landmark and not one that’s easy to get.

"When I look back, not just here but on my life, it’s nice to have been given the opportunity to get to 100, I am very fortunate and very appreciative of it.

"After the first game I probably thought I could get to 600 games seeing as we won 3-0, I thought ‘this is easy!’ How wrong I was.

"The first year here was the toughest year of my life in terms of the challenges off and on the pitch. To come through that and still be here, to have progression in the team, to do that at this club I am very happy and appreciative of."