Manchester City v Brighton: What Chris Hughton said in his pre-match press conference

Here are the key points from Albion manager's pre-match press conference.

Are Dale Stephens and Pascal Gross available?

"They'll both miss the game.

"Dale felt his hamstring and came off fairly early in the Tottenham game. The good news is it's fairly minor but he's not fit for this one but hopefully will be for the next one.

"Pascal wasn't close enough for this one but hopefully will be for the next one."

Will Florin Andone get some game time?

"He's fit. It's been a difficult time for Florin. He came with an injury, which delayed his pre-season.

"He picked up a very slight injury in pre-season, which dragged on a little bit. He hasn't had many games under his belt but has played an under-23 game. He's available."

What does Dan Ashworth's appointment as technical director mean for the club?

"He will oversee football development of the club. He's been brought in at a time when the club has made big strides, with promotion to the Premier League and the academy doing well, the ladies playing in the top division and a growing medical department.

"They are the quite obvious reasons why the club felt they needed to bring someone in.

"You want someone who has got the experience Dan has.

"It's a great acquisition for the club."

Is it a worry you've had to go two goals down to get going in the last few games?

"It's not so much a worry because it's part and parcel of the game.

"In a week's time or three games time, it can change completely. It's just making sure we are always in the game.

"The Tottenham game was a little bit different.

"But if we look at the Southampton game, it was our poorest start and they were that much better than us but the Fulham game we started well.

"We want to look at the positives and we have had great reactions from the team but it would be beneficial to go ahead in games."

Is it the toughest away game you can face?

"In the form they're in, the two toughest are Liverpool, which we did okay in and might have got a result, and Manchester City.

"You always have to look at the plusses in those type of games. Nobody expects us to get anything. Right from the start, the pressure is taken off but it's a game we want to stay in and do as well as we can in."

Do you take something from the Liverpool performance?

"We will and you have to.

"Irrespective of the differences of the level of the two teams and quality of the two teams, there isn't any game we go into thinking we're going to get beat.

"The law of averages says we will but you can't go into any game thinking that way."

Do you think it will it be harder for Manchester City to win the title again this year?

"Yes I do. But only because they were so outstanding last season. The margin they won it by was very unusual.

"What happens is they can still be as good again but the reaction of the teams that finished below them is and will always be different.

"It will be a harder season for them but they are still very capable of winning this division."

What have you made of Pep Guardiola's impact on the Premier League?

"It's been massive. The great managers - whether it's instant or they earn it - have a big impact on a division.

"There was Wenger many years ago and the impact he had at that time. Then we had Jose's teams playing in a different way and the spirit his teams have.

"We've got a manager at Man City who is producing some of the best football the Premier League has seen and with some of the best individual performances the Premier League has seen.

"These type of managers are guiding the young aspiring coaches and the impact he's had has been huge."

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