We needed to be better in Southampton defeat - Chris Hughton

Brighton & Hove Albion manager Chris Hughton said his side needed to be better after they lost 1-0 at home to Southampton this afternoon.
Chris Hughton. Picture by PW Sporting PhotographyChris Hughton. Picture by PW Sporting Photography
Chris Hughton. Picture by PW Sporting Photography

Saints got the only goal of the Premier League match through Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg early in the second half as they moved level on points with the Seagulls.

Albion had won back-to-back Premier League games and reached the FA Cup semi-finals before the international break and Hughton said: "You have an international break and do all the right things and you just hope you can continue where you finished off.

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"I don't think anybody ever knows the reason why you haven't got to the levels you have after a break.

"We did everything right, we trained hard but in the first half period we didn't play anywhere near the level we needed to to be able to go and win the game but we possibly (did enough) not to lose it.

"It was 0-0 at half-time and I thought they were quite good in the first half and better than us without having a clear chance to score.

"We needed to be better than that. Unfortunately it took a goal against us for us to really turn our fortunes around as regards our level of performance.

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"In that period, you need to show that little bit of quality or have that bit of luck. We pushed but unfortunately it took a goal against us to get that out of the team."

Asked if his players' minds were on the FA Cup semi-final, Hughton said: "I would understand if anybody thought that. We couldn't have done any more to make sure their focus was on this game.

"There will be certain aspects that have to be done, players' tickets and so but we haven't spoken about the semi-final.

"All our preparation was on how Southampton play. They changed their formation but that can happen.

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"All our focus has been on this game and not the semi-final. We have a big game on Wednesday and even more so now the focus will be on Wednesday and not the semi-final."

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