'Intense' – What Brighton's senior stars said about Roberto De Zerbi after Liverpool thriller

Here are five things we can take away rom De Zerbi's Premier League managerial debut:

Style of play

De Zerbi said after the match that he wants to see his team play with the ball more.

Albion recorded 46 per cent possession at Anfield, which is quite impressive, but the Italian coach wants more.

He said: "We have to learn how to improve with the ball possession and to increase our ball speed and it is up to us to decide it. It is really hard to control the game in the Premier League - only Manchester City is doing that. Our target is to start to control much more of the game."

We already know these players are capable of listening and being adaptable to new ideas due to their time with Graham Potter.

It's not a huge shift in playing styles either, according to Joel Veltman.

Speaking to BBC Radio Sussex earlier this week, Veltman said: "Tactical-wise, he's quite similar to Graham [Potter]. He wants us to press high and have the ball. If we've got the ball, they can't score."

After this performance, and what we know about the players, this team will be playing De Zerbi ball in no time.

Blistering start

Albion came flying out of the blocks and were 2-0 up within 17 minutes, both goals coming from winning the ball back high around Liverpool's box.

Realistically, Brighton could have been 4-0 up after 30 minutes but an inspired Alisson Becker denied Leandro Trossard and Danny Welbeck's golden opportunities.

Asked in the post match press conference if this is the sort of intensity Albion fans should get used to, De Zerbi said 'yes, of course'.

"During training in the week I try to transmit to be intense on the pitch and of course also passion."

It was like an all out assault on Liverpool in their own backyard in the first 30 minutes. To have the courage to do that in your first game in charge away at Anfield tells you everything you need to know about De Zerbi.

Taking over from Potter

De Zerbi, who played a Graham Potter-esque 3-4-2-1 formation, praised his predecessor for leaving him a 'great team'.

The Italian said: "He has left me a great team. I've tried not to make any damage [to the team], of course, adding my idea on top. Then, of course, if you are asking me where and how I can improve the performances of the team, we have to play much more with the ball."

Was it the De Zerbi effect against Liverpool or was it the player's muscle memory from Potter's play? I think it was a bit of both.

Either way, it was a nice touch from the Italian to mention his predecessor who, however you feel about him and his departure, has been a major part of taking Albion to the next level.

Building relationships

De Zerbi's use of language to describe Trossard and Welbeck gave an insight into what he is like as a coach, both a good tactician and a passionate man manager.

He said: "I believe he [Trossard] can do even better. When I say he can do even better it's not because I'm not happy about his game today, [it's] because I consider him a great, great, great player.

"Welbeck was a fighter."

First impressions are De Zerbi has a very likeable personality, similar to Jurgen Klopp. The Italian's style of play require his players to run through walls for him, and it already feels like that is taking shape judging on the performance.

It's quotes like these that further cement that tight relationship between coach and player.

What have the players said about De Zerbi?

The one word that has been banded about by players is 'passionate'. A quick search on Twitter for De Zerbi's celebration when Trossard rescued his side a point says it all.

Trossard said after the game: "You could see how passionate he is and I think we will have some good times with him."

Speaking to BBC Radio Sussex prior to the Liverpool game, Joel Veltman said: "He's really passionate and wants to bring his passion to his players."