Roberto De Zerbi defiantly defends Brighton's clean sheet shortage - 'Whilst I'm here, we are going to play in this way'

Brighton are yet to keep a clean sheet in the Premier League this season but have scored six goals, in four consecutive wins, without reply in the Europa League.

Asked to explain this, De Zerbi said: “We are not good enough to make clean sheet in Premier League.

"We concede goals in a bad way. Burnley, Brentford, Luton, Wolverhampton. Those games could be closed with a clean sheet.

"We were unlucky sometimes [but] we defended with not enough attention and not enough attitude. It's a part we want to improve for sure.”

However, De Zerbi said he won’t be changing his playing style anytime soon.

"If we didn't concede so many goals, we could lose first place in Europa League,” the Italian said.

"We suffer a lot of injuries. We are not used to playing Europa League.

“Many players are playing three games per week for the first time. We are being something more than other teams.

"I am changing a lot of starting 11s because I want to win every game. We are conceding a lot of goals because we are attacking every game.

"We are reaching a lot of big targets, playing in this way. When I am the Brighton coach, we are going to play in this way.”

De Zerbi confirmed that no one picked up any injuries during the dramatic Europa League win over Marseille on Thursday night – which confirmed Albion’s place in the round of 16.

The Brighton manager said he would decide on Sunday morning who would play against Arsenal at the Emirates (2pm kick-off) but revealed that a key man could play a part after months out injured.

De Zerbi said: “We have to recover energy – mental and physical – [but] the players who played in Europa League feel good at the moment.

"We have no problems. [Danny] Welbeck can be available to be on the bench and play one part of the game.

“It can be important to keep emotion in our head [after the late winner against Marseille]. In the same way, we have to forget the last game and be focused only on Arsenal.

"We lost points against Burnley, Sheffield and Fulham. We have to try to win a massive game.

“We have been focused always in every game. Nothing changes. Big teams are used to playing in different competitions in same way. You can't decide which competition is better.”

The last time Brighton kept a clean sheet in the league was a 3-0 win at the Emirates in May – which effectively ended Arsenal’s title challenge – and was the Seagulls’ third consecutive win at the North London stadium.

But De Zerbi said those results means nothing this season.

“Tomorrow is another game,” he said. “The result is 0-0. In football, what you did in the past doesn't count.

“Last season we won 3-0 and deserved to win but the result could be different. In the first half, Arsenal played very well and we suffered a lot. Arsenal are improving year by year.

"This season they are better in terms of quality of play and mentality. Very tough game but, for us, nothing changes to make points in the Premier League. You play at your best or you lose the game.”