Hughton responds to calls for 4-4-2 and Locadia to start for Albion

At 2pm on Saturday there were some disgruntled Brighton & Hove Albion fans on social media having seen Chris Hughton's team selection against Swansea.
Glenn Murray has been leading the line exceptionally for Brighton & Hove Albion. Picture by PW Sporting PhotographyGlenn Murray has been leading the line exceptionally for Brighton & Hove Albion. Picture by PW Sporting Photography
Glenn Murray has been leading the line exceptionally for Brighton & Hove Albion. Picture by PW Sporting Photography

Despite the Seagulls going into the clash unbeaten in three Premier League games, some sections of supporters were calling for a more attacking formation and record signing Jurgen Locadia to start.

Hughton, however, virtually stuck with the same team as the draw at Stoke City with just a minor tweak in Anthony Knockaert replacing Solly March out wide on the right wing.

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By 5pm - if there had previously been any doubts - the selection was fully justified. Bang-in-form Glenn Murray, the fourth-highest scoring Englishman in the league, showed why he is undroppable at the moment with a brace in their crucial 4-1 success over the Swans.

Knockaert pitched in with one and Locadia, off the bench for his Premier League debut in place of Murray late on, smashed home the fourth.

Despite that when Hughton was questioned on whether he was tempted to change formation, the Albion boss said: "I am always thinking of it.

"After every game, I am always thinking about the best formation and way of playing in the next game.

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"So probably the answer to that one is yes, but I decided to go with, apart from Solly March, a team that did really well at Stoke.

"What I want is it difficult for everyone (to force themselves in). Where we have been fortunate is that we have two injuries at the moment in Steve Sidwell and Jiri Skalak, who will come back into the training group next week. I have a lot of competition.

"In the wide areas, Solly March, who I thought was very good against Coventry, didn't play and Beram Kayal is pushing and pushing. This is the level of competition I want and we can only benefit from that."

And while Murray is clearly leading the way for Albion, Hughton also suggested his place in not guaranteed each week.

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He added: "Irrespective of who is playing I do not have a number one (striker). What I want is competition and Glenn has been good for us, generally, I think we all know that.

"If I picked out the last few games, three, four or five games he has been very good. Not just his goals, but what he has put in for the team. For a team like us, that is as good as goals."