Graham Potter believes that his side needs to be balanced when they take on Liverpool in the Premier League.
Graham Potter said “Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and that is the world we are in and, I respect that opinion. We have to be balanced clearly because the opponent is of a high level, and that is normal in football, and you have to try and get the balance right between defence and attack. If you just do one thing like defend then, it can also be suicide as you can never get out of your own box and you can never do anything, and in the end and their quality beats you. So I think we have got to offer both, but in a balanced way.”
Albion have been good defensively this season, keeping four clean sheets in the Premier League alone. This has been down to the good form of goalkeeper Robert Sanchez and defenders Lewis Dunk, Shane Duffy, Dan Burn and Joel Veltman. The defence has provided the backbone for the positive start to the season that has seen Albion climb up the Premier League table and are now sat in the fifth position ahead of their tie with Liverpool. Although, with Dan Burn out of the match against the Reds, Potter will have to find a way to fill the gap he leaves in the defence.
Speaking about the absence of Burn,
Graham Potter said: “He provides a bit of flexibility on the left, is naturally left-footed, can play on the left of a three, can play at left-back, left wing-back. So we lose that position, but we have other guys who can do things in a different way. We just have to find that solution.”
The Seagulls travel to Anfield on Saturday and will hope to finish a tough week on a high. The match will be a tough task for the Seagulls, as former Reds and Albion defender Mark Lawrenson believes that if they attack Liverpool they would be committing footballing suicide. Graham Potter, however, thinks that the club needs to be balanced in their approach as going to defensive against Jurgen Klopp’s men could be just as dangerous. The positive is the timely return of Adam Webster, who made his return to the pitch in the Carabao Cup defeat on penalties against Leicester City. While shaky at first, Webster grew into the game and could provide a good option for Potter to call upon for the clash against Liverpool.