Brighton boss Potter warns against complacency in fight for survival
(Reuters) - Brighton & Hove Albion are not taking results for granted as they inch towards securing a fourth consecutive season in the Premier League, manager Graham Potter said on Tuesday.
Brighton, 15th in the standings, suffered a 5-0 defeat by Manchester City at the weekend but remain five points clear of the relegation zone with three games to play.
"No one's going to throw in the towel or give away the points," Potter told a news conference ahead of Thursday's trip to Southampton.
"Everyone down the bottom is going to fight until it's mathematically out their hands.
"We're still in that place where we need to fight for enough points to make us secure."
Potter is expecting a strong showing from Southampton, who have collected 11 points in six league matches since the restart last month.
Manager Ralph Hasenhuettl has led the Southampton turnaround, taking them from a 9-0 home defeat by Leicester City in October which left them in the relegation zone, up to 12th in the standings.
"We have to understand Southampton is a tough game," he said. "They have started well since lockdown.
"They've been one of the teams of the season, just in terms of recovering from that setback."
Potter confirmed there were no fresh injuries concerns in the Brighton squad but said midfielder Steven Alzate will undergo surgery on his groin injury.
(Reporting by Manasi Pathak; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
