Jose's five-point preview - Brighton

Our festive fixtures kick-off against Brighton at home on Boxing Day (12.30pm) before a quick turnaround and trip to Norwich on Saturday (5.30pm). We then go to Southampton on New Year’s Day (3pm).

How would Jose Mourinho approach this run of games? One of the points put to him in his five-point preview ahead of Brighton on Boxing Day...

1 – Back on the horse

The players naturally looked crestfallen after Sunday’s loss against Chelsea – how did Jose go about picking them up again for Brighton on Boxing Day?

Jose: “It’s the best thing that can happen after a defeat. You don’t have to wait too long for the next one. On one side, it’s better (to have more time), you work on mistakes, you have time to work but the positive thing is that after a defeat, you have a match to play and an opportunity to win and get back the feelings of victory, the happiness of victory. That’s we’ll try to do.”

2 – Festive fixtures

We have two games in two days over Christmas, or three in a week including Southampton, four in 11 days including Middlesbrough and if you factor in Chelsea, a run of five games in 15 days. How would Jose approach this run of games?

Jose: “It’s very difficult for players to play every minute of every game but obviously in the squad you have some positions where you are more protected than others, some positions where you have alternatives to make changes and to give an opportunity for players to rest. With injuries, with a possible suspension, with players coming (back) from injuries and not being ready to play, with players working now with the team not yet ready to play, the group doesn’t look as big as it is in reality. It’s not going to be easy, so let’s think one game at a time, let’s not try to make two teams, one to play against Brighton, one to play against Norwich, let’s just think about Brighton and try to play the best possible team to win this game and then go game after game.”

3 – Brighton

Jose gave his thoughts on Brighton...

Jose: “The most important thing is their quality. They have good players, strong players. They have lots of the guys adapted to what football is in England, powerful, tall defenders and in attack, guys with great mobility, guys with speed. It’s a good team, a very good team and we felt that when we lost there.”

4 – Tactics

A lot has been made of Graham Potter’s tactics and style of play since taking over from Chris Hughton ahead of this season. What does Jose expect from the Seagulls on Boxing Day?

Jose: “Brighton are a good team, a team that change very frequently their system, their model of play, they play five at the back, they play with 4-4-2 in a diamond, they play 4-2-3-1, they play 4-3-3, they play 4-3-2-1 without wingers wide, they play in almost every possible tactical system.”

5 – Praise for Chris

Jose was asked in his press conference about Graham Potter and his work so far at Brighton, but he took the opportunity to praise Spurs legend Chris Hughton, who in almost five years at the Amex got Brighton promoted and maintained Premier League status for two seasons...

Jose: “I am more in conditions to speak about the work Chris Hughton did there than Potter. Potter is just a few months. Chris was a few years and did amazing in the Championship. Almost promoted, then promoted, then kept them in the Premier League giving stability to the team. So Chris did fantastic work there and now of course with the way the team plays and the position they have in the table it is easy to say Potter is doing good work and it looks as though the team is going to be very stable in the Premier League, so well done.”

Our Boxing Day clash against Brighton is being televised by Amazon Prime...