Brighton and Hove Albion boss Fabian Hürzeler insisted that his players were fighting for the club’s badge and called for “togetherness” as he sought to bring disgruntled supporters back on side.
Albion host Nottingham Forest tomorrow (Sunday 1 March) in their first game at the Amex Stadium since some fans chanted for Hürzeler to be sacked during the 1-0 defeat to rivals Crystal Palace on Sunday 8 February.
The Seagulls ended a six-match Premier League winless run with victory at Brentford last weekend but have taken only 12 points from their last 14 fixtures, dating back to a 2-0 success at relegation-threatened Forest in November.
Hürzeler said: “I always want to speak to the fans and say to them they should give the great support they did so far during the season to the players because in the end they give everything.
“They are fully committed to this club. They show every day at the training ground and every weekend for this badge the most effort they can give.
“It’s very important the fans keep recognising it and keep pushing the team. In the end they can judge me. They can be very critical with me and I know it’s part of the job.
“We have to create an energy on the pitch. It’s our responsibility that we create something, that we transform this energy to them, that they have no other choice than pushing us, cheering us and giving us loud support.
“If we have good body language and a positivity on the pitch, I am 100 per cent convinced it will transform to the stands.
“And then we will have a great atmosphere and then I’m also convinced we have a big chance to win this game.
“We have to feel like a unit because if we really want to challenge consistently the top teams, the teams in the Premier League where we want to get, then we have to have this togetherness.”
Nottingham Forest boss Vitor Pereira said that he did not want his side to be preoccupied with their league position.
Forest are in the thick of a relegation battle but Pereira said that results would follow if the focus was on the performance.
He said: “I believe that will be a tough match. We want to play good football. They want to play good football. We want the three points. They want three points.
“I want my team playing in the way that we played against Liverpool in the first half, with confidence, organisation, ambition and without thinking about the points and the result.
“Because if we are thinking too much about the points and results, you cannot express what we have to express.”
Pereira hopes to have Stefan Ortega available after the goalkeeper played through an apparent injury in the Europa League clash with Fenerbahce.
Asked if the injury was an issue, the Portuguese replied: “I hope not. It was another problem during the game because he felt something in his calf and we had just one sub left.
“If you have a problem with a goalkeeper and he needs to go off, it is a big problem.”
you can’t polish a turd