Brighton Fan View: The job is not done yet

Beating Arsenal was one of the highpoints of the season and a major step towards survival, but Brighton cannot afford to think the job is done.

A victory over the Gunners, which we thoroughly deserved on our first-half performance, moved us on to 34 points and in touching distance of our No.1 goal for the season, which has always been staying in the Premier League. Some are saying four more points will be enough to avoid relegation back to the Championship.

But my message to Chris Hughton and the team is: Let’s get the job done before Easter is over, rather than thinking we have nine games to achieve this.

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Everton away on Saturday is our next game and then at home to Leicester at the end of the month following the international break, before Huddersfield visit at the beginning of April. Brighton are buoyant at the moment and we need to take a really positive approach into these next three Premier League games because the rewards are potentially huge.

At the beginning of the season, I honestly did not think we would be in this position by mid-March, so immense credit has to go to the manager and his squad. What is even more pleasing is that the squad is full of confidence, playing well and scoring goals. Okay, Arsenal came at us in the second half at the Amex last Sunday but we limited them to just a couple of clear chances, whereas in the first half we could genuinely have been 4-0 ahead before Arsenal scored.

There were so many great performances. Lewis Dunk was immense at the back, Davy Propper keeps getting better and better in midfield and Pascal Gross is perhaps the most underrated player in the Premier League. Jose Izquiero still has areas to improve upon but he is a real game influencer now and then there is Glenn Murray. ‘Murray for England’ we chanted after his 11th goal of the season – and why not? Okay, there probably are reasons why not, but Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling and Jamie Vardy are the only Englishmen to have scored more goals in the Premier League than the 34-year-old Brighton striker so far this season.

The result has also added to the feelgood factor of the last few weeks. Normally, I’m bolting for the train as soon as the final whistle is blown, but on Sunday I didn’t want to leave. The atmosphere was the best it has been this season. And a great weekend was topped off by Manchester United coming from 2-0 down to beat Crystal Palace on Monday evening.

In the Premier League the tide can turn so quickly and this is why Brighton need to try to keep riding the wave as long as we can. I would not have a problem losing the last six games of the season as long as we knew we were safe by then. We must remember a great job is being done but the job is far from done yet.