Norwich v Albion
FA CUP - THIRD ROUND
Venue: Carrow Road
Date: Saturday 11th January 2025
Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
Referee: Simon Hooper
Assistants: Adrian Holmes, Scott Ledger
Fourth Official: Sam Allison
Hürzeler on João Pedro injury, Norwich and Wembley 'goal'
Fabian Hürzeler has been speaking to the media before Saturday's FA Cup third round match against Norwich City.
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
- There are "some issues" in the squad with Lewis Dunk, Jack Hinshelwood and Mats Wieffer all unavailable because of injury. There are doubts about Danny Welbeck's availability but he will be assessed again on Friday.
- João Pedro will also miss the game after "twisting his ankle in training", with the club waiting for an MRI scan on the forward's injury, while the game comes "too early" for new signing Diego Gómez.
- Despite the injuries, Hurzeler is confident his squad will still be "very competitive and strong enough to win the game". He is looking to "get consistency into the squad" and "build relationships on the pitch" so there will not be too many changes to his starting line-up.
- On what the FA Cup means to him: "It's similar to the Carabao Cup. It's a competition where you have a chance to win a title. There are a lot of good opponents in this cup competition but, in the end, it's only one game - and in one game, anything is possible."
- After going eight games without victory, the Seagulls are looking to return to winning ways against a "great opponent" in Norwich: "It is going to be a tough game. They play really well, they try to play out and build up from the back, they have good individual players."
- He anticipates the trip to Carrow Road will be "hard work" and they "cannot underestimate" the Championship side. The players will be prepared "physically and mentally" for a "big fight" and a "great atmosphere".
- Hurzeler is aware of the "individual quality" in Norwich's offensive line: "Borja Sainz is a very good one-vs-one player. He makes a difference because he scores a lot of goals and makes a lot of assists. So we have to defend well, press with intensity and be very compact in a low block to keep them out. Otherwise they can cause a lot of danger."
- On the opportunity to get the team to Wembley again, after the Seagulls were knocked out by Manchester United in the 2023 FA Cup semi-final: "I have spoken to Andrew Crofts about this. Although I didn't experience it myself, he shared that it was a great experience to be at Wembley, to play there and to come so far in this tournament. That should be our goal again this season. In one game, we are able to beat everyone. We have to believe in that."
- This is the first FA Cup meeting between Norwich and Brighton since January 2003, with the Canaries winning a third round tie 3-1 at Carrow Road.
- Brighton are unbeaten in their last four meetings with Norwich in all competitions (W2 D2), keeping a clean sheet in each match. The last two meetings between the sides in the 2021-22 Premier League both finished 0-0.
- When outside the top-flight themselves, Norwich are winless in their last 16 FA Cup matches against top tier opponents (D4 L12), since a 1-0 win at Stoke City in January 1982.
- Brighton have progressed from seven of their last eight FA Cup third round ties, failing only against Sheffield Wednesday in 2019-20 in this run.
- Brighton’s João Pedro has scored six goals in his last three FA Cup appearances, with all of these strikes coming away from home. He netted a hat-trick in his last such match against Sheffield United last season.
Fabian Hürzeler's Norwich Press Conference
