Brighton and Hove Albion face Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon

Brighton and Hove Albion boss Fabian Hurzeler has singled out Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka for praise ahead of the two sides meeting at the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon.

The Black Cats will be hoping to bounce back from a damaging FA Cup upset at the hands of League One strugglers Port Vale last time out, and will be aiming to extend their unbeaten run in the Premier League to three matches after recording a draw and a win against Bournemouth and Leeds United respectively in recent weeks.

For his part, Xhaka has featured intermittently during each of his side’s past three outings as he continues his recovery from an ankle issue that sidelined him for five matches across January and February. A start against Bournemouth was followed by substitute appearances against Leeds and Port Vale, but with the Swiss veteran presumably in contention for yet more involvement against Brighton this weekend, Seagulls head coach Hurzeler has highlighted just how important the 33-year-old is on Wearside.

What has Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler said about Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka?

Looking ahead to Saturday’s fixture during a pre-match press conference, Hurzeler said: “I didn't play at their [Sunderland’s] stadium, I just heard some voices, how energetic it can be, how loud it can be. So I think I just spoke about our stadium and our environment, and I think they also have a great energy, a great atmosphere, an atmosphere that pushes their team for the wins. Therefore, it will be a big challenge to stay calm in the right moments, to not get influenced by the crowd.”

He continued: “And on the other side, Xhaka showed it already in the last years that he can always have a big impact on no matter who he's playing for. When he played for Leverkusen, he had a big impact on winning the Bundesliga, now he's playing for Sunderland, he has a big impact on bringing them through the season, just by his behaviour, just by his understanding of the game, by how his body language is, how he helps the young players beside him, how he just shows his personality. No matter if it's going good or bad, he's always there for the team, and I think that's something you only can have by getting more and more experience for your career.”

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What has Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris said about Granit Xhaka?

For his part, Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris has suggested that Xhaka is now closing in on a return to full fitness after having his minutes managed in recent weeks. He explained: “Yes, I think so [he’s close to full fitness].

“We're in a good place now. We didn't rush the process, because we know that Granit, in our squad, can change the dynamic, the standards. In this position, we don't have the same profile if we need someone else. It was key to take our time and to let him recover properly, and now I think it's done.”

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