Tommy Watson left Sunderland for Brighton during this summer

Brighton and Hove Albion boss Fabian Hurzeler has explained the reasons as to why former Sunderland winger Tommy Watson has struggled for consistent game time on the south coast this season, suggesting that the starlet needs time to find his “rhythm”.

The 19-year-old etched his name into Mackem folklore with a stoppage time winner in May’s Championship play-off final at Wembley, sealing a 2-1 victory over Sheffield United, and securing a long-awaited return to the Premier League for his boyhood club.

By that point, however, Watson had already agreed to join Brighton, but since completing his switch to the Amex Stadium, he has registering just 176 minutes of action in all competitions. Despite his relatively meagre involvement, the teenager has still impressed, offering up a hat-trick of assists and a goal across three Carabao Cup appearances, as well as coming off the bench twice in the Premier League.

And in a press conference prior to his side’s 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest on Sunday afternoon, Hurzeler admitted that a combination of minor injuries and a general need for patience with the emerging talent have largely contributed to his limited role of late.

What did Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler say about former Sunderland winger Tommy Watson?

As quoted by SussexWorld, the German said: “Yeah, he's training again. Everything is fine regarding the loads, regarding how his body reacts after his training week, for sure he can be an option.

“He has been a little bit unlucky at the moment with the small issues, they're not big injuries, but just small issues, what stops him to get really into rhythm. I think he proved already in this season what he's capable of doing for us, that he has big potential. But it's really about getting him into rhythm, getting him back to his physical fitness.”

Hurzeler added: “When you're physically fit, then you're mentally ready and when you're mentally ready, then you come into a pitch with a big self-confidence, with a big belief into your quality, and that's what we try to get out of him. But the main thing is really stay fit, stay healthy, try to get into rhythm, and then I think he can play an important part for us."

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What has Tommy Watson said about his decision to leave Sunderland for Brighton?

Speaking after Brighton’s defeat to Manchester United in late October, Watson reasserted his belief that he had made the right decision by leaving Sunderland for the Seagulls, stating: “I would be getting minutes at Sunderland, but personally I think the level of the group is higher here [at Brighton]. This system suits my game more and I think this environment is set up for me to go and kick on and prove myself. I think it’s a dynamic system. I love the intensity to go and press high up the pitch. I think you can see it with [Yankuba] Minteh and when Kaoru [Mitoma] is playing.

“I'm a player who really wants to be playing and then obviously I went away with England, didn't get a lot of minutes there either so I think hopefully now, it's going to be a period where I can get good minutes into the legs and show what I can do.”

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