It is important to say that Aston Villa were not the only team here to have lost key players over the summer; to play under the threat of further departures; to be without others because of injury. It has been a testing time for the Brighton manager, Fabian Hürzeler, who has said goodbye to Danny Welbeck, Jan Paul van Hecke and James Milner, among others.
Hürzeler was without Carlos Baleba and Yankuba Minteh, officially because of injuries although their proposed moves to Manchester United and Liverpool, respectively, were surely a part of things. Kaoru Mitoma was out with a more cut-and-dried fitness matter.
