Four Brighton players who stand to benefit from Roberto De Zerbi's subtle changes

Leandro Trossard became the third Premier League player in history to score a hat trick for the opposing side at Anfield, as he and Brighton maintained their strong start to the 2022/2023 campaign.

Albion currently sit fourth in the Premier League table – above the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool – despite going 27 days without a game and losing their former manager Potter to the Blues within that time frame.

Of course, it is still very much Potter’s side that De Zerbi is working with, but even within his first 90 minutes as Brighton manager, it could be noticed how the Italian envisions his team playing.

Greater possession, an emphasis on playing out from the back and a higher intensity of pressing were all subtle changes from the way Potter’s side set up, building on the former manager’s successful work and achieving a positive result.

De Zerbri has already praised the quality of the squad he has inherited, saying: “Potter has left me a great team. I’ve tried not to do any damage, of course adding my idea on top.”

Here are the four players SussexWorld believe will benefit from De Zerbi’s tactical changes and new style of play.

Leandro Trossard

Since April, the Belgium creator has been Albion’s go-to-man, scoring 10 goals and assisting two in his last 14 Premier League appearances.

In Potter’s 3-4-2-1 formation, Trossard was used as both a left-wing back and as a more advanced left-side playmaker to devastating effect.

De Zebri started his first game using the same system as the previous manager, deploying Trossard in the more attack-minded position, before shifting him to the right flank to score his third goal with seven minutes to spare.

The Italian spoke before the game of how he expects the 27-year-old to increase his goal contributions to the side, suggesting that Trossard’s responsibilities going back towards his own goal will be limited under his leadership.

After the Liverpool game, Trossard was complimentary of his new boss, suggesting that he had a more ‘hands-on approach’ then Potter.

Trossard said: “He’s very passionate about football and how he wants to get us playing, but in a good way.

"It’s very clear how he wants to play. I’ve learnt a lot already. I think we are going to enjoy our time with him as head coach.

“I don’t know when he stopped playing, but it’s still in his veins. He loves to be a part of a team.”

Danny Welbeck

Whilst he is still waiting to open his account for the season, there is no doubting that Welbeck’s contribution has been vital to Brighton’ strong start.

The only game that the striker hasn't started was Albion’s only loss so far this campaign (a 2-1 away defeat at Fulham) and the 31-year-old’s movement and link-up play has spearheaded Brighton’s attack nicely.

Welbeck’s good form continued on Saturday, with his elegant backheel assisting Trossard for his first goal of the afternoon, before setting Solly March free to serve up the ball for the Belgium’s second strike.

With De Zerbi demanding his players to have greater retention of the ball, Welbeck’s link-up style could be pivotal to the new manger’s vision becoming a success.

The Italian has already alluded to his admiration for the centre-forward, saying: “I didn’t think he was such a strong player.

"I’ve read he could be among those who could be called up for England to go to the World Cup, and this thing is something that we must all feel, the whole squad, all the players, the staff must feel this thing to help him go to Qatar.”

Kaoru Mitoma

The talented winger has been given few opportunities to show his abilities since returning from his season-long loan at Royale Union Saint-Gilloise – having only been seen so far in short, sporadic appearances from the bench.

However, within this limited playing time, the Japanese international has demonstrated how he can hurt opposition teams, whipping in the cross for Albion’s equaliser against Liverpool last weekend.

Mitoma’s introduction in the 65th minute allowed De Zebri to change from a 3-4-2-1 formation to a 4-4-2 and later a 4-2-3-1, with which Albion scored their equaliser and gave Mitoma his first assist for the club.

Formational fluency is a major part of De Zebri’s set-up for games against the ‘big six’. In order for it to work successfully, he will require expectational players from beyond his first XI.

Players like Mitoma, may stand to benefit from the new manager’s approach to the game, with his trickery and pace being used to devastating effect against tiring players in the later stages of matches.

Adam Webster

In his first pre-match press conference, De Zebri outlined that his central defenders would be the most important players in his new Brighton side.

The 43-year-old believes that Webster – alongside captain Lewis Dunk and Joel Veltman – are key to Brighton retaining possession, as it is with them that the majority of phases of play will start.

De Zerbi said: “I have spoken a lot of times with the defenders, [Lewis] Dunk, [Joel] Veltman and [Adam] Webster. They for me are the most important players in the squad, because from them we start, they start the build-up, they start us being able to dominate the game."

The Athletic noted that at Anfield, Brighton passed the ball inside their own half 289 times, their highest figure for that stat this season.

Webster spoke highly of his greater ball-playing responsibly, saying: “You always want to play in teams that are in possession, that control the game and I feel like we’re going to go to a new level with that.

"It suits us – [Lewis] Dunky, Joel [Veltman]and me are all comfortable in possession, we love to have the ball and it’s music to our ears. Hopefully it will help us all improve.”

De Zebri is not the only one that has faith in the 27-year-old’s ability on the ball, with former Liverpool centre-back and current Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher singing Webster’s praise during Albion’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea at the Amex Stadium in January this year.

During the game, Carragher tweeted: “Adam Webster’s passing out from the back, with both feet is better than any other English central defender.”