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After a difficult afternoon for Brighton, losing comprehensively in a 4-0 defeat to Liverpool, Seagulls manager Chris Hughton used his post match comments to concentrate less on the result of the match but more on the season as a whole. 

By finishing in 15th, Brighton survived relegation which would have been their primary aim coming into their debut Premier League season.

Speaking to the official club website, he said, “I just spoke to the players and we have to speak about the season as a whole. We’ve been in nearly every game and we’ve had some very good performances.

“As the season has gone on, we’ve also had some very good performances against the top six, particularly at home. The next stage for us is away from home. The difficulty of playing the top six away from home, where you need to try and stick in there.

“But our season has shown more good than bad. It’s just a shame that we haven't finished the season in perhaps the way we would have liked to."

Brighton struggled to find any sort of foothold during the match and they were punished by a Liverpool side who were in fine fettle. Goals from Mohamed Salah and Dejan Lovren as well as maiden goals for Dominic Solanke and Andrew Robertson secured the Seagulls' fate.

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“It was a very hard afternoon for us. We knew that we’d have to play at a certain level, as we also knew in midweek [against Manchester City], to get something from the game. They needed to be below their best and you have to stay in the game for as long as possible.

“But they caused us so many problems - we dealt with the majority of them, but when it’s relentless, it becomes far more difficult. You have to defend ever so well and have periods on the ball. The only disappointment today was that we didn’t keep possession well enough.

“But credit to them, they needed the result and they showed their quality.”

Hughton also used the interview as an opportunity to praise his keeper Maty Ryan, who had a fine afternoon, regardless of the scoreline.

“He’s been excellent for us and as the season’s gone on, he's got even better. He’s a different type of goalkeeper, he’s not a six-foot-seven goalkeeper with physicality.

“But what he has is that agility, and that’s sometimes the balance when it comes to goalkeepers.

“He goes away to the World Cup and we certainly wish him a good tournament. He’ll got there having had a very good season for us.”