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• Brighton chief salutes 'phenomenal' De Zerbi as Seagulls prepare for European tour

  Brighton and Hove Albion chief executive Paul Barber has saluted "phenomenal" boss Roberto De Zerbi for leading the Seagulls to Europa League qualification.

  Brighton will appear on the continent for the first time in their history next season after securing a hugely impressive sixth-placed finish in the Premier League.

  De Zerbi has been a revelation since arriving at the Amex Stadium following Graham Potter's move to Chelsea, who subsequently sacked the coach after just under seven months in charge at Stamford Bridge.

  Barber has heaped praise upon the Italian, who also guided Brighton to the FA Cup semi-finals, where they were beaten by Manchester United on penalties at Wembley Stadium.

  "He's been phenomenal," the Seagulls' chief executive told Stats Perform at the Football Business Awards. 

  "It's his first time working in the Premier League. He's had to learn English, he's had to adapt to life in England, he's had to learn a new league, work with new players. So we're thrilled for him, and he's done a fantastic job.

  "It's the first time in 122 years that we've reached European football. So it's a fantastic achievement for the coaches and the players, and we're delighted for them. And also, I think it's a great opportunity for the fans to celebrate their club in a new competition for the first time."

  It was not all plain sailing for Brighton, who saw key forward Leandro Trossard depart for Arsenal during the January transfer window.

  But Barber revealed the club were prepared for any possible setbacks, and while he acknowledges more players may leave, he insists that selling is not a necessity.

  "The key thing has been succession planning, we have a plan for key positions within the club, should we lose people in those positions," he explained. "I think that's very important if you want to maintain momentum.

  "We're fortunate that we've got a very good owner. We've got a fantastic infrastructure, we sell out all of our games, and we generate great revenues from our sponsors, and from our hospitality and non-matchday work. So no, it's not essential.

  "But we also recognise that the best players want to play at the top level and it's possible we will lose players at some point."

  Barber is also confident it is only a matter of time before former Seagulls boss Potter is given another opportunity following his poor spell at Chelsea. 

  "Graham worked with us for three years," he added. "He did a fantastic job during his time and sometimes when you move to a different club, for whatever reason, it doesn't work out.

  "But what we do know is Graham is an excellent coach and an excellent individual. And I'm sure very soon, he'll be back in top-level football."

• Roberto De Zerbi wants to help Jason Steele follow Lewis Dunk into England squad

  Roberto De Zerbi hopes to help goalkeeper Jason Steele gain England recognition after claiming Lewis Dunk’s international recall is a comparable achievement to Brighton qualifying for the Europa League.

  Seagulls skipper Dunk has been included in Gareth Southgate’s squad for next month’s Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia, having been in international exile since his debut in November 2018.

  The 31-year-old has been rewarded for his key role in Albion’s sixth-placed Premier League finish.

  Former Middlesbrough, Blackburn and Sunderland keeper Steele has also been instrumental during a remarkable season at the Amex Stadium after dislodging Robert Sanchez as first choice in early March.

  Brighton head coach De Zerbi believes the 32-year-old is capable of joining Dunk in the national team set-up to compete with the likes of Jordan Pickford, Aaron Ramsdale, Nick Pope and Sam Johnstone.

  “It’s great news,” the Italian said of Dunk’s call-up.

  “I think it’s maybe the same big news like Europa League because to help one of our players to achieve a target so important, so prestigious is a proud (moment).

  “We have to be proud – not only the coaches but the players – for one player.

  “We will work in the next season to help Jason Steele to achieve the same target of Lewis Dunk because he has the quality to achieve one target so important.

  “In my vision, in my idea, Jason Steele is a top keeper. It’s difficult to find another keeper of this level.

  “I study football 24 hours per day but it’s very hard to find another keeper with this quality.”

  Steele, a former England Under-21 international who represented Great Britain at the London 2012 Olympics, had never played in the top flight until last term.

  He has registered six clean sheets and one assist during the past three months, having been preferred to Sanchez due to his ability to play out from the back.

  Steele joined the Seagulls in June 2018 – on the back of suffering successive relegations to League One with Blackburn and Sunderland – and had to wait more than three years for his league debut.

  “Football is nice because the past is not important,” said De Zerbi.

  “I have to analyse the present and sometimes the potential in the future but the past is not important.

  “You can change your life in one day, if you believe in yourself and you believe in work.

  “And I told him the same: ‘Jason, you have to think you can change. I give you the possibility to change your life, to change your career and you have to believe in yourself because I help you and you help me and you help the team’.”

  Brighton complete an unforgettable campaign at Aston Villa on Sunday after cementing their Europa League spot with Wednesday evening’s 1-1 draw at home to champions Manchester City.

  De Zerbi, who succeeded Graham Potter in September, feels Albion can progress significantly next term.

  “I am looking forward to working in pre-season because I think we can improve in a lot of things,” he said.

  “We have played not more than 70 per cent and we have another 30 per cent of improvement.”

• Mikel Arteta: Timing of injuries at Arsenal ultimately cost Premier League title

  Mikel Arteta believes the timing of injuries that hit his squad late in the season ultimately cost Arsenal in their bid to hold off Manchester City and win the Premier League.

  The team’s collapse largely coincided with a back injury sustained by defender William Saliba during their Europa League exit to Sporting Lisbon in March, with stand-in centre-back Rob Holding struggling to match the standard set by his team-mate.

  Arsenal were also without strikers Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah, defenders Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu and midfielder Mohamed Elneny for large parts of the season as they were eventually chased down by City despite leading the table for 248 days.

  It hands the club the unwanted record of the most number of days spent top of the league without becoming champions.

  Collecting just nine points from their last eight games extinguished the challenge from Arteta’s side, but the manager pointed to three draws in April – away at Liverpool and West Ham and at home to bottom-side Southampton – as the period where critical damage was done to their title hopes.

  The Gunners threw away two-goal leads at Anfield and the London Stadium before gifting Saints a 3-1 lead at the Emirates, from which they could not recover to win.

  Arteta felt his team should have beaten all three opponents in spite of Saliba’s absence, but noted that the title was usually won by sides that did not suffer the bad luck with injuries that hit Arsenal this season.

  “There were a few things (that caused the collapse) because we could have won at least three of the games that we drew without Willy and two of them really comfortably,” said Arteta. “But we didn’t.

  “We had some critical moments where we didn’t maximise the opportunity that we had in front of us. You have to arrive at this stage with 24 fit players in the best condition, ready to go.

  “It happened last season. In the last stages we lost three or four key players and it’s happened this season.

  “It’s a big lesson, because when you look who wins and how doesn’t win, they have the 24 of them with the knife in the teeth, ready to go physically and mentally, all going for it and they can have real momentum. We didn’t have that again.

  “Timing is everything. Moments define the season in your own way and for opponents. That’s dictated by many, many, many factors and you have to acknowledge that. There are certain things you don’t control and certain other things not.

  “We fail in certain (moments) in our control, but I’m sure there are things we could have done different or better.”

  Arteta was asked whether he feared for Arsenal’s prospects of challenging again next season, given the difficulties that Liverpool have endured this campaign after pushing City to the final day last May.

  Jurgen Klopp’s team have failed to make the top four despite finishing a point behind the champions last season after a pulsating title race.

  As well as the loss of key players and feeling the impact of an ageing team, it had been suggested that there had been a mental hangover at Anfield from last year’s pursuit of Pep Guardiola’s side.

  “Whatever we do now in the last game and what we’ve done in the last week is just to build into what is going to happen afterwards,” said Arteta.

  “Painting a very clear picture of where we want to go and who wants to be part of that journey.”

  The manager also reiterated his commitment to the club after a year in which his personal stock has risen greatly.

  He added: “I am very happy here, I’m very happy with my contract. Let’s move on and let’s have a great season again.”