Roberto De Zerbi dismisses giving 'gift' of starting places to young players

De Zerbi was quick to dismiss giving players opportunities in the first team for the sake of it being a cup game. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)

Brighton travel to the Riverside Stadium tomorrow to face an in-form Middlesbrough side in the third round of the historic competition, with the Teesside club fifth in the Championship table after winning seven of their first ten games under new manager Michael Carrick.

In Tuesday’s scintillating 4-1 win over Everton, the Italian named youth-team prospects Evan Ferguson (18) and Jeremy Sarmiento (20) in the starting line-up with, with the former scoring one and assisting Solly March for another, while the latter provided the cross for Ferguson’s goal.

Towards the end of the game at Goodison Park, De Zerbi also brought on 19-year-old Andrew Moran for his first-team debut and Paraguayan teenager Julio Enciso.

FA Cup third round weekend normally sees Premier League clubs proving starting opportunities to younger players in order to rest their star names for the league campaign.

However, despite utilising the youth in his squad in the memorable victory on Tuesday, De Zerbi was quick to dismiss giving players opportunities in the first team for the sake of it being a cup game.

De Zerbi said: “I don’t want to give anyone the gift [of playing]. If I believe that younger players can achieve the result then I will. We have to respect football.”

The FA Cup is Brighton’s last opportunity to win any silverware this season, following their exit from the EFL Cup at the hands of League One Charlton on penalties in the last 16 of the competition.

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De Zerbi said his Brighton side will be taking tomorrow’s game and the competition in general very seriously.

The 43-year-old said: “In Italy there is only Copa Italia but it’s not a problem. We will see after training the best XI because we would like to win the game. We’re still sad for the Charlton result [in the Carabao Cup]. The FA Cup is an important competition for us.

"I know it’s very important in England but for me all competitions are important. We must be serious and play at 100% in every game and training session.”