‘Both deserve to play’ – Roberto De Zerbi discusses Steele-Verbruggen selection dilemma

Verbruggen started in between the sticks as the Albion ran out comfortable winners at the Amex Stadium thanks to an Evan Ferguson hat-trick, giving the Sussex side their third win in four games.

It was the summer signing’s second successive start for the Seagulls, replacing Steele following the back-to-back victories over Luton and Wolves.

When asked about the club’s goalkeeping situation, De Zerbi said: “Both deserve to play. I am lucky because I have two keepers and I would like to play with two keepers.”

Steele had been De Zerbi’s first-choice keeper since March of this year, having replaced Robert Sanchez due to being more suited to the Italian’s intricate build-up play from the back. Sanchez did not take kindly to sitting on the bench and was sold to Chelsea this summer for £20m.

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Verbruggen was bought by the Sussex side from Anderlecht for £16m, having been named the Belgium side’s player of the season for the prior campaign, as the club looked to strengthen the squad ahead of it’s first-ever Europa League campaign.

De Zerbi has said he sees both keepers as his ‘number one option’ and intends to rotate the two regularly, rather then using one for Premier League games and the other for cup competitions.

The Brighton boss explained: “I didn't want to decide one player in the Premier League and one player in the Europa League because Jason [Steele] has worked in his career to reach the target to play in the Europa League.

"I think it would be unfair to play with Jason [Steele] only in the Premier League. The same for Bart Vebruggan, because he decide to come to Brighton to play Europa League, but also in the Premier League.”