Graham Potter opens up on relegation pressure ahead of crunch West Ham clash

Graham Potter has relegation pressure on his mind this Christmas

Albion have regularly received plaudits for their slick style of football but have been far less impressive at picking up points.

The 17th-placed Seagulls are hovering just above the Premier League relegation zone ahead of Sunday’s trip to West Ham on the back of a single win from their last 12 fixtures.

While Potter suggested his team have lacked luck at times this season, he accepts the league table accurately reflects their efforts.

“The reality of it is you score the goals you score, and the opposition score the goals they score,” he said.

“While that happens, you don’t deserve anything, other than what you get.

“I think our performances have been quite positive and if you have a bit more luck then maybe things change but, while you haven’t got that, there’s no point feeling sorry for yourself, or complaining about anything.

“We’ve got to be pragmatic in terms of that.

“Everybody has to make their own analysis of what we’ve done and our performances versus results but what we’re focusing on is how we can improve our situation, that’s it.

“That’s where the work is and that’s what we’re trying to focus on.”

Brighton sit only two points clear of the drop zone, having been held to a 1-1 home draw by the 10 men of rock bottom Sheffield United on Sunday.

Defeat at the London Stadium, combined with a Fulham win over Southampton on Boxing Day, would leave the Seagulls in the bottom three for the first time since the second weekend of the 2017-18 season.

Potter insists the game against the Hammers is no more significant than any other top-flight fixture.

“It seems we go from week to week with games being vital and incredibly important and that’s just the language that surrounds the games,” he said.

“All the games are vital, all the games are important – that’s the truth.

“We’re in the toughest league in the world and we’re fighting for every single point.

“When you have that narrative, every game is vital and every game is important and we want to approach the game in that manner.”

Albion will once again be without full-back Tariq Lamptey due to a hamstring injury.