'Brighton up there with the greats'

Former Brighton striker Warren Aspinall says the Seagulls are "up there with the greats" after their fine start to the season.

Saturday's 2-1 win over Bournemouth means Fabian Hurzeler's side sit fifth in the Premier League after 12 games, level on points with Chelsea and Arsenal and just a point behind champions Manchester City.

"What a feeling it is to open the newspaper on Sunday morning and see the top five in the Premier League and Brighton at the bottom of that," Aspinall told the Albion Unlimited podcast.

"You're up there with the greats. What a feeling that is as a player.

"It's not just the players, it's the staff, it's everyone who is employed by Brighton, it's the chairman who has put his money where his mouth is.

"22 points from 12 games is absolutely brilliant."

Aspinall was also full of praise for Brighton's front four of Karou Mitoma, Joao Pedro, Georginio Rutter and Danny Welbeck, who again offered a constant goal threat.

"In the win over Bournemouth on Saturday our front four were like the Red Arrows," he added.

"They can interchange, the movement they can do - it's just wonderful football. You saw that in both goals. We need to wrap the four of them up in cotton wool. If they are fit then all of them play no matter what.

"If you think waiting in the wings is Simon Adingra, Yankuba Minteh, Evan Ferguson and Julio Encisco who all can't get a game."

Pedro scored his fourth goal in four Premier League starts this season and Aspinall believes if he simplifies his game then his potential is endless.

"The world's his oyster - another one where that is the case," he added.

"Sometimes he gets a little bit too cocky, he tries hard things instead of doing the basics. If he sticks to the basics and does them for 90 minutes then the world his oyster."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds