Hürzeler: I have no time for rumours, I have huge respect for Carrick and what he achieved

Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler has swiftly moved to dismiss speculation linking him with Manchester United. British reports suggest the young tactician is among the leading candidates with strong backing within the Old Trafford hierarchy to succeed Michael Carrick.

"I am completely focused on my job here. I don't have time to think about these rumours because we play every three days, and I have huge respect for Michael Carrick and what he achieved with Manchester United last season. He is a great person and a strong character. There is nothing more to say on the matter."

The German tactician also played down suggestions that the Seagulls are genuine title contenders. Brighton currently sit third in the Premier League table ahead of their clash away at Liverpool tomorrow.

"No! We take it game by game and try to stay focused on our performances. I spoke with the players yesterday and I really love their mindset. They said: 'We don't want to focus on results, but on our performances – how to get better and how to develop, because then the results will follow naturally.' At the end of the season, we can discuss where we are and where we should have been. But right now, the focus is on finding solutions, on the process itself, and on getting the very best out of the players."

Hürzeler also weighed in on the improving form of his compatriot Florian Wirtz at Liverpool:

"Wirtz is obviously an incredible player. What he has achieved in his short career is impressive, and I think he is adapting better and better to the Premier League. It is always a pleasure to watch players like him, but for us, it's about stopping him – and not in one-on-one situations, because he is simply too good at that. We must stop him as a unit. Liverpool is not just about Wirtz; they have plenty of other players with exceptional individual quality. A lot will come down to our collective performance. We can still improve because we need to step up our level. It's not enough to just maintain standards – we need to raise them," Hürzeler stated during his press conference today.