04.11.2020 17:16 h

Brighton 'move forward' from Maupay incident

Brighton manager Graham Potter said Wednesday the club had "moved forward" from an incident that led to Neal Maupay's unexpected absence against Tottenham.

The French striker missed Sunday's 2-1 Premier League defeat for what Potter at first suggested were tactical reasons.

But subsequent reports claimed Maupay had been involved in an altercation with a colleague and that the 24-year-old's attitude was proving a problem as well.

Potter, while declining to give specific details, said Wednesday: "I spoke before the game and spoke about tactical reasons. When I use the word tactical it can be seen as a 4-2-3-1 or a system or a formation, and sometimes you have to make decisions that are right for the group.

"Sometimes mistakes are made and tempers are high and people are frustrated and emotional. You want that to a certain extent, we are in professional sport at the highest level."

He added: "Sometimes the line gets crossed and it is about how you react to that. There is no problem with Neal. It is something we have dealt with as an incident. You move forward from it.

"He accepts it wasn't his finest hour but he's a young man that's going to make mistakes, like we all do and have done. He then takes responsibility for them."

Maupay, who has scored four goals this season, is set to return to the squad for Friday's match at home to Burnley.

"He has been training with the group," Potter said. "He's available for selection."