LIVERPOOL: Brighton’s Fabian Hurzeler insisted he would stay “humble” after the Premier League’s youngest manager marked his debut with a 3-0 victory at Everton on Saturday.
Aged 31 years and 173 days, Hurzeler is the youngest permanent boss in Premier League history following his arrival from St. Pauli to replace Roberto De Zerbi in the close-season.
The German is the first manager to be born after the Premier League started in 1992 and is seven years younger than Brighton midfielder James Milner.
Despite his tender years in comparison to his Premier League peers, Hurzeler made a flying start as 10-man Everton were brushed aside at Goodison Park.
Goals from Kaoru Mitoma, Danny Welbeck and Simon Adingra fired Brighton, while Everton were hampered by Ashley Young’s red card.
“I’m very happy, it’s a good start but nothing more and it’s important to stay humble after this,” Hurzeler said.
“It’s a very good feeling but I don’t want to talk about myself, the players deserved this. They worked hard in pre-season and I’m very proud of them.”
Hurzeler became the youngest head coach in the German second tier when he was hired by St. Pauli aged 29 in December 2022.
He hauled the club away from the relegation zone and led them to promotion to the Bundesliga last season, catching the eye of Brighton owner Tony Bloom in the process.
Texas-born Hurzeler holds German, Swiss and American citizenship, but he already appears at home with the club from England’s south-coast.
“It was a good result, very intense. In some moments we suffered but after a time we tried to control the game, had good chances, then went 1-0 up,” Hurzeler said.
“In the end the clean sheet was important and we showed attitude and character.”
Hurzeler’s biggest issue was handling the disappointment of new signing Yankuba Minteh, who was causing Everton problems before a head injury forced him off in the first half against his wishes.
“He was disappointed but in the end we are disappointed for the player and can’t take any risks, the health of the player is more important and we were responsible for that,” the Seagulls boss said.
“We have to keep looking at him and how he reacts. I am confident he will be back next week. He had a great impact but I judge my offensive players on how they work off the ball.”
Brighton’s ‘humble’ Hurzeler makes instant impact as Premier League’s youngest boss
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Brighton’s ‘humble’ Hurzeler makes instant impact as Premier League’s youngest boss
- Aged 31 years and 173 days, Hurzeler is the youngest permanent boss in Premier League history following his arrival from St. Pauli
- The German is the first manager to be born after the Premier League started in 1992 and is seven years younger than Brighton midfielder James Milner
Lowry and Elvira share halfway lead at Dubai Invitational
- Irishman Lowry began the day 3 shots behind Grand Slam champion Rory McIlroy before finishing with 68
DUBAI: Shane Lowry and Nacho Elvira both produced brilliant rounds of 68 in windy conditions to earn a two-shot lead at the 2026 Dubai Invitational.
The Irishman began the day three shots behind good friend and Grand Slam champion Rory McIlroy, but some stunning iron play and clutch putting saw him overhaul his playing partner.
Lowry is aiming to secure his first DP World Tour title since winning the 2022 BMW PGA Championship and he showcased his quality with five birdies and two bogeys.
Spaniard Elvira surged into contention thanks to four birdies in his final six holes for a matching 68 — the best rounds of the day — to set the clubhouse target of five under.
Having been joined at the summit of the leaderboard earlier in the day, McIlroy regained his one-shot advantage when he birdied the third to reach six under.
That lead was briefly extended to two when Antoine Rozner’s early birdie burst was offset by a double bogey, but McIlroy dropped a shot at the sixth.
A skewed chip left a difficult par putt for McIlroy to save par at the ninth and when it slid by, he was in a two-way tie for the lead at four under.
In the group ahead, Lawrence carded back-to-back birdies at the fourth and fifth — the latter with a sumptuous hole-out from the bunker — to join that mark.
Lowry opened with birdie-birdie for the second day running and despite a bogey at the fifth, he picked up the shot at the very next hole. A bogey at the ninth saw him slip back one, but he responded immediately with a lovely birdie putt at the 10th to rejoin the lead.
None of the trio could jump ahead on their own as they reached the turn, which saw Armitage increase the leadership group to four.
The Englishman, who started on the back nine, mixed two birdies and two bogeys during his front nine and then picked up shots at the second and fourth to reach the summit.
However, by the time McIlroy and Lowry finished the 14th hole, the latter was in the sole lead.
Lawrence had bogeyed the same par-three hole, Armitage dropped a shot at the ninth — his last — and McIlroy found the water at the 14th as the trio slipped back to three under.
That left Lowry on his own at the top. He was briefly joined by Elvira and McIlroy when the latter rolled in a 46-foot putt at the 16th for birdie, but Lowry followed suit from 31 feet to maintain his one-shot lead at five under.
McIlroy found the water for the fourth time at the 17th as he finished with back-to-back bogeys to sit three behind the joint leaders.
“Very happy (with the round),” said Lowry. “It was hard. It was tricky. You know, like that putt on the last hole, you don’t hole a lot of putts like that, and I did well. I did a good job. A couple sloppy mistakes on the front nine, but I was playing good and giving myself chances.
“I just had a great day out there. I really enjoyed it. I had a great group. Two great amateurs, and playing golf in a good frame of mind makes it a little bit easier. That’s sort of a little lesson for me for the rest season. If I play golf like that for the rest season in that frame of mind, I’ll be pretty good.”
Elvira had carded three bogeys and two birdies during his first 12 holes, but his birdie blitz to complete his second round propelled into the share of the lead with Lowry.
“I feel like off the tee I hit it really well,” said Elvira. “That’s something I struggled with in the past, and we made a couple changes, and I think it’s paying off. So, I’m very happy with the way I’m hitting it off the tee. It’s putting me in good positions to take advantage.”
Armitage and Spain’s David Puig were tied for third at three under, while McIlroy, Lawrence, Rozner and Spain’s Angel Ayora were one shot further back at two under.
American Ryggs Johnston recorded the first hole-in-one of 2026 when he aced the 218-yard par-three eighth with a six iron.
In the team competition, Jimmy Dunne, who was paired with Lowry, leads the way on 12 under, one stroke ahead of Greg Mondre and Dante Jimenez.
