Richard Keys names SHOCK Premier League relegation candidate after their ‘strange’ decision ahead of the new campaign

Richard Keys has sensationally tipped Brighton for relegation from the Premier League following the departure of Roberto De Zerbi.

The fixtures for the 2024-2025 top season were announced on Tuesday morning ahead of the opening day on August 17.

Attention in the football world is currently focused on the European Championship taking place in Germany, but domestic action will return soon after the event’s conclusion on July 14.

Manchester City will be looking for a fifth successive top-flight title, while the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool – under new boss Arne Slot – will be desperate to end their dominant run.

Many fans will single out newly promoted Leicester, Southampton and especially Ipswich for the drop. But well before the new season, Keys has added Brighton’s name to the list of teams he expects to struggle.

Roberto De Zerbi parted ways with Brighton in May and the club replaced him

Brighton has appointed 31-year-old Fabian Hurzeler from St Pauli as the club’s new head coach

The Seagulls parted ways with De Zerbi after their 11th-place finish last season and made the historic decision to replace him with 31-year-old Fabian Hurzeler.

The veteran broadcaster believes Brighton will ultimately have to pay for this ‘strange’ call.

“Put Brighton off for relegation,” he said wrote on his blog. ‘What a strange appointment they have made: 31-year-old Fabian Hurzeler.

‘There’s his first problem. He is younger than many of his key players: Jason Steele (33), Lewis Dunk (32), Joel Veltman (32), Pascal Gross (32), James Milner (38) and Danny Welbeck (33).

‘He could lose his bandage all too easily if he gets off on the wrong foot. Good luck to him.

‘I have often said that I have a soft spot for Brighton, but I fear they are going down the same path as their nearest neighbor Southampton.

“There are only so many times you can go to the ‘smart’ one before you notice it drying up.”

Hurzeler’s impressive spell in Germany with St. Pauli – which culminated in promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time in 31 years – earned him a three-year contract with the Amex.

He has become the youngest manager in the history of the Premier League and the first to be born after the league was founded in 1992. Brighton chairman Toney Bloom said he was confident the club had made the right choice after reports linked them to a reunion with former players. boss Graham Potter.

Seagulls start their Premier League campaign with a trip to Goodison Park to take on Everton

“He has a playing style that reflects the way we want a Brighton & Hove Albion team to play and I am confident our supporters will appreciate and enjoy this,” said Bloom.

‘Fabian also has an excellent coaching background and has worked with the German Federation at various age group levels. We are very excited to be working with Fabian in preparation for the upcoming season.”