Anthony Knockaert finds himself stuck in a certain category. It is one that says he is too good for the Championship, but not good enough for the Premier League.
Knockaert started against Derby and excelled, scoring the opener and showing why he won Championship Player of the Year in 2016-17 — the season Brighton sealed promotion.
Yet he has not started in the Premier League since December 16, a 2-1 defeat by Chelsea. Since then, Chris Hughton has named nine teams, leaving him out of each.
Others have found themselves wedged in that gap between the first and second tiers. Luciano Becchio was deemed too good for one but not the other, along with David Nugent.
‘There is no player in the world who loves being on the bench,’ Knockaert said. ‘It is frustrating but it is not only me. At every club there are quality players.
‘Take Riyad Mahrez at Manchester City. He is a quality player but has not played more than 30 minutes in 2019 (in the Premier League). You have to keep working and showing the manager that you will never give up.
‘I put things in perspective and try to keep smiling. There are worse things in life.’
Next up for Brighton are Knockaert’s former club Leicester. He won the Championship with them in 2014 and left the year before they won the Premier League at odds of 5,000-1.
On Saturday his four-year-old son Ilyan, who lives and goes to school in Lille, was in the stands.
‘When I left this morning he asked me to score,’ Knockaert said. ‘He asks me why am I not starting. I explain to him it’s football. He loves football, he knows every player. Last week I brought him a N’Golo Kante shirt so he was buzzing. His favourite player is Lionel Messi.’
The difference between the Championship and Premier League is huge, according to Hughton, but the Brighton boss has been surprised by Knockaert’s attitude.
‘For anybody, it is a tougher league,’ Hughton said. ‘We always know what Anthony can do. He is a player who gives us something different.
‘Considering he hasn’t played the minutes he would have liked, he’s been very good.’
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amazing for Brighton