Brighton v Rotherham: Evans believes Seagulls should be flying higher

STEVE EVANS admits opponents Brighton’s poor start to the 
2014-15 season has surprised him greatly.
SURPRISED: Rotherham United manager Steve Evans.SURPRISED: Rotherham United manager Steve Evans.
SURPRISED: Rotherham United manager Steve Evans.

The 14th-placed Millers visit the Amex Stadium today for the first time to face hosts who are six places and four points behind them in the table, with manager Sami Hyppia under growing pressure.

Going into the game, the Millers – unbeaten in four Championship matches – are the ones with a spring in their step with Brighton without a league win in nine games and needing to find the answers.

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He said: “There is massive investment going on there with a very rich chairman (Tony Bloom), but a chairman who will want a return on that.

“I think everyone expected at the start of the season, when you look at the squad of players and who Brighton added to the squad, that Sami would have his players challenging for automatic promotion.

“It is a squad of players who are certainly capable of finishing in the top three or four, for sure.”

Evans says that international defender Kari Arnason, who he criticised for his part in the build-up to Fulham’s late leveller on Tuesday at the New York Stadium, is ready to shrug off his disappointment at the Amex Stadium today.

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On Arnason, who sampled considerable highs last week, including playing his part in Iceland’s memorable Euro 2016 victory over Holland, Evans said: “Kari was going to be down because the big fellow has such high standards.

“I have given him plaudits since the day he walked in here and he will continue to get plaudits. But he will know he should have defended that better and, by his standards, he will be disappointed.

“But he will be fine, ready and willing for Brighton.”