Percy Tau is clearly reveling in his status as the Premier League’s latest star. The South Africa international made his belated Brighton debut against Manchester City 908 days after signing for the club.
His first start in English football and Premier League debut couldn’t have been tougher at the home of the 2019 champions, however, the former South Africa Footballer of the Year impressed in the 1-0 defeat.
Tau has apparently soaked in the experience from his three loans in Belgium and seems set for the big time. Against City, the 26-year-old made a good account of himself and had a moment of skill that Oleksandr Zinchenko would want to quickly forget.
Tau was confident, pacy and tidy in possession in a resolute Seagulls performance until he was withdrawn just after the hour mark.
Reflecting on the occasion, he said; “It was a difficult game, but we did our best. We tried to create chances, but it was difficult to do that. We have to grow from this.”
“We want to try and create more chances to score – you want those big chances in games, but we didn’t make many of them against Manchester City.
“We can take positives out of this though and try and do better on Saturday. It was a good game, we did well and it can only get better, it will only be a matter of time before we start getting those wins”. He told Brighton and Hove Albion website
“I need to adjust to the team and the league. With time I will get better as I understand the way the coach wants me to play more.”
Pep Guardiola was full of praise for his opponents, calling counterpart Graham Potter ‘the best English manager right now’ and singling out the former Mamelodi Sundowns man.
“Every pass makes sense. Their movement between the lines upfront makes sense. Every player is in his position to get the ball and be free.
“The people up front are so fast, with [Percy] Tau, [Neal] Maupay, until the last minute.”
The defeat made it nine Premier League games since the Seagulls’ last win stretching back to November. They now look to bounce back against Leeds, with their new attacker clearly in top shape
