Brighton's dogged 1-0 victory over Manchester City has fans and pundits alike wondering whether they're in the title race - and how long Fabian Hurzeler will stick around

Noun: bouncebackability. Definition: Manchester City 0-1 Brighton.

After they suffered a 2-0 loss against Liverpool followed by a narrow penalty-shootout defeat away to City in the Carabao Cup, many would've thought going into Saturday that Brighton's stunning start to the season had come to a natural end. But they were wrong.

Returning to the Etihad for the second time in four days, Fabian Huzeler's side pulled off a remarkable win through an early goal and resolute defending. Now third in the Premier League table and boasting the best goal difference, it's testament to how well Brighton are run and how consistent they've been in recent years that no one is actually surprised by their form.

They lost Jan Paul van Hecke, Carlos Baleba and Danny Welbeck in the summer transfer window, but that doesn't seem to have harmed them. Instead, much thanks to their excellent player recruitment and fertile environment for talented managers, the Seagulls are flying higher than ever - and dreaming of winning the Premier League title.

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Hurzeler may well be considered one of the best up-and-coming managers in Europe, but he's not wedded to modernity and looking to reinvent the wheel like some coaches. Each day in training and on a matchday, the 33-year-old instils into his players old-school messages that he knows are evergreen in football.

"We wanted to win the small battles first," Hurzeler told talkSPORT after Brighton's magnificent 3-0 victory over Arsenal in September. "What I mean is win the first header, win the first tackle, win the first throw-in, win the first corner. It sounds a little bit old school but it really was our approach because when you win these small battles, then you grow into the game."

That was echoed after Saturday's win against City in which Yasin Ayari scored the decisive goal on 11 minutes. "There's an old phrase: defence wins you battles and wins you championships," the German proclaimed post-match.

Blending forward-thinking tactics with traditional values, it's no wonder why Hurzeler is being touted for a top job in the near future. And the vacancy that could come up next is at Manchester United, where Michael Carrick hangs by a thread.

But it's understood that Hurzeler would REJECT United if they came calling, as the former St Pauli boss has no plans to leave Brighton any time soon. Some will no doubt question why Hurzeler wouldn't want to join a club higher up the historical food chain (don't sue us for that, Brighton).

But from a purely sporting perspective, Hurzeler would be better off seeing out his work on the south coast before taking the next step. Brighton have a serious chance of winning the UEFA Conference League and you'd be foolish to write their chances of finishing in the Premier League top five.

Could they be the next Leicester and defy the odds to finish top of the pile? With most the so-called Big Six in transition periods, it feels like there's no better chance for an outsider to upset the establishment - plus they've proven that they can beat current favourites Arsenal.

Perhaps down the line there'll be a crunch point between Brighton and Hurzeler - as seen with Roberto De Zerbi in 2024 - but right now, it looks a perfect match. From the boardroom all the way down to the pitch, Brighton possess the kind of alignment that clubs like United can only dream of.

Might the stars align for a title win?