Brighton and Hove Albion striker Neal Maupay felt 'connection' with new strike partner Aaron Connolly

Brighton and Hove Albion striker Neal Maupay believes he can form a lethal partnership with Aaron Connolly following their impressive performance against Tottenham at the Amex Stadium last Saturday.
Brighton and Hove Albion striker Neal Maupay celebrates with Aaron Connolly at the Amex Stadium during their 3-0 win against Tottenham HotspurBrighton and Hove Albion striker Neal Maupay celebrates with Aaron Connolly at the Amex Stadium during their 3-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur
Brighton and Hove Albion striker Neal Maupay celebrates with Aaron Connolly at the Amex Stadium during their 3-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur

Maupay, 23, opened the scoring with his third Premier League goal of the season following his £16m summer arrival from Brentford.

Connolly then took centre stage on his first start in the Premier and added two well-taken goals during the 3-0 triumph. It's the first time Maupay has started up front with Connolly and the Frenchman feels their partnership has potential to develop.

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“I didn’t score a brace on my debut," said Maupay. "But I am with him (Connolly) every day. I know he is a quality player he’s a really good player and he deserves two goals. He played really well and he is only 19 so he will improve. But to have him in the team is really good for us.

“We have played together a couple of times but it was only a few minutes, as he came off the bench. We started the (Spurs) game together, he did really well and we had this connection on the pitch. We tried to stay close and play with each other.

"It has worked today but it is only one game, we need to keep working hard and stay focused for the next game. For a striker is it all about confidence, he’s got quality but it was his first start. He must be really pleased but he deserved it."

Brighton's victory against Tottenham moved them up to 14th in the table with nine points from eight matches. Albion had been playing well this season but Graham Ppotter's men were struggling to convert their possession based football in goals. Against Spurs it clicked and Maupay feels another inform striker will ease the pressure on him and help the team.

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"He’s been working hard in training," Maupay said. "He has got good quality, he is young but to have another striker with the ability to score goals it takes the pressure off. For us it is really good as we are struggling to score goals, he contributed two goals and he was good.”

The international break has perhaps arrived at the wrong time for Albion who were keen to build on the momentum gained from the Tottenham win. Their next match in the Premier is away at Aston Villa on October 19.

“It’s a bit difficult for us because we wanted to build on this win for next," said Maupay. "But we are not going to play. We will work hard in training, just do what we have been doing since the start of the season.

"Believe in ourselves, look back at the game see what we did well, see what we didn’t do so well and just keep improving. When we are playing like that it is really good for the players on the pitch and everyone could see we wanted to play together, fight together."