Brighton & Hove Albion club ambassador Alan Mullery has claimed that it is a "big plus" for the team to face the "best players in the world" in the Premier League this season.
The 2017-18 fixtures have been announced, and first up for Brighton is Pep Guardiola's Manchester City at home.
Mullery, who coached the Seagulls between 1976 and 1981, believes that the team face a big challenge, but should embrace taking on high-calibre opposition.
"Many years ago I was the last manager to take them up and we drew Arsenal at home on the first day and we got stuffed 4-0," The Mirror quotes Mullery as saying.
"It's changed so much now because you've got so many good sides in the Premier League and you've got to fight, you've got to scrap, you've got to chase, you've got to win as many games as you possibly can at the start of the season.
"Because if you lose four or five games you are on a downward trend and that's very difficult. It's got to be a big plus for the players that they are going to come up against some of the best players in the world."
Brighton will take on City, Leicester City, Watford, West Bromwich Albion and Bournemouth in their first five games of the 2017-18 campaign.
Danielle Joynson
