Glenn Murray admits watching Premier League relegation rivals Cardiff could prove too stressful for some of Brighton’s squad.
Albion’s top-flight status remains in the balance but will be secured if bitter rivals Crystal Palace do them a favour by beating Neil Warnock’s side on Saturday evening.
While a draw in south Wales should also be sufficient for the Seagulls due to their superior goal difference, victory for the Bluebirds would pile pressure on the Sussex club going into Sunday’s game at Arsenal.
Asked if he and his team-mates will tune into the televised clash, veteran striker Murray replied: “I suppose it depends if the hotel has BT Sport!
“I’m sure we’ll be up there (in London) by around that time and we’ll be free to watch it as we wish.
“I’m sure there will be quite a big group (of players) watching it and I’m sure it might be a bit too stressful for others.
“Whether we watch it or not, it’s not going to change the result.
“If you enjoy watching stressful football matches then you’ll enjoy watching that game on behalf of us.”
Brighton sit four points above Cardiff heading into daunting fixtures against Unai Emery’s Gunners and title-chasing Manchester City.
Top scorer Murray, who has hit 23 Premier League goals since Albion’s promotion in 2017 including 11 this term, is desperate to prolong his stay in the top-flight.
“It would mean the world at my age,” said the 35-year-old, whose contract runs until the summer of 2020.
“It’s been a fantastic last two years, scoring goals and playing regularly and to have the opportunity to do that for another year would be more than I ever imagined.
“Certain games you take the extra second to just take it all in because I won’t be able to get out there eventually and I want to try and savour those memories as much as possible.”
Albion’s precarious position stems from a dreadful run of form in 2019 which has yielded just 10 points from a possible 48 and only 11 goals.
Murray, who had a prolific three-and-a-half year spell with Palace between 2008 and 2011, does not expect his mid-table former club to be short of motivation at the Cardiff City Stadium.
“If the shoe was on the other foot, I’d want to score goals, as I’m sure Crystal Palace’s strikers will,” he said.
“And I’d also want to move up the league as far as possible and benefit myself and I’m sure that will be the Palace outlook down at Cardiff.”
While Murray is likely to watch the Cardiff-Palace game, Brighton boss Chris Hughton intends to avoid it in order to focus on Arsenal.
Hughton accepts that the Seagulls only have themselves to blame for their current plight.
“The reason why we’re going into the last two games still uncertain is that we haven’t been good enough in areas,” he said.
“So (I am) concerned that we haven’t won the games that we needed to win, concerned that we haven’t got the goals or created the chances that we needed to win.
“But every game is an opportunity and it’s still in our hands.”
‘Maybe I’ll be signed by Wrexham, who knows? English football would suit me – if an offer came, I wouldn’t think twice, I’d go immediately’ Euro 2024 cult hero reveals his UK dream
‘Managing Leeds? It was an option that appeared, but it wasn’t the right timing. I decided it wasn’t a good idea to leave the club I was at mid-season’: Premier League boss admits to turning down opportunity to replace Jesse Marsch in 2023
