Leon Balogun, the Brighton defender, has said that playing Liverpool will be “a lot more intense” than Manchester United after making his Premier League debut in Sunday’s 3-2 victory over Jose Mourinho’s side.

Balogun, who joined Brighton on a free transfer from German outfit Mainz in the summer, replaced the injured Lewis Dunk after 20 minutes of Brighton’s memorable win this weekend.

Brighton face Liverpool on Saturday and Balogun expects Jurgen Klopp’s side to to be much “faster” than United, who struggled to create chances at the Amex Stadium.

Asked after the game how his first experience of the Premier League compared to the Bundesliga, Balogun said: “Some of the lads have just asked me that too and I said I had expected [the Premier League] to be quicker.

“But they told me this is always the kind of game you play against United. They like to slow it down a little bit sometimes.

Brighton celebrate their second goal credit: Reuters

“Liverpool is going to be completely different. I know how Klopp likes to play. It is going to be a lot quicker and a lot more intense.”

Brighton striker Glenn Murray, who scored the opening goal and terrorised United centre-backs Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly, said Brighton’s success since their promotion was proof of how Championship players can step up to the Premier League.

Chris Hughton, the Brighton manager, has kept faith with many of the players who helped the club seal promotion in the 2016/17 season. The likes of Dunk, Murray, Anthony Knockaert and Dale Stephens have all been regulars in the Premier League after years of playing in the lower leagues.

Other promoted clubs, such as Fulham and Wolves this summer, have been more proactive in recruiting new faces after earning a place in the Premier League.

“I have to thank him [Hughton] for giving me the opportunity to play at this level,” Murray said. “You see with some teams this year that they have got rid of some players and have brought some big names in. Thankfully our manager did not do that.

“He gave everyone that helped the club to the Premier League an opportunity in the Premier League and I think most of us have taken that opportunity.

“I think there is a lot of hype around the Premier League. There are players in the Championship that can play at this level comfortably, but sometimes never get the opportunity. Sometimes they get overlooked for maybe cheaper, foreign players.”