Graham Potter praises reaction of Brighton fans to Neal Maupay’s missed chances

Graham Potter thanked the Brighton fans for their “fantastic” reaction towards Neal Maupay after the forward’s penalty miss ensured the Seagulls fired another blank in a 0-0 draw with Norwich.

Maupay blazed over from the spot in the 29th minute following Sam Byram’s handball and some mind games by Canaries goalkeeper Tim Krul, and then after the break hit the side-netting from close range before steering another effort wide late on.

Boss Potter replaced Maupay after that third and final miss and saw the home fans inside the Amex Stadium give a long round of applause to the club’s top goalscorer as he walked around the pitch.

“As you can imagine he is disappointed like the rest of us,” the Brighton boss said of the striker. “It wasn’t his day today and it happens, that’s life.

“I thought the reaction of the supporters was fantastic with him, that was really good.

“A huge thank you to them for that because he gave everything in the game but it just wasn’t his day. That happens but it will be his day another day.”

The Seagulls dominated throughout against their bottom-of-the-table opponents and had 31 shots overall, but this stalemate means they have not scored in front of their supporters since January 18.

Handling the fragile confidence of Maupay, who has found the net on nine occasions this season, will be key to Brighton’s efforts of trying to officially confirm safety this month.

“Neal is a human being, he will be low tonight of course and that is normal, it is natural, but he has had these experiences before,” Potter insisted.

“I think it was Leeds he missed a couple of chances and the following game (against West Ham) he scored – that is the life of a striker.

“He has to deal with that, but he has the support of us,