Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele is hoping to show what he can do on his first team debut for The Seagulls on Saturday, nearly seven months after signing for Albion.

Chris Hughton confirmed in his pre-match press conference that Steele will start in goal on Saturday.

Steele talked about how injury and his season with Sunderland, has hindered his debut coming a lot earlier: “Coming into the club and tearing my thigh within a week of coming is obviously frustrating, especially after the year I had before that.

"I didn’t really play a lot and in the circumstances, it was a case of here we go again.

"But I’ve dusted myself off and tried my best to get myself fit and ready to hopefully get back to where I want to be. “

Ryan has just been too good

Steele also mentioned how tough it has been to get time with the form of Matthew Ryan this season and last season: “It’s tough Matthew has been unbelievable in the last year and a half so without doubt he is the number one goalkeeper here, there is no doubts me and David Button know that.

"For me I came here as an opportunity to develop again and especially on my own circumstances it is a chance to regain my confidence in my ability again and I feel like I’ve done that and I can show that Saturday.”

One thing that Steele is trying to make sure, is that nerves do not get the better of him: "I’ve got to use my experience, I've played nearly 300 games in my career, so I’ve played an awful lot of football.

"I’m not gonna be over-whelmed by a situation, but obviously looking at the past year people are gonna be questioning me and I understand that, so it’s up to me on the day to show what I can do."

Despite having not made his senior debut for Brighton, Steele has played a few times for Brighton U23's in the League and the Checkatrade Trophy, which he impressed in: "Well to be fair as soon as I came back I felt like I was getting to where I should be.

"That game was kind of like why you work hard, the fruits of your labour sort of thing and with all due respect to somebody who has played 300 games in their career, that cup is for the younger players to play in, but I felt it was a good opportunity for me to play and show what I can do and it worked out really well."