Chris Hughton insisted he took no extra pleasure in putting one over the club who cut him adrift after Brighton's crushing 5-0 Championship win against Norwich City.

Hughton was dismissed five games before the end of City's relegation from the Premier League in 2014, but the Seagulls' boss has rebuilt his reputation on the south-coast.

Glenn Murray's hat-trick underpinned a win which moved Brighton four points clear of Alex Neil's side and extended their unbeaten league run to nine games.

'It's a special result because we are up against a really top team. Nothing more,' he said. 'We didn't need to prove anything to anyone, but we capitalised on a very good day. It was never just another game, because we were playing a team that were around us in the league table, and there was always going to be a little more significance. It was our day. It is unusual to get this type of result. We played a team who would be favourites to go up. Ultimately, we knew that if we got the points, it would be points that they wouldn't get, but Norwich is a very good side and would certainly be the favourites to go up, along with Newcastle.

'You need a lot of things to go your way, including some good finishes. It starts with a really good opportunist moment from Glenn and from that stage you have got a very good Norwich team who are chasing the game. The second goal was the big goal. They had to open up and they have got really good quality players.'

Murray spearheaded an emphatic statement of intent from Hughton's promotion contenders.

'He's a big personality and somebody who you know will score goals at this level,' said Hughton. 'He came here hungry to play and the longer he plays, you know he's going to score goals. We need our big characters in these types of games and we're fortunate to have that in our team.

'We had to perform well and I thought as a team we were magnificent.'