El Abd has helped Brighton concede just eight goals in 15 league games

Brighton centre-half Adam El Abd is proud of the defensive solidity that has sent Gus Poyet's in-form Seagulls soaring clear at the top of League One.

Four straight victories, all on the back of clean sheets, have helped stretch Albion's lead to eight points.

"That's something the goalkeeper and the back four pride themselves on, clean sheets," El Abd told BBC Sussex.

"First things first, we set out to get clean sheets which gives us the platform to go on and win games."

In that sequence, the free-scoring Seagulls have plundered 12 goals at the other end.

But the platform has been the consistency of their defence, which has meant no starting place for Tommy Elphick over the last three games.

"He's been the ultimate pro," said El Abd. "He has been unlucky and perhaps hasn't deserved to be left out, but there's such a high competition for places in the team.

"I'm sure he'll be back and playing many games this season".

Elphick stood in when the Egyptian went off just after the break with a broken and badly-cut nose in last week's 2-0 home win over Yeovil.

But El Abd, who has started all but two of the Seagulls' games this season, is adamant that it will take a lot more than that to give up his shirt.

"I was a bit disappointed actually to have to come off with it," he said, "because I felt I could have carried on.

"But that's football. We won the game and I was back at training on the Monday".

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