Joey Barton has revealed he is not surprised by Albion’s high-flying first third of the season – because of the Chris Hughton factor.

The Burnley midfielder knows the Seagulls’ manager and his assistant Coin Calderwood from their time at Newcastle.

He can understand how they have kept their side in the leading positions.

But Barton says it is too early to predict who will be up there at the end of the season.

Burnley and Albion go head to head at Turf Moor tomorrow.

The former Manchester and QPR man said of Hughton: “When I was at Newcastle he was caretaker manager.

“Colin Calderwood was there in the interim period in the year we got promoted back to the Premier League from the Championship.

“You know what kind of principles he instills in his team. You know what he expects from his players on a daily basis and the standard of training.

"A lot of people would have been surprised by Brighton this season, how well organised they are and how quickly they recover to shape and so on, but I’m not because I know the qualities he brings as a coach and as a manager.”

Abion and Burnley are two of the pacesetters, although Grant Leadbitter’s late penalty winner for Middlesbrough at home to QPR last night nudged the Teessiders above the Clarets for now.

Barton said: “Probably anyone in the top ten now will want to be there at the end of the season.

“It’s a hugely competitive league and obviously as a team that was relegated last year you want to make a really good start and set your stall out relatively early and I think Hull have done the same. QPR have struggled a little bit.

“But everyone in that top half of the Championship will have aspirations to get into the play-offs or to get automatic promotion.

“I kind of think that’s where we expected to be, knowing what the group’s about here.

“You’d have to say we’d expect ourselves to be there. I can’t speak for Brighton but after going 16 games unbeaten now, if you get on that kind of run you’d also like to think they would be.

“We’ve both made good starts. Hull have made an equally good start. You can see a group of eight to ten almost have a little gap opening up, which tends to happen.

“But I think you’ll have a better read on it on January 1 or 2, how the league’s going to shape up. We’re early days.”