Elliott Bennett insists it is too soon to write off Albion’s season as a relegation fight.

The Seagulls are in danger of dropping into the bottom three in the Championship if they fail to end an 11-match winless run against fellow strugglers Wigan at the Amex tonight.

A defiant Bennett, back for a second spell with Albion on loan from Norwich, has dismissed talk of a battle to stay up. He says there is still plenty of time for Sami Hyypia's side to have a successful campaign.

He told The Argus: “It’s way too early, like it’s way too early to see who is going to be top of the league.

“I think I am right in saying Blackpool, the year they got promoted, weren’t doing too well until after Christmas, then they went on a crazy run, so it’s way too early yet.

“Yes, the league position isn’t great and it tells facts. The first third of the season hasn’t been how everybody would maybe have envisaged it but if you flip that around and the next two-thirds are brilliant you can get promoted. There are still a lot of changes to come.”

Bennett, who watched Albion’s narrow defeat at Bournemouth on Saturday, joined for his first spell after a hammering at Huddersfield which left Albion third-bottom of League One before helping them to the title the following season and moving to Norwich in the Premier League.

He said: “That was worse, a lot worse. Getting beat 7-1 and signing is a bit different to getting beat 3-2 and a very good performance. I’m really looking forward to it.

“No win in 11 can quickly go into ten wins in ten. I’m not saying that’s going to happen because I can’t read into the future but I think a lot is read into little periods in time.

“I’ve just come here from Norwich on loan. We had only one win in eight and we’re three points from top. I know everyone looks at form and how things go but in the Championship that goes right out of the window every single time you play.”