JOBI McANUFF has praised the quality of Albion’s Steven Alzate.

McAnuff is a player-coach at Leyton Orient and also a former Crystal Palace winger.

He will be interested to see how Alzate, if selected, gets on tonight when the Seagulls take on the Eagles at Selhurst Park.

Alzate progressed through the academy at Brisbane Road before he earned a move to the Seagulls in 2017.

It was a big jump for the then-teenager after only 12 first-team appearances for Orient, but he has become a regular under Graham Potter this season.

McAnuff said: “The sign of the real top, top ones is where nothing seems to faze them.

“I had a bit of time with Steven here, when I was training with the kids actually, and he was always one that stood out.

“He had something different. His quality was always there, but he had that drive and a bit of devil in him because he was never fazed.

“You get some lads going to train with the first team and they freeze and can’t quite handle it, but he never looked like that and he has gone on.

“It is great to see him doing well and he is a really nice lad.”

Alzate has been slotting in at right wing-back for Albion and - although he could be switched into midfield tonight due to Dale Stephens’ suspension - there is a chance he will be directly up against the dangerous Wilfried Zaha.

But McAnuff insisted: “Steven will go out and try do the best he can do and I am sure he will give absolutely everything.

“It will be a tough assignment if he is out there and he has Zaha running at him, but the lads around him will appreciate that and make sure they support him.”