Gavin Hoyte has labelled Albion the team to beat in League One next season.

And the on-loan Arsenal defender is keen to be a part of it, even though he has been struggling to get a game.

Hoyte made his first appearance since January 2 in Monday’s 2-0 defeat at Hartlepool.

He filled in at left-back for the injured Marcos Painter after losing the right-back spot over the last three months to Inigo Calderon.

Hoyte admits his inactivity has been a big disappointment but he does not feel hard done by.

He said: “The team has done so well you can’t really complain. I have just got to keep going. If the team hadn’t been doing so well I would be a bit more disappointed with myself.

“Inigo has been magnificent. He’s a great player and a great defender. I’ve been watching how he has been playing. That is how I should be playing as well.”

The style of play has changed under Gus Poyet, as well as the personnel, since Hoyte made his last home appearance against Leyton Orient on Boxing Day.

The 19-year-old, who will deputise again for Painter against Carlisle at Withdean tomorrow, said: “I think everyone is passing the ball so much better.

“Everyone is more comfortable, everyone wants it, we are more solid at the back and we are a much better team.

“The manager has done brilliantly. Anyone that comes in has to up their level and make sure they are playing 100%, otherwise they won’t be in the team for the next game, because there are players on the bench ready for it.

“We were a good passing team before but we weren’t as comfortable. The manager has given us a bit more confidence in ourselves. In training it has been better and our game has developed a lot.”

During Hoyte’s period out of the side, which include 14 games in succession as an unused substitute, Albion went within a whisker of winning at Leeds and got pretty close to beating Norwich. They also won at Charlton and drew at Colchester.

He said: “We have been playing against Leeds and all the top teams and absolutely killing them all over the park.

“I think next season Brighton are going to be the team to beat. Everyone is going to be thinking ‘Oh no, we don’t want to play against Brighton’. That’s a good thing for the club.”

And a good thing for Hoyte, perhaps, if he has a strong finish to the season.

“I’ve got another two years left (at Arsenal) and I would be happy to come back,” added the young Gunner.

“I know they are going to have a good team next season. I have just got to try to impress the manager as much as I can and you never know.”