It all started last time Albion were in Manchester.

All this talk about Roberto De Zerbi and whether he is making too many line-up changes.

The talk in the media area at Old Trafford, especially among those based in the North West curious about Brighton, was about how the sensational Seagulls would follow-up their win over Newcastle.

And how would Evan Ferguson build on his hat-trick against Toon in the previous fixture?

They all wanted to see Ferguson. But he was on the bench, So was Joao Pedro.

Solly March and Pervis Estupinan were not involved at all.

Six changes to the XI and suggestions De Zerbi was prioritising Europe.

We will know better now, of course, as we get back on trains to Manchester Piccadilly or back on the M60.

De Zerbi’s plan remains to have 20 or more players who are interchangeable within a complex system.

To have great options in all positions, starting at No.1.

Joel Veltman spoke ahead of the international break that such a strategy would pay off in weeks and months to come.

Even if it was making life tougher than it needs to be at the moment.

Albion’s line-up changes have become a talking point in the national media.

Chris Sutton told BBC 5 Live listeners he would ideally be part of a settled team.

And De Zerbi would no doubt agree with that - ideally.

His changes in the opening games, before Europe kicked in, were not extensive.

He stuck with the same side in his early line-ups a year ago.

But, ahead of the game at Marseille a fortnight ago, he spoke about the fact the game has changed.

The aim is to avoid a stage we saw towards the end of last season, when two games a week became the norm as re-arranged fixtures were played.

It felt like some line-ups, such as that at Newcastle, were weaker than others.

De Zerbi cites three players as his pillars - Lewis Dunk, Kaoru Mitoma and Pascal Gross.

We will have updates on them this afternoon as De Zerbi faces the media ahead of the Manchester City trip.

Gross and Dunk have been on international duty - one travelling and playing rather more than the other - while Mitoma was withdrawn from two friendlies in Japan.

Estupinan is not expected back just yet but it was in that game at Old Trafford that Albion showed they can play without him.

Tariq Lamptey was excellent, despite a very early yellow card.

His attacking role was notable at Marseille and March did a solid job there against Liverpool.

Using March there opens up a right-wing berth for Simon Adingra.

But Adingra has also been away in the last fortnight with Ivory Coast.

So squad rotation is a talking point. It comes up in every press conference and there is a debate growing among fans over whether De Zerbi is making too many changes.

He is quick to point out he is finding his way, like others.

He has limited experience of combining domestic and European action.

And that came with a Shakhtar side who were perhaps not as tested by the Ukrainian league as Albion are in the Prem.

We will really find out whether he has got it right much later in the season.

The value of what he is doing now with his line-ups will be increased if Albion go through to the UEFA knockout stages.

For now, they have used 25 players in the league, which is the most along with Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United and Manchester United.

Brentford, Manchester City and Burnley have each used 24 while Crystal Palace and West Ham are at the other end of the scale with 19.

After eight games, or 720 minutes, Albion have 13 players with 360 league minutes under their belts.

Only Luton and Fulham match that.

Arsenal, Manchester City, Newcastle and Crystal Palace each have 12 with 360 minutes.

(Bearing in mind the measurement of playing time is now distorted by the extended periods being added at the end of each half).

And, of course, those stats are for league only.

Lewis Dunk has been ever present with 720 minutes but has missed two of their three games in other competitions (though not by choice).

Rotation in goal has so far been two games at a time for the two senior keepers.

Speaking after he was restored to the XI for that game at Manchester United, Jason Steele told The Argus: “It’s just going with it.

“Giving my all for the team and the group every single day.

“Behaving properly, training properly. Making sure that whenever the boss wants me to play, I’m ready, simple as that.

“I will do my upmost for the team every single week, whether I am playing or not.

“I want to help this team and if I’m not playing I will be the biggest supporter, the biggest cheerleader because ultimately it’s my team.

“The boss came in and it’s clear to see he changed my life in March when he played me.

“The trust and the faith he showed in me back then, I will never be able to repay that.

“But I will try my best every single day. No matter what he wants from me, I’ll give him.”

So how many changes have we now got used to seeing?

The side which kicked off the season against Luton showed two changes to the XI in the final dress rehearsal friendly versus Rayo Vallecano. There were three changes at Wolves as Adam Webster replaced Jan Paul van Hecke, Julio Enciso came in for Joao Pedro and Billy Gilmour replaced Mahmoud Dahoud.

When West Ham visited, Verbruggen replaced Steele and Evan Ferguson started in the absence of injured Enciso.

There were three changes against Newcastle Joel Veltman at right-back for James Milner, van Hecke back in for Webster and Joao Pedro for Danny Welbeck.

And then came the bigger number of changes, starting with the six which surprised so many people at Old Trafford.

Estupinan was left out that day and Facundo Buonanotte missed out on his place on the bench after both had been to South America on international duty.

Philadelphia is rather closer to Brighton than Buenos Aires is but, all the same, one wonders how De Zerbi will play things with Gross this weekend. Subsequent to the United game, Albion made seven changes against AEK, then nine versus Bournemouth (although two of those who stepped down, Mitoma and Ansu Fati, were on at half-time).

All teams make changes in the Carabao Cup and Albion had seven at Chelsea.

There were nine changes at Aston Villa, although that only represented four alterations compared to the previous league game.

Then came five at Marseille and six for the game against Liverpool (not counting March’s radical change of position).

De Zerbi has made is clear he does not want, for example, a specific Premier League goalkeeper and Europa League goalkeeper.

So what happens tomorrow? If there are several changes in Manchester at the start of a European week, we will not be quite so surprised this time.