Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi had no complaints after their 3-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest.
Facundo Buonanotte had Brighton ahead before a Pascal Gross own goal was followed by a strike from Danilo and a Morgan Gibbs-White penalty.
De Zerbi later said: "We deserved to lose the game.
"We played the first 30 minutes very well and we could have scored more goals. We could maybe close the game and then we made a lot of mistakes.
"Then after 30 or 35 minutes we stopped playing, we lost too much energy, we lost our DNA in terms of speed, power and quality.
"I knew before the game that it would be very tough for us. We are not used to play three games in a week and we are suffering a lot of injuries. It's not an excuse but it's the reality.
"We could have scored more goals, I remember two or three chances in the first half and one in the second half when it was 1-1, Mitoma one on one with the keeper.
"We have to suffer because it is a tough result for us. But we have to play again in three days and we have to be ready."