Brighton 4-2 Tottenham: Joao Pedro, Jack Hinshelwood and Pervis Estupinan strike for Seagulls… before Roberto De Zerbi’s side fend off late Spurs rally in thriller

In Brighton, they will treasure 2023. A year when they scaled new heights, finishing sixth and taking the show on the road to Marseille and Amsterdam. When they partied into the early hours with Fat Boy Slim in Athens.

As they coasted into a four-goal lead against Tottenham, Seagulls supporters might have wished the year would never end. Although, by the time the visitors halved the deficit to spread anxiety through nine minutes of stoppage time, everyone must have been exhausted and ready for a lie-down.

There had been two penalties, expertly converted as ever by Joao Pedro, a popular goal by home-grown teen Jack Hinshelwood, a screamer by fit-against Pervis Estupinan, goals ruled out, VAR checks galore and then a late wobble.

Spurs rescued some credibility with goals by Alejo Veliz and Ben Davies, and almost scored a third when Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg hit a post in stoppage time, but this was a disturbing defeat as injuries bite and three important players prepare to leave on international duty.

Ange Postecoglou’s side face in-form Bournemouth on Sunday and he must be impatient for the New Year and the opening of the transfer market to bring him reinforcements and maintain a push for the top four.

Pervis Estupinan scored the pick of the goals as Brighton earned a 4-2 win over Tottenham

Joao Pedro scored twice from the penalty spot in a dominant performance by the home side

Tottenham suffered a miserable night on a night where their makeshift defence was exposed

His team are teetering. Thrillingly adventurous but vulnerable and Brighton exposed them as they hit the sort of rhythm they have found elusive this season, while coping with their debut Europa League campaign.

They struck early through Hinshelwood, who is expected to mature into a fine midfielder but is doing an excellent job at right back and charged forward to open the scoring. Pedro was the creator, with a silky run, left to right across the 18-yard line.

MATCH FACTS AND PLAYER RATINGS

Brighton (4-2-3-1): Steele 6.5; Hinshelwood 7, Van Hecke 7, Dunk 7, Julio 6.5 (Estupinan 46, 7); Gross 7.5, Gilmour 7, Milner 8 (Moder 69, 6); Buonanotte 6.5 (Baleba 59, 6); Welbeck 7 (Ferguson 69, 7), Joao Pedro 8.5 (Lallana 90+3).

Subs: Verbruggen, Dahoud, Baker-Boaitey, Barrington

Scorers: Hinshelwood 11, Pedro 24 (pen), 75 (pen), Estpuinan 63

Booked: Buonanotte, Moder, Dunk

Manager: Roberto De Zerbi 7.5

Tottenham (4-3-3): Vicario 8; Porro 5, Royal 5, Davies 6, Udogie 5.5; Sarr 6 (Lo Celso 65, 6), Hojbjerg 5, Kulusevski 6.5; Johnson 5 (Veliz 70, 7), Richarlison 6 (Gil 65, 6), Son 7.

Subs not used: Forster, Dier, Phillips, Alonso, Donley, Dorrington.

Scorer: Veliz 81′, Davies 85′

Booked: Kulusevski, Richarlison

Manager: Ange Postecoglou 6

Referee: Jarred Gillett 6.5

He pulled Spurs out of shape and found Hinshelwood who beat Guglielmo Vicario with power.

Vicario was outstanding, as he was against Everton on Saturday. Without his fabulous series of saves, it would have been embarrassing for the visitors. There were two saves from Danny Welbeck inside the first six minutes, the second of them an incredible reaction save.

Welbeck should really have scored, and seemed as perplexed as everyone else inside the Amex Stadium when his effort failed to find the net but Vicario was soon beaten again.

Jan Paul van Hecke climbed high to thump a header against a post from a corner swung to the back post by Pascal Gross.

Tottenham, without a recognised centre-half on the pitch and England centre-half Eric Dier on the bench, struggled with the aerial strength of Pedro and Welbeck, playing as split-strikers either side of a false nine, Facundo Buonanotte.

The visitors also came under pressure at set pieces and, although they scrambled the rebound clear from Van Hecke’s header, there had been a pull by Dejan Kulusevski on Welbeck’s shirt as he shaped to volley at goal.

VAR Peter Bankes sent referee Jarred Gillett to his pitchside monitor and he pointed to the spot on his return. Kulusevski received a yellow card. He might have been fortunate it was not ruled an ‘obvious goalscoring opportunity’ because of the number of players on the line.

Lewis Dunk seemed to be having this conversation with Gillett before Pedro sent Vicario the wrong way to make it 2-0.

Tottenham miss centre-half and defensive leader Cristian Romero, who is out for up to five weeks, and injuries are piling up.

Brighton’s casualty list is also running into double figures. Wingers Kaoru Mitoma and Simon Adingra added to it this week and, unlike Spurs, they have the demands of European football and, still, they seemed fresher and sharper.

Jack Hinshelwood scored the opening goal for Brighton with a fierce drive beating Vicario

Brighton doubled their lead from the spot after Dejan Kulusevski pulled back Danny Welbeck

The fit-again Estupinan scored a screamer as the hosts increased their lead in the second half

A clumsy foul from substitute Giovani Lo Celso gifted Brighton a second penalty of the night

Joao Pedro sent Vicario the wrong way from the spot as Brighton eased into a 4-0 lead

James Milner rattled the woodwork, Buonanotte had goal ruled out for offside and Pedro raced clean through onto a backpass left short by Pedro Porro. With only Vicario to beat, the Brazilian went for a dink and the ‘keeper managed to stay on his feet and push it wide. All in the first half.

Brighton could have been out of sight. Instead, Tottenham improved. Richarlison clipped a post just before the interval and found the net twice in the opening 20 minutes of the second half, only to find he had drifted a yard offside on both occasions.

Heung-min Son won possession to create another good chance for Richarlison, who dragged a shot wide on the turn, before hope retreated when Estupinan lashed Brighton’s third into the top corner from 25 yards in the 64th minute.

Both sides rolled through changes, and Giovani Lo Celso’s first contribution was to trip Evan Ferguson from behind for another penalty. Pedro scored, his 13th goal of the season in all competitions and his seventh penalty.

Alejo Veliz scored his first goal for Tottenham since his summer move from Rosario Central

Ben Davies headed in Tottenham’s second to give the visitors faint hope of a comeback

Roberto De Zerbi’s side held on to end an outstanding year for Brighton on a memorable note

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou was left reflecting on a disappointing display from his side

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Spurs supporters made for the exits as the home crowd demanded a fifth. In an unforeseen twist, however, the fifth and sixth of the night were scored by Tottenham. 

Veliz, with his first since his £13million move from Rosario Central in the summer, turning in a cross by Son. Then a header by Davies.

They summoned a flourish and peppered Jason Steele’s goal but it proved too little too late for the Londoners, who have now scored in 31 successive Premier League games. 

Brighton’s long search for a clean sheet goes on. Something to aim for in 2024, perhaps.