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It looked for all the world that Brighton were on course to continue their record-breaking start to the season in style. A victory that would have seen them jump up to second in the table in style, leapfrogging Manchester City in the process, looked a formality.
Though Fabian Hurzeler’s side did end the night just one spot off the top, they did not climb the table without quite a fright.
Kaoru Mitoma had given Brighton the lead in a first-half where they could have been three or four goals to the good against Russell Martin’s Southampton. A side that shows flashes almost as bright as they neon pink kit they sported last night but look like sitting ducks when it comes to defending their goal.
But just as Brighton were slipping into cruise control, their fans singing about a return to European football, Southampton struck back.
Tyler Dibling wears his socks low but undoubtedly has a high ceiling. The youngster is the orchestrator of Southampton’s attack and left four Brighton players for dead on the counter-attack. At the end of it, Adam Armstrong was denied twice before Flynn Downes slammed the ball home past Bart Verbruggen.
And it could have been a whole lot worse for the hosts too. They saw a marginal off-side call go in their favour after Armstrong strayed marginally off-side and interfered with play in the build-up to what looked like Cameron Archer’s winner.
After a delay of 4 minutes and 27 seconds as VAR pored over the replays, the Southampton fans who had erupted after thinking just a second league win of the season was on the cards, were left crest-fallen.
It was a remarkable turn-around to a game which Martin’s side had started under the pump.
Southampton have shot themselves in the foot more times than most care to remember already this season. You won’t be surprised to learn, then, that it wasn’t long before a mistake almost gifted Brighton an early opener.
Full-back Yukinari Sugawara should have been more vigilant to clear a routine pass forward, especially with Brighton’s electric winger Mitoma breathing down his neck. Instead he was lackadaisical and Mitoma sniffed an opening with goalkeeper Joe Lumley stranded in no man’s land. Mitoma did the first part well by winning the ball but was unable to find the goal his persistence deserved after curling narrowly wide.
Southampton’s second let-off followed not long after. This time Georginio Rutter dispossessed Ryan Manning with ease and waltzed his way across the edge of the Saints’ box before firing wide. Moments later Rutter went even closer, striking the foot of the post with a left-footed strike from inside the box.
Lumley is Southampton’s fourth-choice goalkeeper, only getting the nod to make his first Premier League start with his three contemporaries, Aaron Ramsdale, Gavin Bazunu and Alex McCarthy, all injured. A clean sheet to mark the occasion always seemed unlikely given the early balance of play and those dreams were dashed just before the half-hour mark.
Tariq Lamptey swung a ball that bounced wickedly in front of the onrushing Mitoma into Lumley’s area. Mitoma, though, was the coolest man in the ground on a freezing night on the south coast, watching the ball all the way onto his forehead before flying past the helpless Lumley.
Southampton looked bright when they got playing in Brighton’s half and should have gone into half-time level. Striker Cameron Archer was unable to keep his side-footed effort down from a Sugawara cross.
If Mitoma shown the same anticipation as he did for the opener then he could have extended his side’s advantage moments after half-time.
Instead Matt O’Riley’s teasing cross evaded everyone in the Southampton box and was eventually cleared away.
There was a nervy moment for Lumley, too, in his first league game since turning out for Reading in the Championship in April 2023. He horribly miscued a pass out from the back and was relieved to see his captain Jack Stephens block Rutter’s shot.
But just as Brighton looked to be slipping into cruise control, Southampton hit back.
A terrific run forward by Dibling twice created shooting opportunities for Armstrong. He saw both shots blocked but the ball dropped to Downes, a tad fortunate to still be on the pitch after committing a series of fouls after being booked, who slammed past Bart Verbruggen. Downes was roundly booed after being replaced moments later.
That goal helped to turn the tide of the match and Archer thought he had put the visitors ahead moments later after Dibling led a blistering break. A lengthy VAR check followed as the folk in Stockley Park got their magnifying glasses and eventually determined that while Archer was on-side, Armstrong had strayed just the wrong side of the defenders before interfering with play.
Martin couldn’t believe that outcome and almost watched Brighton retake the lead following the restart. Rutter’s goal-bound acrobatic effort was blocked before substitute Lewis Dunk headed over.
And in the 100th minute of play, Southampton captain Stephens made a goal-saving block to deny Simon Adingra and ensure the Saints went home with the point they eventually deserved.
