The most troubling part for Ange Postecoglou will be that things could have been much worse and the late rally flattered Tottenham Hotspur. He promised Tottenham would be entertaining to watch and their makeshift defence duly obliged by opening the gates for Brighton & Hove Albion to score twice inside 23 minutes.
Guglielmo Vicario again excelled with three good saves and he made his feelings known by admonishing his team-mates for not closing down Pervis Estupiñán when he rifled in a third goal at a time when Tottenham were threatening.
Jack Hinshelwood added to his blossoming reputation with an early drive and João Pedro converted two penalties, both conceded from idiotic challenges, before his head coach admitted that it would be difficult to hang on to the Brazil forward this summer. Brighton were mostly rampant and coped without five wingers and three full backs to earn only a third victory in 13 league matches.
Postecoglou was on course for his heaviest defeat since taking charge before Brighton tired and Alejo Véliz and Ben Davies scored late goals that made for a hairy ending. Tottenham, without 11 players, were exposed by a lack of depth and a mediocre substitutes’ bench that will put pressure on the club to trade next month if they are to maintain a top-four challenge.
Dejan Kulusevski will be suspended against Bournemouth on Sunday, which will be Son Heung-min’s final match before the forward travels to the Asian Cup. “We know our mistakes but now is not the time to point fingers,” Son said. “If we’re not playing like the last 15 minutes in every game we’re going to struggle and this has to be a big wake-up call.”
Tottenham, who lost Oliver Skipp to a small knock before the game, were not helped by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Pape Matar Sarr struggling with the press. Tottenham have sorely missed Yves Bissouma in the deep- lying role and are scouting for a midfielder to allow them to offload Hojbjerg, who at one stage was caught flat-footed by James Milner running inside and curling just wide.
For all Cristian Romero’s rashness at times, his return from suspension steadied the defence. With him injured, there was no leadership in a back line of four full backs who began at sixes and sevens. Vicario was forced to deny Danny Welbeck twice in the space of seconds. Tottenham lost possession near the centre circle and Billy Gilmour combined with Welbeck, whose cross was read by the goalkeeper. When Brighton retrieved the ball, it eventually fell kindly for Welbeck, whose low strike was too close to Vicario.
Pedro waltzed across four players on the edge of the area and laid the ball off to Hinshelwood, whose rising shot beat Vicario for pace. Hinshelwood played various midfield roles in the club’s academy but both of his goals for the club have been from full back.
Brighton rampaged through the centre. Pascal Gross’s corner was headed against the post by Jan Paul van Hecke and Kulusevski pulled the shirt of Welbeck trying to convert: Kulusevski was booked for the fifth time this season and Pedro rolled in the penalty to the right of Vicario.
“Pedro was the best player on the pitch — [it was] an incredible performance and I hope to work with him for another year, but I think it will be very tough,” Roberto De Zerbi, the Brighton head coach, said.
Tottenham mustered little. Son’s shot was blocked in a crowded penalty area and Richarlison could not reach Brennan Johnson’s cross and had an effort deflected on to the outside of the post. The half ended as it began with Pedro Porro miscuing a pass back that was seized on by João Pedro; his chip was tipped away by Vicario.
Richarlison’s finishing lacked the assurance and accuracy that he has shown since returning from a groin operation, scoring four times in the previous three matches. After Brighton turned over the ball, Richarlison curled wide of the far post and then a minute later he meekly struck the legs of Jason Steele, meeting Johnson’s cross, unaware that he would have been deemed offside. While Postecoglou wants his team to share the goals, it is also apparent that he may need a better central forward. Richarlison did put the ball in the net but mistimed his run.
Steele was finally forced to make his first save after Destiny Udogie dribbled into the area. Just as Spurs looked like reducing the deficit, they were let down by poor defending from a corner and Estupiñán fired in. Giovani Lo Celso then tripped Evan Ferguson and Pedro went the other way with his spot kick.
Brighton were on course for a first clean sheet in 23 league matches until Lewis Dunk became overly confident and Son’s cross was scuffed in by Véliz for his first goal since his summer move from Rosario Central.
Brighton (4-3-3): J Steele 6 — J Hinshelwood 7, J-P van Hecke 7, L Dunk 6, I Julio 6 (P Estupiñán 46min, 7) — P Gross 7, B Gilmour 7, J Milner 7 (J Moder 69) — D Welbeck 7 (E Ferguson 69, 6), J Pedro 8 (A Lallana 90+3), F Buonanotte 7 (C Baleba 59, 5). Booked Buonanotte, Dunk, Moder.
Tottenham (4-2-3-1): G Vicario 8 — P Porro 5, E Royal 6, B Davies 6, D Udogie 5 — P-E Hojbjerg 5, P Sarr 4 (B Gil 65, 5) — B Johnson 6 (A Véliz 70), D Kulusevski 6, Son Heung-min 5 — Richarlison 5 (G Lo Celso 65, 5). Booked Kulusevski, Richarlison.
Referee J Gillett.
