Danny Welbeck makes dramatic comeback at Brighton as Tottenham fall apart

Ange Postecoglou looked a thousand meters away. The match felt over at half-time, his Tottenham team two goals positive on their way to a sixth straight win in all competitions. Now the manager stood motionless on the touchline, his hands buried deep in his jacket pockets, struggling to process what had happened. That was an astonishing comeback in Brighton, with them jumping off the canvas to take the lead just after the hour mark. They didn’t want to give it up, as the home help partied full time.

There was an uncomfortable spotlight on the Spurs defense, with Destiny Udogie enduring a personal nightmare, to varying degrees at fault for all three goals. Yet he was not alone. Micky van de Ven, for example, will not enjoy the scrutiny of his role in the first two, which were scored by Yankuba Minteh and Georginio Rutter. Ditto Rodrigo Bentancur on what turned out to be the winner, led by Danny Welbeck.

Thanks to Fabian Hürzeler, the Brighton manager, who made a key substitution during the break, replacing Ferdi Kadioglu – who had endured a torrid spell at left-back – with Pervis Estupiñán. And for every player in blue and white. They refused to accept that defeat was their fate. Kaoru Mitoma was the spark and Brighton were able to climb above Spurs and back up to the heady heights of sixth in the table.

Earlier this year, when Hürzeler was in charge at St. Pauli, Postecoglou invited him to Spurs to share some of his knowledge. There are certain parallels between how both men view the game. “If someone knocks on your door and wants a cup of tea, let him or her in,” Postecoglou said on Friday. “He won’t take your furniture or steal your cutlery.” Here Hurzeler plundered on a large scale. Brighton’s £150million rebuilt summer squad has delivered its latest dividend.

Tottenham’s start was blistering and their control of the first half was almost total. There were just 16 seconds left on the clock when Dominic Solanke sent Timo Werner onto the inside left and if that had a familiar outcome for the traveling Spurs supporters, with the winger firing over his low cross with Brennan Johnson free in front of goal, then that is certainly the case. sets the tone.

The visitors looked ready to blow Brighton away, pressing high and aggressively and forcing turnovers in dangerous areas. Werner’s pace was too fast for Joel Veltman, while at the other end Dejan Kulusevski was unstoppable in his role from inside forward, moving up and down. Spurs thought they had scored before they actually did. James Maddison smuggled the ball over the line after Werner’s header caused chaos in the Brighton penalty area, but VAR saw Pedro Porro was offside before crossing.

The Spurs didn’t blink and were in front moments later. Brighton, as always, wanted to play, but Postecoglou’s team did not allow it: Udogie and Maddison combined to rob Rutter. From then on it was Solanke and Johnson, who achieved a low finish on the first try. The biggest compliment for the in-form winger was that there was no doubt about the result. It was Johnson’s sixth goal in as many games.

Brennan Johnson (left) scored six goals in as many games to give Spurs a flying start. Photo: Gareth Fuller/PA

Postecoglou’s side had created a series of decent openings in the first ten minutes alone, with Kulusevski and Maddison at the heart of everything, and when the former sent Johnson through in the 43rd minute after a neat Solanke dismissal, a Brighton fan stood next to the press box listed things. “It’s too easy,” he shouted. Johnson hit the shot over the crossbar.

It was already 2-0 at the time, but the goal was a handling disaster for Bart Verbruggen. Solanke led the break and when Werner pulled back, Maddison took a tap and side-foot for the bottom corner. Verbruggen let the ball squirm beneath him.

Brighton, who lost defender Adam Webster to injury in the early stages, barely contributed to the first half apart from a few Welbeck moments. He poked wide from Mitoma’s cross when he should have done better and also headed wide. The turnaround in the second half was remarkable.

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Hürzeler’s decision to bring in Estupiñán revitalized his team on the left. Mitoma came to life, a blur of quick feet and instant running. By the hour mark he had two assists and the match was tied. The Japan international was virtually unplayable.

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Brighton were helped by Spurs’ dismal defence. Van de Ven and Udogie both mis-kicked before Minteh turned to bury Mitoma’s cross and the Spurs pair were beaten too easily for the equaliser, with Rutter turning away from them and picking out the bottom corner. Estupiñán had been prominent in the build-up; Mitoma too.

Mitoma was denied by Guglielmo Vicario and there was an element of inevitability in Brighton’s goal for 3-2, with Udogie once again at fault. Rutter was able to round him so easily, but Bentancur had crossed to deal with the winger as the ball passed the byline. Except he didn’t. Rutter slid in for the ball and his tackle became the perfect cross, with Welbeck nodding past Vicario. There was no way back for Spurs.