Premier League: Brighton & Hove Albion 3 Tottenham Hotspur 2 Just when Tottenham were starting to look like Champions League contenders, a dramatic collapse from 2-0 up to 3-2 down at Brighton has ended their five-match winning streak and left critics suggesting they are once again going all Spursy. Ange Postecoglou’s side looked completely in control at the Amex and ready to move into the top six when they built a 2-0 lead through goals from Brennan Johnson and James Maddison in a completely dominant first half on the south coast. But Brighton, who had looked down and out, turned the game around after the break with Danny Welbeck heading the winner after Yankuba Minteh and Georginio Rutter had also found the net – leaving Postecoglou shaking his head in disbelief.
It was a terrific response from Albion, who hadn’t won in the Premier League since August, and another big moment for Welbeck, 33, who is enjoying a renaissance this season, with his fourth goal of the campaign. It was breathless stuff, but once Brighton were ahead in the 66th minute, Tottenham simply didn’t have the mental or physical energy to respond. They now drop to ninth, with Brighton in the top six in their place.
That’s remarkable because Spurs had dominated the opening 45 minutes, not only scoring goals from Johnson and Maddison but also running the show in imperious and energetic fashion. So, Postecoglou could be excused for looking completely bemused as his players lost the plot in the second .