Brighton Player Ratings January 2025: Rutter races to top spot

Brighton ended an eight game winless run by putting four victories on the board through January 2025, resulting in some of the highest monthly player ratings we have seen so far this season.

Four players scored into the sevens with Georginio Rutter leading the way from Carlos Baleba, Yasin Ayari and Jan Paul van Hecke.

More impressive was what happened at the other end. Just five players sunk into the fives and that was mainly down to a lack of game time.

Compare that to our December 2024 Brighton Player Ratings, where 17 Seagulls scored below six. Six even managed to get into the fours.

The Albion started January with an impressive second half comeback to draw 1-1 with title chasing Arsenal at the Amex.

Next came a first win in seven weeks as Brighton eased past Championship opponents Norwich City in the FA Cup. Five days later and it was back to East Anglia for a 2-0 Premier League victory over Ipswich Town.

Two successive wins became three when Brighton won 3-1 at Manchester United, securing their third consecutive victory at Old Trafford.

Only Manchester City had previously achieved that feat since Sky Sports invented football in 1992.

After such a superb run of results on the road, it was somewhat predictable that January 2025 ended in a 1-0 home defeat against struggling Everton – imagine how good these already decent player ratings would look had Brighton not come unstuck against the Toffees…

1) Georginio Rutter – 7.38

Voted WAB Brighton Player of the Month for Janaury 2025; partly for his four goals and partly because he is such a bloody fantastic character. Only concern being he was so effective from the bench which risks Fabian Hurzeler viewing him as some sort of super sub. Top spot in the January 2025 Brighton Player Ratings tells you he has to be starting.

2) Carlos Baleba – 7.33

Reminded everyone that he still has some stuff to learn when conceding a cheap and unnecessary penalty at United. Thankfully, it did not prove costly. Very, very good otherwise in January. Glenn Murray said he could become better than Moises Caicedo and Yves Bissouma, whilst Charlie Adam hailed him the best midfielder in the Premier League this season. 

3) Yasin Ayari – 7.16

The Arsenal game was the epitome of Ayari inconsistency. Went from looking like he had never played football in his life during the first half to running the midfield in the second. Imagine how good he could be if he put a 90 minute performance together we all cried! And then he did two weeks later at Old Trafford of all places, including playing key roles in Brighton goals two and three.

4) Jan Paul van Hecke – 7.00

The one constant in an Albion defence which must have seriously upset the injury gods recently. Partnered with all of Igor, Lewis Dunk and Adam Webster. Which meant him playing right sided and left sided centre back. Despite the chopping and changing, remained totally unflappable.

5) Joel Veltman – 6.98

Boiled the piss of Arsenal (again) at the Amex before infuriating Ipswich fans with the way he wound up and got the better of Liam Delap. Let himself down at the end of January, however, when attempting to convince referee Tim Robinson he had been fouled against Everton by going to ground and trying to grab the ball. Only problem being Veltman was in his own box and Mr Robinson didn’t think it was a foul. Meaning a Toffees penalty and a 1-0 defeat for Brighton.

6) Solly March – 6.94

For a guy who might have never played again after a second ACL injury, two knee surgeries and 14 months out, scoring a stunning distance strike at Norwich was a fairy tale moment.

7) Yankubu Minteh – 6.80

Like Ayari, he managed to put together a whole 90 minute performance in the win at United to underline his rich, raw potential. Scored the first with a clinical finish after being teed up by Mitoma and returned the favour when delivering a deep cross for the Japanese Bullet Train to slide home at the back post.

8) Joao Pedro – 6.65

Hurzeler rewarded Pedro for looking totally disinterested through much of January with the captain’s armband against Arsenal. Proved to be a great piece of management as Pedro responded by earning and scoring the penalty which earned Brighton a point. Still managed to get on everyone’s wick at the end of the month by waving his arms at the crowd demanding more support amid the dire Everton performance.

9) Kaoru Mitoma – 6.64

Scored against Ipswich and United, where he also set up Minteh for the opener. Form which richly justified Hurzeler’s decision to rest Mitoma at the end of December. He then rejected the chance to earn £16 million a year and become a teammate of Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr in the final throes of the January transfer window. We won’t remind you the Albion rewarded him for that loyalty by losing 7-0 at Nottingham Forest 24 hours later.

10) Pervis Estupinan – 6.61

Did not get the credit he deserved at United for keeping Amad Diallo largely quiet just three days after the Red Devils winger scored a 12 minute hat-trick against Southampton. Solid in his other outings until another mystery injury struck.

11) Lewis Dunk – 6.60

Injury troubles continue to plague the Albion captain in a sign age is catching up with him. Having said that, he still managed to deliver a vintage Dunk display at United.

12) Julio Enciso – 6.50

Opted to caress a shot into the back of the net rather than twat the ball as hard as possible from 30 yards at Norwich. Low and behold, it resulted in his first goal for 20 months. Loaned to the southern end of East Anglia not long after for game time with Ipswich.

13) Bart Vebruggen – 6.46

Made some vital saves against Ipswich to help Brighton ride out rocky spells either side of half time. Hardly troubled by Arsenal or United and Everton scored the only goal at the Amex from the penalty spot.

14) Adam Webster – 6.46

A lot of Albion fans would have held their breath when Webster was thrown on from the bench against Arsenal for his first meaningful action since September. He was rock solid though and followed up by helping Brighton to back-to-back clean sheets against Norwich and Ipswich. Good going for a player who usually needs four or five games to shake off the rust and get back up to speed after any sort of injury layoff. Oh, and he also came on as a striker in the Everton defeat. WABs highlight of the season so far.

15) Tariq Lamptey – 6.29

Clever management from Hurzeler to introduce Lamptey at Old Trafford when Estupinan began visibly tiring and Diallo started to get on top. Lamptey subsequently snuffed out the threat.

16) Jason Steele – 6.25

Faultless display at Norwich where he recorded a clean sheet. Has since undergone shoulder surgery. Quite impressive to get injured having played only once in three months.

17) Igor Julio – 6.17

Igor, Igor, Igor! Got through an hour of faultless defending without the sort of brain malfunction which sometimes litters his game before hobbling off injured. A torn hamstring was the diagnosis, ruling him out for the rest of the season.

18) Ruari McConville – 6.00

January 2025 will be the defenders first and last appearance in the Brighton Player Ratings. Looked good on his competitive Albion debut after coming off the bench at Norwich, only to be surprisingly sold to the Canaries towards the end of the transfer window.

19) Danny Welbeck – 5.91

Returned from injury against Norwich and although he gave his annual good performance against his former club at Old Trafford, Welbeck looked rusty throughout January.

20) Matt O’Riley – 5.62

Still cannot work out if he is good enough for the Premier League; something which a lot of Brighton fans seemed to decide he was based on nothing more than needing ankle surgery after only 10 minutes of his debut. A clever assist at Ipswich suggested he has potential but he did precious little else in January.

21) Brajan Gruda – 5.45

Is he a winger? Is he a number 10? Nobody seems to know yet. What we do know is he is a Hurzeler favourite based on his constant inclusion.

22) Simon Adingra – 5.25

Having spent months banging on about how Adingra is miles more effective down the left wing than the right wing, the King of AFCON dropped a shocker when given a rare opportunity to start on his better side against Arsenal.

23) Jakub Moder – 5.13

With so many midfielders ahead of him in the pecking order, some Albion fans had wondered whether Moder could be redeployed by Hurzeler as a full back. Duly got an opportunity to play there off the bench at Norwich. Sold a week later to Feyenoord.

24) Jack Hinshelwood – 5.00

Made his comeback as a second half substitute in the Everton defeat after nearly three months out with a ‘minor’ injury.

The January 2025 Brighton Player Ratings have been formulated through our matchday player scores. To play your part, make sure to follow us on Twitter or BlueSky and leave your post game player ratings in the relevant thread.