Saving one of the best of 2023 until last: Brighton 4-2 Spurs photos
Did the Albion save their best performance of 2023 until last? Do these photos from Brighton 4-2 Spurs showcase the most impressive performance of the year delivered just three days before 2024 arrived?
If you take the first 80 minutes alone, the answer to that question is probably yes given the hand which fate dealt Roberto De Zerbi.
No natural full backs fit and available to start. No wingers with Kaoru Mitoma and Simon Adingra the latest to join the ever lengthening injury list.
With width so vital to DeZerbiBall, the Albion’s chances of winning against a Tottenham side back in top four contention under Ange Postecoglou seemed seriously diminished.
Or so we thought. For De Zerbi had other ideas, coming up with a new way for Brighton to play. Spurs had no answer to it and the result was the Seagulls soaring into a 4-0 lead inside of 75 minutes.
Jack Hinshelwood got the party started with 11 on the clock after being set up by Joao Pedro. Pedro then converted a penalty to double the advantage after VAR told referee Jarrad Gillett to have a look at Danny Welbeck getting manhandled in the box.
This made a nice change from the 2-1 defeat Brighton suffered against Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in April. If you know, you know.
The second half brought Pervis Estupinan announcing his return from injury in spectacular style. Just past the hour mark and Estupinan scored a stunning goal from 30 yards which was clocked making its way into the back of the Tottenham net at 60mph – captured perfectly in these photos by Martin Denyer.
Another Pedro penalty made it 4-0 with 15 minutes remaining. Spurs fans scurried for the exits but those who remained saw their side score twice in four minutes through Alejo Veliz and Ben Davies.
That ruined the Albion’s hopes of a first Premier League clean sheet of the season and set up an unnecessarily nervy finale. Brighton though saw it out to round off the greatest year in Albion history in style.
If you have any photos you would like included in our Brighton 4-2 Spurs gallery, please e-mail them to wearebrighton@hotmail.co.uk or tweet them to us @wearebrighton
