Brighton 4-0 Portsmouth: Player ratings as Albion pummel Pompey
There was only ever going to be one man who could top our WeAreBrighton.com Player Ratings for Brighton & Hove Albion’s routine 4-0 victory over Portsmouth in the Carabao Cup.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh scored a cracker, set another up and then gave a wonderful post match interview in which he used the line “I’ve been working my socks off.” A phrase often used by your granddad in Eastbourne being uttered by a 27-year-old professional footballer from Jirandeh, Iran. Wonderful.
10 other fringe players got a chance to impress alongside Jahanbakhsh as Graham Potter changed his entire side from the weekend’s 3-1 defeat to Chelsea.
It was a good night for Alexis Mac Allister and Dale Stephens in particular but no Albion player in the starting XI scored below a 6.5, serving as a reminder of the strength in depth Potter currently enjoys.
Yes, it was only against League One opponents, but this is exactly the sort of tie that Brighton normally struggle in.
Here are our player ratings from Brighton 4-0 Portsmouth:
Jason Steele – 6.83
Had to put his golf clubs and pint glass down to play a rare 90 minutes, his first at the Amex despite being a Brighton player for over a year. There were some questionable moments in the first half mixed in with an outrageous second half save from Sean Raggett’s header.
Jayson Molumby – 6.67
Made his first appearance in a Brighton shirt for nearly three years at right back and given he was the central midfielder out of the five Potter selected to play out-of-position at right back against Portsmouth, he probably deserves to be higher in the ratings for his role in the 4-0 win.
Joel Veltman – 7.50
A solid debut for the Dutch international defender at centre back. One block saved a goal and he was involved in a tasty little first half incident with the opposition, just as he was when Brighton played Portsmouth in their top secret pre-season friendly last month.
Dan Burn – 7.00
Back at centre half after spending much of the 2019-20 season being used as a left back. Had a comfortable evening defensively whilst looking a real threat at the other end from set pieces. Really should have scored with a header from an early corner.
Bernardo – 7.17
The Brazilian left back had a very strange evening. He was dreadful in the first half, summed up when he smashed the ball over the bar from a matter of yards out when presented with an open goal. Whatever was said at the break clearly had an impact as a much improved showing propelled him up the Brighton player ratings, rounded off with an excellent header for the third goal in the 4-0 win which the Portsmouth defence could do nothing about.
Dale Stephens – 7.33
Were you Albion fans feeling alright? Boo boys favourite Dale Stephens ended the 4-0 win over Portsmouth as the third highest player in the Brighton ratings. Gave a controlled performance and was unlucky not to score after hitting the post with a sweetly struck effort.
Davy Propper – 6.83
Looked a little off the pace but that was hardly a surprise given his pre-season had been interrupted by injury. The most important thing here was that he got minutes under his belt and his hair looked fantastic.
ALIREZA JAHANBAKHSH – 8.83
Scored a stunner for the Albion’s third of the night as well as delivering the teasing cross headed home by Alexis Mac Allister for the first. Some would say it proves he should be playing more for the first team; others would argue he found his level against League One opposition. The truth is probably somewhere in between.
Pascal Gross – 7.17
Maybe should have scored in the first half. His delivery was on point all evening, earning an assist for Bernardo’s header. Could have had more had Burn and others not squandered chances from set pieces.
Alexis Mac Allister – 7.67
If you cannot compare a 21-year-old Argentinian with Lionel Messi after he scores a header against League One opponents, then when can your compare a 21-year-old Argentinian with Lionel Messi? A good night for Mac Allister – even if it was only Portsmouth – in which he came second behind Jahanbakhsh in the player ratings and notched his first Brighton goal.
Viktor Gyokeres – 7.17
Is he ready to lead the line in the Premier League? No. Did he give a performance against Pompey which was promising? Yes. The goal he scored towards the end was Glenn Murray-esque – and praise does not come higher than that.
Max Sanders – 5.00
Introduced with the game all but over, giving him little time to show why he was so highly rated during his loan spell with AFC Wimbledon last season.
Haydon Roberts – 5.50
The next big thing waiting to roll off the Brighton central defender production line. Looked assured and comfortable on the ball for an 18-year-old. It will be interesting to see if he spends this season out on loan – and where.
