How it happened: Brentford 0-1 Brighton & Hove Albion
The weekend saw the restart of fixtures for the Premier League following the September international break. Brighton travelled to the Brentford Community Stadium for their fourth match of the campaign.
Graham Potter lined the team up with a debut for new Spanish signing Marc Cucurella as he was placed on the left flank. The towering trio of Adam Webster, Shane Duffy and Lewis Dunk once again were tasked with manning the fort in defence, an important task for each of the men standing over the 1.9 meter mark.
The attack was spearheaded by a dynamic trio of Leandro Trossard, Neal Maupay and Danny Welbeck. Jakub Moder and Robert Sanchez made their returns to the side after their memorable time away on international duty with Poland and Spain respectively. Here is how it happened as Brighton won 1-0 in West London.
Brighton started on the defensive as Brentford got off to an aggressive start, looking to pile on the pressure. The Seagulls were up to the task and managed well under crucial circumstances, ensuring that they did not concede to the newly promoted Bees.
Cucurella played particularly well from the get go and rose to the occasion, looking more than comfortable in the Premier League and well suited to Brighton colours.
Equal exchanges of a big chance apiece occurred but without any result. Brighton reeled in the Bee’s and flipped the pressure back on them, showing their experience in the top flight.
However, the 37th minute marked an injury for Webster which was a concern. He was replaced by Moder. Half time was reached without a goal for either side.
Patches of play were strung together by both sides in the second half but neither amounted to anything that bothered the scorers. Potter sought to bring change to the scoreboard as he made an attacking substitution, replacing Welbeck with Alexis Mac Allister in the 64th minute.
The Seagulls mounted more and more pressure with Mac Allister on the pitch but were still left looking for that breakthrough. Solly March then came on for debutant Cucurella, who had a brilliant first game as a Brighton player.
Just as the match was looking set to end as a goalless affair, a patch of brilliance came about through the late strike of Trossard.
Albion fans erupted in celebration as Trossard found the back of the net through a great effort from outside the box brought about by quality link up play from Moder and Mac Allister in the build up, securing the sweet taste of victory right at the end of the game.
Three wonderful points were secured which leave the Seagulls currently in sixth position in the Premier League table after the weekend’s fixtures, a sight every Brighton fan could get used to.
The Albion had made sure to stamp their mark on their first ever top flight encounter with the Bees, doing well to avoid any nasty stings. The future is looking bright for the Seagulls, potentially as bright as match winner Trossard’s bleached hair.
Brighton will look continue their wonderful opening form and keep building this momentum in their next fixture which is against Leicester City back at the Amex Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Stay tuned for more How it Happened!
