Sheffield United 0-5 Brighton: King Adingra of Africa tops ratings
Not a bad week for Simon Adingra, all things considered. Wins AFCON with Ivory Coast on Sunday. Parties Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Back in Albion training Friday. Tops the Sheffield United 0-5 Brighton player ratings on Sunday.
For the first time since December, Roberto De Zerbi was able to name two out-and-out wingers in his starting XI. The result was Adingra and Kaoru Mitoma causing total carnage at Bramall Lane as the Seagulls racked up their biggest ever top flight away win.
Adingra scored the final two goals, proving just enough to edge him ahead of Mitoma in the ratings. The Japanese Bullet Train meanwhile was almost mutilated by Mason Holgate as early as the 13th minute, resulting in the most deserved red card you will ever see for the Blades defender.
Mitoma went onto play a role in Albion goals two and three, whilst being booed through the first half by the Sheffield United crowd for what they saw us gamesmanship in getting Holgate sent off. There must be something strange in the water in that part of Yorkshire.
Whilst Brighton thrived having their wide men back and Adingra and Mitoma took most of the headlines, this was a fine performance across the board. It has to be to win by five clear goals away from home, even if the opposition are as limited as the Blades.
Here are your Sheffield United 0-5 Brighton player ratings.
Bart Verbruggen – 6.89
First Premier League clean sheet in the bag for the Dutch goalkeeper, which should do his confidence the world of good having been part-culpable for both goals conceded at Bramall Lane in the 5-2 FA Cup win three weeks ago. Holgate’s red card meant he was not overly worked in earning the shutout, although there was one good early save from Jayden Bogle during the brief period it was 11 versus 11.
Adam Webster – 6.67
Like Verbruggen, Webster hardly covered himself in glory last time out against the Blades. And like Verbruggen, he redeemed himself this time around. He might have fallen down the centre back pecking order to arguably fourth choice, but this was a reminder he can still do a job when De Zerbi opts for a back three.
Jan Paul van Hecke – 7.56
Never puts a foot wrong, does he? The only defender to have been played the full 270 minutes in the three games which Brighton have secured their Premier League clean sheets in tells its own story.
Lewis Dunk – 7.67
His downwards header from a corner helped the Albion continue their recent reinvention as a team who look like they actually know what they are doing from attacking set pieces, teeing up Facundo Buonanotte for the opening goal. One backheel to keep a loose ball in play on the touchline was an outrageous piece of skill worthy of Ronaldinho.
Tariq Lamptey – 7.11
45 minutes under his belt without any form of injury represented a successful afternoon. Half time substitution was sensible from De Zerbi, preventing Lamptey picking up a second booking and subsequent suspension in a game already dead and protecting him from the Blades’ increasingly rough tactics.
Pascal Gross – 8.22
Delivered the corner which led to the first Brighton goal. Played the cross which led to the second Brighton goal. Set up the fourth Brighton goal with a peach of a ball into Adingra, taking him onto nine assists for the season and breaking his own club record for most in a top flight campaign. Just another day at the office for Der Kaiser.
Billy Gilmour – 7.78
Another solid performance in which he proved his worth at both ends, buzzing around and helping Brighton dominate the ball to the point they had 78 percent possession through the first half.
SIMON ADINGRA – 8.67
Any worries that Adingra might be suffering the effects of his AFCON exertions and subsequent celebrations at becoming an African champion were dispelled via those two goals in the final 15 minutes. His success with the Ivory Coast appears to have given him more confidence; good news for Brighton, bad news for the rest of the Premier League.
Facundo Buonanotte – 7.22
Having opened the scoring in the FA Cup at Bramall Lane three weeks ago, Buonanotte was at it again here. Whereas his previous strike against the Blades was a stunner from distance, this showed a different side to the game being a close range, poacher’s finish.
Kaoru Mitoma – 8.56
If you can’t beat them, then try and break their legs with a two-footed tackle off the ground way above the knee. That was Holgate’s approach when it came to Mitoma at least, earning the United defender the most blatant and deserved straight red card you will ever see with only 13 minutes played. Mitoma survived the assault and went onto set up two Brighton goals, leaving him just 0.17 points behind Adingra in the Sheffield United 0-5 Brighton ratings.
Danny Welbeck – 7.89
Welbz is dat guy. An instinctive close range volley took him onto 20 Premier League goals for the Albion, joining a club consisting of Gross, Glenn Murray, Neal Maupay and Leandro Trossard. Giving him a new contract is surely a no-brainer.
Igor Julio – 7.11
Igor! Igor! Igor! His half time introduction saw him take over at left back in what was a very easy game to come into as a defender.
Jakub Moder – 7.11
In amongst the various records broken, the five goals scored and the rare clean sheet, the second half performance of Moder was somewhat overlooked. Easily his best since returning from injury, he rarely wasted a pass and won his fair share of tackles.
Evan Ferguson
His desperation to end the goal drought saw him try and ‘David Nugent v Andorra’ Adingra’s second goal. Could not quite get a touch on it, which might be no bad thing. The longer he goes without scoring, the less chance of Chelsea offering a billion quid in the summer.
Ansu Fati – 6.33
The victim of two terrible Sheffield United tackles in the space of 10 seconds during the build up to the fifth goal. That he got up both times and played a huge part in the Albion rounding off the scoring showed he is more robust than some give him credit for.
Pervis Estupinan – 5.00
Hasn’t started since that, erm, interesting 45 minutes at Luton. Not much time to make an impression here as he entered proceedings late in the day.
The WAB Player Ratings are formulated using marks out of 10 given by Brighton fans via Twitter. To have your scores included, follow We Are Brighton on Twitter and look out for the player rating thread after each game.
