Leeds United 0-1 Brighton & Hove Albion
Two clubs in need of a Premier League pick-me-up on a chilly January afternoon in Yorkshire.
One which had opened 2021 with back-to-back 3-0 defeats: the first to Tottenham, the second a rather embarrassing humbling at the hands of lowly Crawley Town in the FA Cup.
The other, a team which lay just two points clear of the drop zone and without a win in nine successive top-flight matches.
So it was quite clear before a ball was kicked that points on the board were always going to be of far more importance than performance!
Highlights of the game
Both sides, particularly the visitors, had key men missing.
Leeds midfielder Kalvin Phillips was suspended, although Tyler Roberts and Diego Llorente were both fit enough to be named on the bench.
For injury-hit Brighton, six players remained out, including new signing Jakub Moder and Danny Welbeck, but they were able to welcome back midfielder Yves Bissouma from suspension and Steven Alzate following illness – both named among the substitutes.
What duly followed was more of a dogged battle than a match full of Premier League highlights – but Brighton will not mind one bit after showing their opponents how to grind out a result at this level.
This could be crucial for the Seagulls come the end of the season and the fist pumps between coach Graham Potter and his staff at full-time told its own story.
They deserved it too in what was a first top-flight meeting between the clubs since May 1982.
The match-winner was also familiar as Neil Maupay– who tapped home in the 17th minute – has netted more league goals against Leeds than any other opponent in his career in English football.
It was probably as easy a goal as he has ever scored too. Alexis Mac Allister shaped to shoot but instead slipped the ball to Leandro Trossard who then played a one-two with the same player and found Maupaywho was able to tap into an open net from point blank range.
While Leeds club record signing Rodrigo had come close to scoring early on from a Ezgjan Alioski cross, there was no doubt Brighton – with Maupay and Ben White, who excelled on loan at Elland Road last season, among their top performers – deserved their lead at the break.
In fact, it could have been by a bigger margin had Maupay’s shot midway through the half, deflected off Luke Ayling, not bounced back off the crossbar.
On what looked a heavy pitch, the second half was little different as battling Brighton looked solid and restricted the hosts to few efforts; Trossard twice going close to extending Brighton’s lead and centre-back Adam Webster forcing home keeper Kiko Casilla into action.
Leeds struggled to find their rhythm and, ultimately, have now lost their first three matches of a calendar year for the first time since 2014. This third successive defeat has also equalled their longest run of losses under acclaimed head coach Marcelo Bielsa.
In contrast, Brighton, who had only been in action 72 hours earlier, were deserved winners to upset the Sbotop Premier League betting odds and climb up to 16th in the table.
Hope springs eternal for Potter and his men.
Key statistics
Maupay has scored in four of his five league appearances against Leeds, all the others were for Brentford in the Championship.
He is also the second Brighton player to score 10+ away Premier League goals after Glenn Murray (11).
Leeds have conceded 14 league goals at Elland Road this season, as many as they shipped in 23 home games last term.
Overall, they have conceded 34 goals in 18 league games this season – just one fewer than in 46 Championship fixtures during 2019/20.
Leeds have lost eight of their past 10 league matches against Brighton – although this was their first-ever top-flight defeat against them at home.
Brighton’s past five league wins have all come in away matches until today their most recent was at Aston Villa in November.
Although they are the only Premier League side without a home win in the Premier League this season, they have won more league games on the road (three) than reigning champions Liverpool (two).
What’s next?
Leeds now have 10 days without a match before two away tests in five days – Newcastle (January 26) and Leicester (January 31).
For Brighton, three successive home contests await.
It’s Blackpool in the FA Cup next weekend and then Fulham and Spurs arrive on the south coast.
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