By now, Fabian Hürzeler’s refusal to engage with discussion around potential European qualification for his Brighton side has become something of a running joke. So when he deflected a question after this third successive Premier League win – the first time Brighton have managed such a feat since 2023 – he did so with a knowing smirk.
“Let’s wait for the next games,” Hürzeler said. “Then we can talk about this. I’m not a big fan to emphasise one victory or one loss too much. We have to work hard and go game by game and see what happens.”
With league fixtures against Fulham, Manchester City and Aston Villa up next, perhaps he is wise not to allow his thoughts to drift too far into the future. In this battle between two clubs now with identical tallies, just a solitary point off fifth spot, Hürzeler concluded that his side was “the lucky winner” on the eve of his 32nd birthday.
That was, perhaps, a slightly harsh assessment. If Bournemouth edged possession and perhaps enjoyed the best of the action in the middle of the park, it was Brighton who made their chances count.
On his return from injury, Danny Welbeck proved the match-winner 15 minutes from time, restoring the hosts’ advantage just two minutes after entering the fray following a stunning Justin Kluivert strike that had cancelled out João Pedro’s fortunate early penalty.
Andoni Iraola was left to rue his side failing to take advantage of a dominance that grew as the match wore on. “It’s difficult,” he said. “In the second half we played as good, if not better, than Brighton. We had more corners, more crosses, more time in their half. But in the end, when you lose, you have to make these things count and they have been the better in the box. That is what counts in football.”
After an 11-match unbeaten league run to the end of January, Bournemouth have now lost three of their past five matches. But they remain seventh, above Brighton on goal difference.
The hosts received an early boost here courtesy of a penalty that could either be deemed harsh on the helpless Kepa Arrizabalaga or simply the natural outcome of João Pedro’s attacking nous. Played in sweetly by a defence-splitting Diego Gómez pass, the Brazilian waited for the goalkeeper to charge off his line, poked the ball in the opposite direction without the slightest intention of ever regaining it, and happily clattered straight into Kepa.
Once Michael Oliver had pointed to the spot, the decision was never likely to be overturned and João Pedro duly converted. “I think the forward is very smart,” was Iraola’s verdict. “He buys the penalty.”
The hosts might well have doubled their advantage just before half-time with a volley from the in-form Kaoru Mitoma. The Japanese winger did brilliantly to strike Tariq Lamptey’s cross so sweetly, given the ball was slightly behind him, but his shot hit a post.
Bournemouth responded to Iraola’s demands for an increase in intensity and just after the hour this had the desired effect. Kluivert levelled with one of the cleanest strikes he will place on a ball. Having picked it up on the left, the Dutchman drove infield, cut inside his defender and fired into the far top corner, rendering Bart Verbruggen’s full-stretch dive futile.
Increasingly, it was the visitors who gained the ascendancy and only an excellent point-blank Verbruggen save stopped Alex Scott, on as a substitute, finding the net from close range.
But then came Brighton’s sucker punch. With his first involvement after coming off the bench, Welbeck latched on to Georginio Rutter’s through ball and slotted neatly past the onrushing Kepa. His gently struck shot seemed to take an age, rolling towards the far post, where it flicked the inside of the post and nestled into the net, providing the injury-troubled striker his first goal since October.
Evanilson came on for his first Bournemouth appearance since fracturing a bone in his foot at the start of January and was almost presented a late tap-in from a couple of yards, only for Verbruggen to palm Luis Sinisterra’s cross through the Brazilian’s legs.
“The first half was good; we deserved to lead,” Hürzeler said. “The second half we suffered. It was not the most beautiful game for us, but very effective.”
