Tottenham’s five-game winning streak came to an end as they were defeated 3-2 by Brighton in a dramatic second-half comeback.
Despite taking a comfortable 2-0 lead by halftime, thanks to goals from Brennan Johnson and James Maddison, Spurs were unable to maintain their advantage.
In just 18 minutes after the restart, Brighton overturned the scoreline, scoring three goals to seal a stunning victory.
The pivotal moment came in the 66th minute when Danny Welbeck headed in what would prove to be the match-winning goal.
Brighton’s Georginio Rutter skillfully outmanoeuvred three Tottenham players near the byline before delivering a cross into the box.
Welbeck, left unmarked, had the space to head the ball past Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.
Commentator Alan Smith, speaking on Sky Sports, was critical of Spurs’ defence, particularly pointing out Rodrigo Bentancur’s lack of effort in closing down Rutter.
Smith pointed out how Bentancur’s failure to apply pressure allowed Rutter the opportunity to create the decisive chance for Welbeck.
He also remarked that Tottenham seemed to lose their composure after conceding the third goal, further contributing to their defeat.
As quoted by BBC Sport, Smith commented:
“How Rutter wiggled away from three players on the right hand side of the box is beyond me. He had no right to keep going Bentancur does nowhere near enough. Danny Welbeck cannot believe the space. He cannot believe he got a free header…Unbelievable!
“Who would have seen this at half time. Tottenham have lost their heads…Certainly lost their resilience.”
Having dominated the first half, Spurs struggled to regain their momentum once Brighton took control of the game.
However, with the international break approaching, Tottenham will have some time to reflect on this setback and refocus as they aim to bounce back from the disappointment of this unexpected result.