Brighton 3-2 Tottenham: Player ratings as Spurs throw away lead to lose

Tottenham Hotspur threw away a commanding lead to lose 3-2 at Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday, ending their five-game winning streak in all competitions.

Spurs flew into a 2-0 lead through Brennan Johnson and James Maddison but a second-half capitulation saw Yankuba Minteh, Georginio Rutter and Danny Welbeck all strike.

Spurs sit ninth in the Premier League table, two points behind Brighton in sixth.

How the game unfolded

Tottenham were behind Brighton's backline inside 30 seconds but Timo Werner put too much on his cross to prevent Johnson opening the scoring. Maddison was then played through soon after but had his volley courageously blocked by Adam Webster.

Spurs found space for their speedy wingers to enjoy and looked to have taken the lead when the ball was bundled in by Maddison after Bart Verbruggen saved from Werner, but the offside flag went up and the decision was ratified.

There was no doubt about Tottenham's opener which arrived a few minutes later, however.

Destiny Udogie nicked possession off Carlos Baleba, allowing Maddison to find Dominic Solanke whose pass for precise enough for Johnson to run onto it and sweep in the opener.

Brighton needed to grow into the game after falling behind and did so, with Kaoru Mitoma looking menacing with his running and dangerous deliveries. The Japan international picked out a sliding Welbeck but the striker couldn't get the right contact and the chance went begging.

Unfortunately for the Seagulls, the calamitous error from their goalkeeper made the mountain an even steeper one to climb.

A quick breakaway culminated with Werner finding Maddison on the edge of the box. The 27-year-old's shot was a weak one but Verbruggen made a meal of it, the ball bursting through his hands and in.

The hosts' high line was caught again moments before half-time as Johnson scampered through, but this time the Welshman ballooned his effort clear of the crossbar.

The visitors were well organised in the first half but had only themselves to blame as Brighton clawed one back at the start of the second period. Mitoma's ball into the middle was misjudged by Udogie, who couldn't clear effectively and instead allowed Minteh an easy shot on goal which he buried.

Albion were much sharper after the break, with Mitoma once again involved as he brought a save from Guglielmo Vicario at his near post. The visiting defence was then carved open as Brighton drew level.

Mitoma danced inside and found Rutter, who showed power to hold off Udogie and Micky van de Ven and find the opposite corner with his finish.

From the position of strength they boasted at half-time, Spurs were somehow 3-2 down by the 66th minute. Rutter kept the ball alive by sliding cross for Welbeck, who had an easy header past Vicario to give the hosts the lead.

Both sides made substitutions as the visitors tried to get back into the game while Brighton aimed to protect or increase their lead. However, the scoring was done for the day to cap a horrible afternoon for Ange Postecoglou and a brilliant one for Fabian Hurzeler.

Brighton player ratings (4-3-1-2)

GK: Bart Verbruggen - 4/10 - Couldn't do much about Johnson's opener but won't want to watch the second goal back again. Thankfully, his teammates bailed him out.

RB: Joel Veltman - 6/10 - Engaged in some hilarious but questionable diving antics with Maddison. Quick thinking helped Welbeck head home the winner.

CB: Adam Webster - N/A - Made a solid block early on but then when down with an injury and had to be replaced.

CB: Lewis Dunk - 5/10 - Sometimes exposed by the high line employed by his manager.

LB: Ferdi Kadioglu - 5/10 - Had difficulty keeping track of Johnson and was hauled off at half-time.

CM: Carlos Baleba - 6/10 - Lost possession as Spurs quickly countered to open the scoring. Recovered and was more consistent in the second half.

CM: Jack Hinshelwood - 6/10 - Ran doggedly in the heart of midfield.

RW: Yankuba Minteh - 7/10 - Had quiet opening 45 minutes but was on the end of a cross to lash in his first Premier League goal.

AM: Georginio Rutter - 8/10 - Also had little to do early on but then came alive to restore parity with his second goal in two games. Somehow kept the ball alive to set up Welbeck's header.

LW: Kaoru Mitoma - 8/10 - Was a danger down the left, giving Porro difficulty with his running, and put in some dangerous crosses. One of those deliveries eventually landed at Minteh's feet to strike before he played in Rutter to equalise.

ST: Danny Welbeck - 7/10 - Missed a really good first-half chance but made up for it by heading Brighton ahead later on.

Substitutes

SUB: Igor (9' for Webster) - 6/10 - Replaced Webster early on and was on a tightrope from the 34th minute after catching Kulusevski.

SUB: Pervis Estupinan (46' for Kadioglu) - 6/10

SUB: Julio Enciso (73' for Rutter) - 6/10

SUB: Mats Wieffer (74' for Baleba) - 6/10

SUB: Brajan Gruda (87' for Minteh) - N/A

Subs not used: Jason Steele (GK), Tariq Lamptey, Yasin Ayari, Evan Ferguson.

Manager

Fabian Hurzeler - 8/10 - Managed to turn things around after a horrible first half, with his players responding to earn a stunning win.

Tottenham player ratings (4-2-3-1)

GK: Guglielmo Vicario - 5/10 - Made a couple of saves but couldn't get close to any of Brighton's strikes.

RB: Pedro Porro - 5/10 - Had a really tough evening dealing with Mitoma and his forward forays ultimately didn't cancel out that weakness at the back.

CB: Cristian Romero - 5/10 - Was playing great passes in the first half but he and his defence crumbled in the second half when put under pressure.

CB: Micky van de Ven - 5/10 - For someone with such a ridiculous high speed, Van de Ven was sluggish when Rutter strode through the middle to equalise.

LB: Destiny Udogie - 4/10 - Made a hash of an attempted clearance which led to Minteh halving the deficit. Later got booked for a frustrated tackle.

CM: Dejan Kulusevski - 6/10 - Charged upfield with such ease on the ball early on but Brighton managed to quieten him as the game wore on.

CM: Rodrigo Bentancur - 5/10 - Had some sloppy moments on the ball and then couldn't hold back the flooding attacks.

CM: James Maddison - 7/10 - Doubled his side's lead with a strike Verbruggen should have saved. His output became scratchier when Spurs started struggling.

RW: Brennan Johnson - 7/10 - Showed his increase in confidence by cooly finishing Solanke's pass first time. Missed a good opportunity before half-time and couldn't get going again.

ST: Dominic Solanke - 7/10 - Played a hand in both of Spurs' first-half goals, sliding Johnson through to open the scoring. Involved in all of his side's good attacks but couldn't get on the scoresheet.

LW: Timo Werner - 6/10 - Missed out on an assist in the first minute but later teed up Maddison to make it 2-0. His wastefulness didn't matter at Old Trafford last week but it cost his side dearly at the AMEX.

Substitutes

SUB: Pape Matar Sarr (79' for Werner) - 5/10

SUB: Yves Bissouma (79' for Bentancur) - 5/10

SUB: Mikey Moore (85' for Maddison) - N/A

Subs not used: Fraser Forster (GK), Archie Gray, Djed Spence, Radu Dragusin, Lucas Bergvall, Will Lankshear.

Manager

Ange Postecoglou - 4/10 - Will be clueless as to how his side threw away their commanding position. A poor defensive display has ruined the good atmosphere that was brewing at Spurs after five straight wins. Had little to turn to on the bench.

Player of the match: Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton)

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