Brighton 0-2 Tottenham: Player ratings as Spurs extend Seagulls' miserable run
From the AMEX - Tottenham improved their faint Champions League hopes as strikes from Cristian Romero and Harry Kane saw them to a 2-0 victory over an out of form Brighton.
Spurs should have had the lead early on when Kane robbed Robert Sanchez, but he took the ball too wide and ended up skewing his shot wide of the empty net.
Tottenham had started well but the hosts grew into the game as the first half progressed, though it was the visitors who took the lead in pretty comical fashion.
Dejan Kulusevski got a shot away on the edge of the box and it hit Romero, leaving Sanchez stranded and wrongfooted as the ball trickled into the opposite corner.
Spurs' lead should have grown to two goals when Kulusevski got a lucky rebound off Shane Duffy, but the Swede saw his effort saved by Sanchez when clean through.
Brighton started the second half in the ascendancy, though clear-cut chances remained hard to come by, and instead it was Tottenham who doubled their lead on the counter.
Having had chances through Son Heung-min and Kulusevski, Spurs finally got it right for 2-0 when Rodrigo Bentancur played in Kane to finish cooly beyond Sanchez. With that goal, Kane became the outright leading scorer in away Premier League matches.
The win moves Spurs back up to seventh in the Premier League as they search for a top-four spot, while the defeat was the latest in a long line for Brighton - their sixth straight league loss.
Brighton must wait until after the international break for their next game, a home clash with Norwich, while Tottenham face West Ham on Sunday.
Brighton player ratings
1. Goalkeeper & defenders
Robert Sanchez (GK) - 5/10 - Lost the ball to Kane early on and lucky not to be punished. Important save to keep out Kulusevski.
Joel Veltman (RB) - 5/10 - Sythed down Kane for a booking. Little else to report.
Shane Duffy (CB) - 5/10 - Mistake almost gifted Spurs a second, but Kulusevski couldn't convert.
Lewis Dunk (CB) - 5/10 - A poor back pass led to Kane's early opportunity, though it was still mostly Sanchez's fault.
Marc Cucurella (LB) - 7/10 - Looked up for the battle with Kulusevski on Brighton's left. Pushed further forward as the game went on and sent his side's best effort just past the far post.
2. Midfielders
Pascal Gross (CM) - 6/10 - Physically involved as he made interceptions and tackles. Got Brighton moving in spells but their efforts didn't materialise in a goal.
Yves Bissouma (CM) - 6/10 - Nicked the ball well off Kane on a few occasions. Subbed off for Welbeck as Brighton chased the game.
Alexis Mac Allister (AM) - 6/10 - Got on the half-turn on a few occasions and looked dangerous when doing so. Faded as the game went on.
3. Forwards
Solly March (RW) - 5/10 - Could have done with sticking the ball into the box a little quicker. Didn't cause Davies or Reguilon too many issues.
Neal Maupay (ST) - 5/10 - Booked for elbowing Dier in the face. Sent a shot well over on the swivel. Ended up having four shots, none on target.
Leandro Trossard (LW) - 5/10 - Was in the wars, taking a few hefty Tottenham challenges. A disappointing attacking display and wasteful in possession.
4. Substitutes
Danny Welbeck (ST) - 5/10
Tariq Lamptey (RB) - 5/10
Jakub Moder (AM) - 5/10
Tottenham player ratings
5. Goalkeeper & defenders
Hugo Lloris (GK) - 6/10 - For all the spells of pressure Brighton had, Lloris was restricted to claiming crosses and barking orders at his defence.
Cristian Romero (CB) - 8/10 - His first Spurs goal came in very fortuitous, deflecting off his shin from Kulusevski's strike. Booked for leathering Mac Allister, but was excellent aside from that mishap.
Eric Dier (CB) - 8/10 - Took a blow to the face from Maupay and needed bandaging up. Carried on and performed excellently, throwing himself at a number of headers.
Ben Davies (CB) - 7/10 - Great flying block to keep out a Maupay strike. Brought the ball forward well and did some excellent defensive work.
6. Midfielders & wing backs
Matt Doherty (RWB) - 6/10 - Found some space out on the right but couldn't find the right final ball.
Rodrigo Bentancur (CM) - 7/10 - Booted the ball at his own goal from 30 yards out, which was weird. A bit slow in possession but his second half was better. Great pass to slide in Kane for the second goal.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (CM) - 7/10 - Got stuck in during the first half, making three tackles.
Sergio Reguilon (LWB) - 6/10 - Tugged back Mac Allister for a booking. Glorious chance to make it 3-0 but couldn' finish.
7. Forwards
Dejan Kulusevski (RW) - 7/10 - Got another Spurs assist, though was going for goal when his shot struck Romero and went in. Should have scored when he nicked it off Duffy, but shot straight at Sanchez.
Harry Kane (ST) - 7/10 - Missed an open goal from a tight angle. Off colour in the first half, losing possession as Brighton's midfield swarmed him. Put that behind him in the second half, timing a run to run onto Bentancur's pass and finish for 2-0.
Son Heung-min (LW) - 5/10 - Pretty off it and looked quite short of confidence in the first half. Played some good passes in the second half before being brought off.
8. Substitutes
Lucas Moura (LW) - 5/10
Emerson Royal (RWB) - 5/10
Steven Bergwijn (RW) - N/A
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