- Opening goalscorer Joao Pedro was the standout for Fabian Hurzeler’s team
- Mitoma doubled Brighton’s lead but David Brooks gave the visitors a late fright
- Will Ruben Amorim be Man United’s saviour? LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! Available wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes every Monday and Thursday
For 64 exceptional minutes on Saturday, Joao Pedro was virtually untouchable, ghosting his way to a goal and assist in Brighton’s 2-1 win over Bournemouth.
Pedro was simply magnificent; silky back-heels, elusive runs and masterful passing – he was the undisputed star of Brighton’s latest impressive attacking show.
The Brazilian seemed to have more time on the ball than anyone else before he was hooked on 64 minutes after Carlos Baleba’s red card prompted a reshuffle, cruelly robbing the Vitality Stadium of another half hour of Pedro’s magic.
With four goals now to his name in just six games, Fabian Hurzeler might be wondering how much further up the table his side might be if his Brazilian star had been more readily available this term.
Even before the sending off Bournemouth had created the majority of the chances and on another day Andoni Iraola’s side would be pulling within a point of their South Coast neighbours, substitute David Brooks at last making the breakthrough in the 93rd minute, but it was too little too late.
Not even the torrential pre-game downpour could stymie Brighton’s irrepressible, free-flowing build-up play.
Carlos Baleba was handed his marking orders just before the hour mark against Bournemouth
Joao Pedro (centre) had opened the scoring after only four minutes on a wet day at the Vitality
Kaoru Mitoma doubled the visitors’ lead with a sublime strike fed by team-mate Pedro
Danny Welbeck played a slick one-two with Pedro before laying off Georginio Rutter to strike from outside the box, but Kepa Arrizabalaga could only parry into the path of Pedro to tap home.
Bournemouth reacted well, preying on the Seagulls’ high line in a breathless first half, but they were let down by a combination of poor decision-making and wasteful shooting, Evanilson and Justin Kluivert both coming closest but Brighton held on to go in ahead at the break.
Again though, Brighton struck within five minutes of kick-off, and again it was all about Pedro.
The Brazilian received the ball just outside the box and seemed to have an age to pick his head up and slide a inch-perfect pass through the eye of a needle in behind the Bournemouth defence.
It arced perfectly into the path of Kaoru Mitoma, who opened his body and caressed it into the bottom corner beyond Arrizabalaga for the goal Pedro’s assist thoroughly deserved.
Bournemouth had created the majority of the chances, but found themselves two down, only for Carlos Baleba to gift them a route back into the game after seeing red for a second booking on 59 minutes.
Pedro was a shining light for the travelling side and a standout amid a raft of attacking stars
The feisty south coast derby saw a number players pick up cards during the testy clash
David Brooks’ added-time strike might have mounted a comeback for the hosts on Saturday
The substitute found the back of the net minutes before Bournemouth struck the bar
But Andoni Iraola was unable to claim a solitary point against the team’s depleted visitors
The Seagulls have been able to keep pace with the chasing pack and now sit in fifth level with Chelsea and Arsenal
The hosts looked to make the man advantage count instantly, Antoine Semenyo lashing an effort at Arrizabalaga from close range before Kluivert let fly from 20 yards, his curling effort drifting just wide.
Iraola shuffled his pack, but it was Evanilson again who should have scored his fourth in as many games to tee up a blistering final 15 minutes.
With Brighton penned all the way back, Kerkez lofted a ball into the box, but the Brazilian’s header was straight at Verbruggen. A foot either side of the keeper and it would have been 2-1.
Brooks, sent on by Iraola in the bid for a fight back, eventually got one back for the hosts, firing into the top left corner through a melee of bodies to threaten monumental comeback, which almost became a reality after Semenyo hit the crossbar on the volley in the 96th, but Brighton held on for three Pedro-inspired points.
