Tottenham against the Albion was probably the second-most watched Premier League match of the weekend after Manchester City versus Arsenal. The idea of Spurs being relegated is fascinating most football fans right now and there was the added element of Robert De Zerbi reuniting with Brighton fans for the first time in his first home game in charge of Tottenham.
Some of us Seagulls supporters still miss De Zerbi dearly. The feeling appears mutual. An interview with him was broadcast on Saturday lunchtime before the match in which he expressed how proud he remains of the Albion, his players, staff and the fans from his time there.
I felt he could have become Brighton’s version of Sir Alex Ferguson if he were not quite so combustible. A manager writing himself into the history books.
Or that should be even more into the history books. De Zerbi is already guaranteed his place as the first ever head coach to take Brighton into Europe.
Fabian Hurzeler is aiming to emulate De Zerbi this season. I know some of my fellow Brighton fans were worried the presence of De Zerbi would overshadow the current Brighton boss and this team’s push for Europe. What if the away end sung about De Zerbi over supporting the players?
That never happened though. We got a perfectly respectful reunion at full time between Brighton fans and De Zerbi.
Even with the disappointment De Zerbi must have been feeling after seeing Spurs concede a 95th minute goal, he made his way over to the Albion fans in the corner.
There was a wave and applause in appreciation. De Zerbi put his arms around Danny Welbeck and spoke to some of his other former players.
Whether we see De Zerbi at the Amex next season with Spurs will depend on if they can avoid relegation. I am not so sure. But they must know they have a quality manager.
Look up the table away from where Spurs are in the bottom three and the battle for a top six finish is almost becoming a chariot race in the colosseum.
Many teams are bunched together, vying for position in the dash to the finish line. Just three points separate sixth to 12th in the table.
Spurs made a fiery start; probably the best opening 10 minutes they have played for some time. They looked like the team with five wins in six games rather than the one without victory for 14 matches going back to December.
There was a concerning scene on 20 minutes when Diego Gomez landed very awkwardly on his left leg. He limped off in a great deal of pain.
Why was there no stretcher or other assistance? Player welfare is important yet Gomez was left to potentially further damage his knee by walking on the injury. Gomez was replaced by Kaoru Mitoma.
Tottenham fans erupted in the 39th minute when their side took the lead. Xavi Simons weighted a great cross and when Bart Verbruggen missed his punch, Pedro Porro was able to head home.
De Zerbi went berserk as normal, doing one of his famous runs down the touchline in celebration. It was the first goal Spurs had scored with him as manager after last weekend’s first game in charge ended in a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland.
Spurs went onto nearly score again almost immediately. The Albion were lucky to see the home side hit the post. But there was no luck about the Brighton equaliser in first half added time.
Pascal Gross put over a delicious cross from the right. Mitoma arrived unmarked at the back post, taking three paces before volleying with his weaker right foot hit into the top of the net. A goal which should be hung in The Louvre, as one of my WAB colleagues said.
De Zerbi picked up an early second half yellow card. Hurzeler was unable to join him in the book, seeing as he was banned from the touchline for a second successive match.
The cameras panned to Hurzeler sat in the stand, busy talking on his mobile phone. Either he was ordering a Domino’s (other pizza brands are available) or he was in communication with the dugout to make a change.
On came Georginio Rutter, Matt O’Riley and Maxim De Cuyper. Johnny Cantor told his BBC Radio Sussex listeners an important final 15 minutes were in store.
Talk about the commentator curse. Two minutes later and Simons put Spurs 2-1 ahead. Verbruggen passed to Jan Paul van Hecke, who was set upon by three Tottenham players and had his pocket picked. Spurs got the ball to Simons and he did the rest.
After retaking the lead, Spurs fans went quiet. You could cut the tension with a knife. By the time the fourth official indicated eight minutes added, it was almost as if the stadium was completely empty.
The nerves proved well-placed as in the fifth of those eight minutes, Brighton equalised. Yankuba Minteh ran past his man down the right and played the ball towards Van Hecke on the by-line.
Van Hecke turned into a seasoned striker, beating one man and playing a pass straight into the path of Rutter.
His finishing has been a little wayward this season but not on this occasion. Rutter shot and in into the opposite side of the Spurs net it went.
Tottenham players and fans looked broken. Had Rutter scored the goal which whilst not mathematically relegated Spurs, has sent them down by shattering any little remaining confidence?
We know at Brighton it is not over until the fat lady sings. The Albion never give up with this being just the latest in a long line of late goals to rescue points. How Spurs could do with some of that spirit.
Tony Noble @Noble1844Tony
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About The Author
WeAreBrighton.com have been covering the Albion since the start of the 2009-10 season, back when the Seagulls were a struggling League One outfit playing in front of less than 8,000 fans every week at Withdean Stadium.
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