'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAYACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABhAAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABhAAAQQCAgMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDBBEABgUSExYhMgEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAURAAEDBQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEDETEAAgQTIUH/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AIfnNNcelRY0GLx8SOY77iEpU7ah3AT5CbJIBr5WWrGvNNMNI9a1dXVCRfSSLoVf7xjJVmflm4up4DAoxVU0p9EnrB4Ff//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Tottenham Hotspur beat Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 at home in a game they were not favorites in, on Saturday, April 8 in the Premier League.
Tottenham Hotspur were pushing for a top-four spot and a win over a strong Brighton team would have served as a massive boost. Manager Cristian Stellini named an unchanged lineup from the disappointing draw against Everton but was welcomed by the return of Richarlison from injury.
Brighton, on the other hand, looked to solidify a European spot. Manager Roberto de Zerbi made two changes, bringing Danny Welbeck and Levi Colwill into the starting lineup for Evan Ferguson and Adam Webster.
Trending
It was Tottenham who made a brilliant start to the game. Heung-min Son received a pass from Ivan Perisic from the left before unleashing a brilliant strike into the top corner to give Spurs the lead.
Brighton thought they got the leveler when in-form winger Kaoru Mitoma finished from close range. However, after a long VAR check, it was ruled that the ball struck the Japanese winger's arm.
The Seagulls began to apply more pressure, with Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo forcing stops off Hugo Lloris.
Their pressure eventually paid dividends in the 34th minute. Solly March's corner found an unmarked Lewis Dunk at the back post who made no mistake to level the scores.
The first half ended 1-1 with the away side clearly the better side.
The second half continued with more of the same, with the away side dominating. They were once again denied by VAR when Danny Welbeck's shot was adjudged to have hit Mac Allister in the arm.
There was a tense moment in the game when both managers were sent off for disruption in the technical areas. Pushing and shoving ensued as the players settled some nerves.
Against the run of play, Tottenham took the lead again when Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg found Harry Kane from the right flank. The striker made no mistake in slotting the ball past Jason Steele.
It was an unlikely 2-1 win for Tottenham, a major boost in their hopes of finishing in the top four. Here are five talking points from the game.
#5. Brighton continue to show their impressive recruitment
Despite the loss, Brighton showed why they are one of the best scouting teams in the world. The likes of Mitoma, Caicedo, and Evan Ferguson have proven to be key contributors in what has been a strong season for the Seagulls.
Alongside these players, Julio Enciso looks to be another brilliant find. The Paraguayan striker has impressed at the youth level and recently even bagged his first Premier League goal.
#4. Harry Kane continues to deliver when needed
In a game where Tottenham were mostly on the back foot, Kane capitalized when the opportunity presented itself. Bagging the winner against the run of play, the striker continued to show his class and notched his 23rd of the Premier League season.
Kane finished the game with three shots, two key passes and two dribbles completed.
He has displayed his loyalty to Spurs but the north London side could find it hard to keep him in the upcoming summer.
#3. Brighton's strong season suffers a blip
Roberto de Zerbi will hope his players keep their morale up after what could be considered a tough loss. The Seagulls have been one of the best away sides in the league this season but came up short against Tottenham.
They dominated possession but could not push the finishing touch, having two goals ruled out by VAR.
Brighton came into the game on the back of a seven-game unbeaten run. They will hope that the loss against Spurs is just a blip when they next face Chelsea away next.
#2. Tottenham were lucky to escape with a win
It was yet another mediocre showing from Tottenham. The away side were clearly the better outfit and were unlucky to go home without even a single point.
xG favored the Seagulls, a mark of 1.36 compared to Spurs' 0.81. The visitors had 17 attempts on goal and 65% possession. They had two goals disallowed and a clear penalty wasn't given.
#1. A result that could prove vital in the race for Europe for both sides
Tottenham took three points and improved to 53 points on the season, putting pressure on Newcastle United and Manchester United for a top-four spot.
Spurs have had an up-and-down season and UEFA Champions League qualification at the end of the year could make it a success. They are three points behind both sides, having played one more game.
Brighton, on the other hand, missed a chance to solidify themselves in the top six. They are still probably the favorites to land a Europa League spot but the race with teams like Brentford, Fulham, and Liverpool has gotten more interesting.
