Brighton’s penchant for happy endings is helping them to forget the shortcomings of seasons’ past

Brighton and Hove Albion supporters were likely experiencing a miserable feeling of déjà-vu after 85 minutes of the latest instalment of their increasingly bitter rivalry with Crystal Palace on Friday night.

After passing up several presentable opportunities to take the lead in the opening hour and largely failing to make the most of the control they had over proceedings, the Seagulls had fallen behind in the 69th minute when Connor Gallagher poked home from close-range with what turned out to be the only shot on target that Palace would have on a cold winter night at the Amex.

Games against Palace have exemplified many of the struggles that Graham Potter has faced in his first two seasons in charge of Brighton.

In each of Potter’s first four meetings with the side from South London, the Seagulls had a significantly greater share of possession, more shots, and more shots on target, yet they were unable to win a single one of those encounters.

This understandably frustrating trend was by no means restricted to games against Palace – think of the 1-0 defeat to West Bromwich Albion in February 2021 that saw Brighton miss two penalties and rack up an expected goals total of 3.28 compared to West Brom’s 0.73 – but the two fixtures against them last season seemed to summarise Brighton’s problems under Potter most acutely.

Across the two games Palace had three shots on target. Those three shots resulted in three goals. Those three goals earned the Eagles four points, and it would have been all six had Alexis Mac Allister not scored a much deserved 90th-minute equaliser in the first meeting at Selhurst Park in October 2020.

It would therefore have been understandable if Seagulls fans were feeling pessimistic as the final five minutes approached on Friday night.

A Pascal Gross penalty miss that came after Leandro Trossard had shot straight at Jack Butland when clean through on goal, and just before Neal Maupay had a goal disallowed by the Video Assistant Referee, not only summed up a first half of missed opportunities but was also something of a grim reminder of exasperating evenings in the not-too-distant past.

Chances for the home side to score had dried up once midfield metronome Adam Lallana was forced off through injury, and Patrick Vieira’s well-drilled outfit looked set to continue their fine recent run against Brighton as they sat deep and bunkered in for the closing stages against an opponent running out of both hope and ideas.

But the Seagulls appear to be made of sterner stuff this season.

Whether it be because Potter’s coaching methods are beginning to pay further dividends, or his emotionally engaging leadership style is finding a way to squeeze even more out of the talented group of players at his disposal, or simply his players are being rewarded for all the luck that seemed to abandon them for much of last season. Late goals are becoming their forte.

A brilliant touch on the edge of the penalty area from Maupay allowed him to scamper to the by-line and deliver a cross that Joachim Andersen diverted into his own net in the 86th minute, ensuring it was Brighton who would have the last laugh in both of their meetings with Palace this season.

In the reverse fixture at Selhurst Park, for once it was the Seagulls who were fortunate to come away undefeated, as Maupay’s 95th-minute goal snatched an undeserved 1-1 draw on a Monday night in September.

That point was one of 10 that Brighton have now collected thanks to goals scored in the final 15 minutes of games plus injury-time. Although a newly-found clinical touch in front of goal and a reduction in defensive errors have played a considerable part in their promising first half of the season, the Seagulls would be 16th in the league table at the time of writing without their late strikes, eight places lower than where they currently sit.

With the majority of Potter’s first two years in charge coinciding with football being played behind-closed-doors, it almost feels fitting that his exciting young team is truly beginning to blossom with supporters back in stadiums.

Against Palace, a sell-out crowd was treated to a dominant performance against a side that has rightly earned plaudits for their stylistic revolution under the tutelage of Vieira.

Potter made a point of appreciating the impact the home support had in encouraging his team until the final whistle, but it is fair to say he and the group of players at his disposal are also giving them plenty to shout about.

“They scored a disappointing goal but our reaction to that was great. The fans were brilliant.

“It is hard sometimes to keep going when you have had a bit of a setback which is you don’t take the lead.

“In the end we wanted to win, we are disappointed we haven’t won but it’s a really good performance and a point that keeps us moving.”

Even though they have been without club captain Lewis Dunk since the beginning of December, and Yves Bissouma’s participation at the Africa Cup of Nations with Mali has deprived them of one of their key midfield cogs, Brighton have rarely looked weakened in a five-game unbeaten run across all competitions from Boxing Day onwards.

Potter’s capacity to keep the majority of his squad feeling engaged and involved has undoubtedly played a part in the team’s recent success, and it was substitute Danny Welbeck who so nearly secured his head coach a first win against Palace with a header that flashed over the crossbar in the dying embers of injury-time on Friday.

That maiden victory against the Eagles cannot be far away if Brighton continue at their current rate of progress, and even though it is their habit of scoring late goals that currently has them challenging the top half of the Premier League table, those strikes are no more than a delayed reward for promising performances that earnt them little in the past.

Follow us on Twitter @ProstInt

[columns]

[column size=”1/2″][blog type=”timeline” posts=”10″ cats=”59″ heading=”EPL” heading_type=”timeline” /][/column]

[column size=”1/2″][blog type=”timeline” posts=”10″ cats=”652″ heading=”Brighton and Hove Albion” heading_type=”timeline” /][/column]

[/columns]