Southampton vs Brighton Report

Scorers: Joao Pedro 23’, Rutter 57’, Mitoma 71’, Hinshelwood 82’

Brighton & Hove Albion followed up their dominant 3-0 win over Chelsea with another emphatic victory, crushing Southampton 4-0 at St Mary’s Stadium.

The result leaves the Saints as just the fourth team in Premier League history to suffer eight successive home defeats, while Brighton strengthened their European ambitions with back-to-back wins.

Brighton Dominate from the Start

With Southampton rock-bottom and 13 points adrift of safety before kick-off, Brighton sensed an opportunity to pile on the misery, and they wasted no time in asserting control.

The visitors nearly took an early lead when Georginio Rutter’s determined run saw him fire a close-range effort at Aaron Ramsdale, who managed to keep it out.

Southampton’s troubles deepened when defender Jan Bednarek, making his 250th appearance in English football, was forced off injured, adding to the hosts’ mounting problems.

Brighton continued to push, with Carlos Baleba’s deflected free-kick narrowly missing the target, Kaoru Mitoma stabbing a first-time shot just wide, and Yankuba Minteh slipping at the crucial moment when through on goal.

João Pedro Opens the Floodgates

Despite Southampton’s resilience, the breakthrough inevitably came in the 23rd minute. A loose ball in the Saints’ box fell to João Pedro, who showed tremendous composure to delicately lift the ball over Ramsdale, netting his 50th goal in English football.

Southampton’s response was limited, with their only real threat in the first half coming when Wellington’s cross-shot forced Bart Verbruggen into a smart save.

However, they went into the break trailing 1-0, needing a major second-half turnaround to keep their slim survival hopes alive.

Brighton Turn on the Style in the Second Half

Southampton thought they had found a lifeline early in the second half when Mateus Fernandes slipped in Cameron Archer, who coolly slotted past Verbruggen. However, VAR ruled the goal out for a marginal offside, leaving the Saints deflated.

Brighton wasted no time in capitalising on the hosts’ misfortune. In the 59th minute, a slick exchange between Rutter and Minteh resulted in the former sliding into double Brighton’s advantage.

Minteh almost put the result beyond doubt moments later with a stunning piece of skill, sitting both Kyle Walker-Peters and Ramsdale down in the box, but hesitated too long before firing wide.

Brighton eventually sealed the win in style, with Mitoma bursting through the heart of Southampton’s defence before expertly chipping Ramsdale for his side’s third goal.

As the game neared its conclusion, 19-year-old Jack Hinshelwood got on the scoresheet, reacting quickly to a corner delivery to wrap up a sensational performance.

Baleba struck the post in stoppage time, but by then, the damage was already done.

What This Means for Both Teams

• Brighton & Hove Albion: Fabian Hürzeler’s side climbs to eighth in the Premier League, just three points off fifth-placed Bournemouth. With back-to-back dominant victories, a return to European competition is now a realistic possibility.
• Southampton: The Saints remain rooted to the bottom of the table, now 13 points from safety with only nine accumulated so far. A seventh consecutive head-to-head game without a win (D3, L4) against Brighton underlines their struggles, and relegation is looking all but inevitable.

Final Thoughts

Brighton showcased their attacking prowess with another dominant display, continuing their charge towards European qualification.

For Southampton, however, this latest humiliation only deepens their crisis, with their survival hopes fading fast. With time running out, drastic changes will be needed to spark a miraculous escape.

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Southampton v Brighton, 2024/25 | Premier League