Brighton v Tottenham LIVE: Premier League result and reaction as Spurs comeback falls short

Brighton 4-2 Tottenham: The Seagulls hung on after racing 4-0 ahead in a thrilling post-Christmas cracker

Spurs host Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League but will be without Cristian Romero through injury

Tottenham Hotspur’s top-four ambitions suffered a blow as they lost 4-2 at Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League with only a late rally saving them from their heaviest defeat since Ange Postecoglou became manager.

Victory would have put injury-hit Spurs above Manchester City into fourth spot but they were mauled on the south coast as a Brighton side also missing key players ran riot.

A powerful early strike by Jack Hinshelwood and Joao Pedro’s penalty gave the hosts a deserved 2-0 lead at half-time as Tottenham struggled to deal with Brighton’s intensity. The visitors responded in the second half with Richarlison having a goal disallowed but when half-time substitute Pervis Estupinan sent a thunderbolt past Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario and Pedro netted a second penalty the game seemed over.

However, when Tottenham’s late substitute Alejo Veliz fired home from close range in the 75th minute and Ben Davies scored with a header a miraculous comeback suddenly looked possible. Midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg hit the post for Spurs in stoppage time as Brighton looked nervy but they held on to move into eighth place in the table while Tottenham remain fifth.

Relive all the action below:

Brighton v Tottenham - live updates

• Brighton hold on to beat Tottenham 4-2 in a Premier League thriller
• Seagulls climb to eighth after racing into a 4-0 lead and holding off a late Spurs comeback
• FULL-TIME! Brighton 4-2 Tottenham
• 90+5’ - POST! Hojbjerg’s curled shot strikes the post (BHA 4-2 TOT)
• 86’ - GOAL! Davies heads in a second Spurs goal (BHA 4-2 TOT)
• 81’ - GOAL! Young Spurs striker Veliz scores consolation (BHA 4-1 TOT)
• 75’ - GOAL! Pedro scores second penalty after Ferguson fouled by Lo Celso (BHA 4-0 TOT)
• 63’ - GOAL! Estupinan scores thunderbolt from 25 yards (BHA 3-0 TOT)
• 45’ - POST! Richarlison clips the outside of the woodwork from distance (BHA 2-0 TOT)
• 37’ - NO GOAL! Buonanotte’s neat finish rightly ruled out for offside (BHA 2-0 TOT)
• 32’ - POST! Milner rattles the post with a curling effort (BHA 2-0 TOT)
• 23’ - GOAL! Pedro scores from the penalty spot after Kulusevski’s foul (BHA 2-0 TOT)
• 20’ - POST! Van Hecke’s header cannons off the post (BHA 1-0 TOT)
• 11’ - GOAL! Hinshelwood hammers home a finish after great work by Pedro (BHA 1-0 TOT)

[28 December 2023 22:06 · Luke Baker]

Ange Postecoglous says Tottenham ‘looked like a tired team'

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou speaking to BBC Match of the Day: “It is fair to say we looked like a tired team today, which is understandable. We’ve asked a lot of these players for a very long time and we lacked a little bit of energy today. They are a good team and we struggled to cope with them. We hung in there and that’s all you can ask for, they left everything out there.

“There are no grumbles from me with the penalties. They were clear and obvious. It’s amazing that VAR picks up everything apart from a tackle that maybe puts out another of our players [Dunk on Kulusevski].

“There were positives at the end this group of players are giving everything at the moment. It is demanding to play the football we ask and they are doing it week in week out. It’s not for a lack of effort.

“We haven’t been able to give the players a break at all and what we ask is pretty taxing.”

[28 December 2023 21:56 · Luke Baker]

Brighton 4-2 Tottenham reaction

Brighton striker Danny Welbeck to Amazon Prime on Pervis Estupiñán’s goal: “It was incredible. We’ve given him a bit of stick because he’s taken a few opportunities where he has struck the ball from distance but today was incredible.

“He’s been out for a while and everybody is over the moon for him.

“You’ve got to get the technique right first and foremost and I think once the ball left his boot he knew that was in. It was a beautiful goal, and one he will remember forever.”

On Brighton’s 2023: “It’s been incredible. One that not many would have foresaw coming. We’ve done well and set the standards of where we want to be and we can only build upon that now. We want more, we have hungry people within the club and we want to keep on getting better and better.

“Even today we won 4-2 but we’re still disappointed for conceding two goals. There is always room for improvement.”

[28 December 2023 21:38 · Luke Baker]

Six goals and all sorts of drama at the Amex but at the end of it, Brighton climb to eighth in the Premier League and Spurs stay fifth. The best goal of the six was undoubtedly Pervis Estupinan’s stunner! Check it out here:

[28 December 2023 21:33 · Luke Baker]

FULL-TIME! Brighton 4-2 Tottenham

It’s all over! What a post-Christmas treat that was. Brighton deservedly win after racing into a 4-0 lead. Spurs made it interesting late on with a couple of goals back but the Seagulls hold on to climb to eighth in the table.

(REUTERS)

[28 December 2023 21:31 · Luke Baker]

Brighton 4-2 Tottenham

90+9 mins: Lo Celso wins a free-kick 30 yards out and Spurs take it quickly. Gil curls a cross in, it’s headed in the air and Steele gratefully grabs it.

That should be that for Brighton now. They’ve survived the onslaught.

[28 December 2023 21:30 · Luke Baker]

Brighton 4-2 Tottenham

90+7 mins: The ball is just beyond the reach of Son at the back post as on the stretch he can only turn it into the side-netting. Brighton survive.

[28 December 2023 21:28 · Luke Baker]

POST! Brighton 4-2 Tottenham

90+5 mins: WOW! The drama here! Hojbjerg curls a shot from just inside the area after Udogies’ pass and it strikes the right post! Steele was beaten...

Then a penalty appeal as Estupinan blocks Lo Celso’s follow-up and Tottenham are desperate for handball but Estupinan’s arms were firmly behind his back.

[28 December 2023 21:26 · Luke Baker]

Brighton 4-2 Tottenham

90+3 mins: Adam Lallana comes on for Joao Pedro. A few more precious seconds wasted for Brighton, although Pedro inexplicably runs off rather than taking his time...

[28 December 2023 21:23 · Luke Baker]

Brighton 4-2 Tottenham

90 mins: Nine minutes of added time. I repeat, NINE minutes of added time...

Great block by Dunk as Veliz turns in the box and tries to get a shot aware. This must be torture for Seagulls fans! Luckily Kulusevski gives them a reprieve by firing well over the top from 25 yards.

[28 December 2023 21:22 · Luke Baker]

Brighton 4-2 Tottenham

89 mins: This is getting seriously nervy for Brighton now!

Firstly a free-kick from the left is whipped in but too long, then a half-hearted penalty appeal from Son after a challenge from Estupinan. Gil then gets a shot blocked. Backs to the wall for the Seagulls!