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Ange Postecoglou furious as Tottenham implode at Brighton: ‘It was unacceptable’
A visibly furious Ange Postecoglou described Tottenham’s defeat at Brighton as the worst performance of his tenure, as he blasted his players for an ‘unacceptable’ performance.
Tottenham were coasting at 2-0 up but threw away their lead and set an unwanted record, becoming the first Premier League side to lose 10 matches having led by two or more goals.
Postecoglou walked on to the pitch at the end and was clearly angry at his side throwing away three points.
“I don’t know if I learned something new, I certainly experienced something new,” he said. “What I do know is that’s the most disappointment I’ve had since I’ve been here.”
While controlled, his anger was palpable. And understandable. Two goals up at half time thanks to Brennan Johnson and James Maddison, his team were apparently cruising to three points. However they surrendered feebly in the second half.
Led by the sparkling Kaoru Mitoma, Brighton had a goal back within two minutes of the restart when Yankuba Minteh made the most of shortcomings in the Tottenham defence. Georginio Rutter soon equalised, before supplying Danny Welbeck with the cross to nod home the winner.
Asked if his team’s defeat had been down to complacency, Postecoglou did not hold back.
“Wherever it comes from doesn’t matter, it’s unacceptable,” he said. “That’s the first time since I’ve been here that we’ve lost a game in that manner. If you don’t compete and allow the opponent to over-run you in that manner, you aren’t going to get anything.”
The shift in the scoreline was all the more unexpected, given how well Postecoglou’s side had played in the first half. Quick, smart and decisive, they had looked certain to record the win that would have taken them to within three points of the top four. But then came the collapse.
“We didn’t do what you need to do,” said Postecoglou, who usually defends his players in the face of setback.
“We weren’t competitive, we lacked intensity, we didn’t deliver the things you need to do. And paid a price for it. We didn’t deserve to get something out of the game, if we had, we’d have been falsely rewarded.”
Goalscorer Maddison, who celebrated putting Tottenham 2-0 up with his trademark darts throwing celebration, said the away side could not cope with Brighton’s response.
“We couldn’t deal with the momentum shift. We lost control of the game when the first goal went in. We dealt with momentum poorly and couldn’t get any control of the game – it felt like attack after attack,” he said.
“They are a good side and have good players. Adversity in the Premier League – you have got to stay strong and weather the storm – we definitely didn’t do that.
“We have been on a good run, but it feels like a couple of steps back today. We were saying all the right things to not get complacent, but words mean nothing if you don’t go out and show it.”
Brighton match-winner Welbeck said: “It was difficult for anyone to see that coming. In the second half it was about attitude and character. It was about that fighting spirit and we need that from the start. We came out and responded brilliantly.
“A goal early always helps. I think once we came out in the second, as a team we were ready to do a lot better in the second half.”
The public address announcer at the Amex certainly enjoyed Spurs’s from grace. As the home fans celebrated the comeback, the stadium rocked to ‘Chase the Sun’ at full time – the soundtrack to the darts. As mickey-takes go, it was Premier League class.
Match report: Tottenham hit self-destruct button in 18-minute collapse
Ange Postecoglou was not amused. His Tottenham side had looked beyond reproach as they raced into a 2-0 lead in the first half; quick, smart and lethal in the finish. By the end of the game, however, the Spurs manager stood on the pitch, hands in pockets, staring into the distance. He appeared to be trying to analyse quite how his team had squandered such superiority; quite how his defenders had played as if they had barely been introduced in an 18-minute spell that turned the game on its head.
What a game this was, what an advertisement for attacking football. Though possibly not for the art of defending. Brighton, two down at half-time and apparently facing evisceration, came back in glorious style to beat Spurs and record their first win in five matches. At the end, the Amex was throbbing with delight, the fans heading for the exits swathed in grins, shaking their heads at the ridiculous level of entertainment on offer.
Special scenes at @The_AmexStadium! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/0vFYSeog6o
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) October 6, 2024
What a difference 45 minutes makes. At half time, as he strode down the tunnel to the Spurs dressing room, Postecoglou must have been thinking that Brighton – open, slow on the turn, vulnerable to pacey attack – counted as his ideal opponents.
Not least because of the two goals his side scored in the first half here. Both came from superb through-balls threaded by Dominic Solanke between the Brighton centre-backs. The first found Brennan Johnson, who steered the pass beyond Bart Verbruggen. It was his sixth goal in six matches, the ideal riposte to online Spurs trolls who had doubted his credibility earlier in the season. “Johnson again, ole ole” chanted the visiting supporters, those who, by dint of actually watching Spurs matches live, know how good he is.
The second goal arrived when Solanke threaded the same ball and opened Brighton up again, this time to Timo Werner. Unlike Johnson, Werner did not trust his own finishing touch, so passed to James Maddison. His shot was neither the fiercest nor the best-placed of his career. But Verbruggen let it squirm under his body.
At which point Spurs should have been cruising. The points should have been banked. Not least when Johnson missed a chance to put them three up before the break. But the warning signals were, in truth, already apparent. On more than one occasion in the first half, the brilliant Kaoru Mitoma, who Postecoglou among many other managers must watch with envy knowing precisely what he could bring to their side, twice created chances for Danny Welbeck, which he twice spurned.
What sides that win titles know what to do, however, is how to close out their superiority. They take the sting out of opponents. They pass along the back four. They keep possession. But this was a clash of the Premier League’s principal boom-or-bust sides, two teams who have no conception of the idea of sitting back on a lead. Two teams, moreover, whose brilliance in attack is more than compromised by their fragility in defence.
Brighton coach Fabian Hurzeler claimed afterwards that he had made no tactical tweaks to his side at half time, telling them instead to trust the process and things would turn around. But the fact is the German manager precisely knew how to exploit Spurs’s shortcomings because his side share them. With full-backs pushed so far up the pitch they must both suffer from nosebleeds, the visitors found themselves exposed within two minutes of the second half starting as Destiny Udogie made a mess of a clearance and Yankuba Minteh was there unopposed and unnoticed to slot home a response.
Brighton, sensing their opportunity, knew the best way to seek an equaliser: give the ball to Mitoma. He was at the heart of their efforts, obliging Guglielmo Vicario more than once to save. He then spliced the Tottenham defence with a perfect pass into Georginio Rutter’s path. With a couple of defenders in attendance, the Frenchman still had a lot to do. But he did it, fizzing home the most delightful of goals. Postecoglou in the technical area stamped his foot in frustration.
“The disappointment is not about losing a game of football,” he said afterwards. “The disappointment comes from not doing the very basics of what is expected.”
Very basics like defenders doing some actual defending. The wonderful thing about this game, though, is that both sides share a hugely watchable characteristic: they do not do settling for a draw. The Amex was roaring as Brighton piled forward. The sense everywhere was that this was not the end of things.
As it proved when, magnificently, Rutter span through a couple of lacklustre attempted tackles and chipped in a cross which Welbeck, entirely unencumbered by defenders, nodded past Vicario. What entertainment this was. What fun. What unbridled delight.
Unless you were Postecoglou, who – his stare heading off into the far distance – looked at the final whistle like a man whose world had just fallen in on his head.
07:09 PM BST
James Maddison talking to Sky
“I’m not 100 per cent sure [what happened] at this moment, we couldn’t deal with them and lost complete control of the game. When they were coming at us it felt like attack after attack and we couldn’t deal with it.
“Brighton are a good side and have good players. When the first goal went in you have to stay strong and weather the storm. The best teams stay strong and we definitely did not do that.
“We have been on a good run but that felt like a couple of steps back, especially after a dominant first half. We said all the right things at half-time about not being complacent but words mean nothing if you do not go out and show it. We assess it and try and take the positives from the first half. Big lessons from the second half.”
07:05 PM BST
More from Fabian Hurzeler, speaking to PLP
“My team deserved to win, they worked hard and focused on the things they could control. I think Tottenham always have a great start. They play with intensity and we were not ready for that. We also created chances but defensively we have to improve.
“We focused on the positive things, the second important thing was to win the duels to build self-confidence. The players worked hard to gain flow and they used it.
“In general I leaned nothing new, this is always possible in football. When you are 2-0 down it is not easy but it was important to stay positive and I’m really happy for the players.”
06:57 PM BST
The thoughts of Ange Postecoglou
“That was disappointing. Frustrated and absolutely gutted with that. The worst defeat since I’ve been here. That was an unacceptable second half. We were nowhere near where we should be. We maybe got carried away with how were were going.
“In the second half, we kind of accepted our fate and it is hard to understand as we’ve not done that while I’ve been here. We paid the price. The problem is we were travelling along too smoothly, football and life will trip you up if you get too far ahead of yourself. That is what it looked like in the second half.”
On message to the players:
“There is no message. It is a terrible loss for us - as bad as it gets. There is only one way to fix it and that’s my responsibility. We lost all our duels and if you’re not competitive it is not going to work irrespective of tactics - we were not competitive.
“They all go international duty the majority of them. They will process it individually and I will deal with it when everyone gets back.”
06:54 PM BST
Fabian Hurzeler talking to Sky
“In the first half it was not a tactical thing, it was about intensity and the gameplan. We tried to get that back at half-time. The players did amazingly in the second half and fought back really well. We deserved the win. A little bit of intensity was missing in the first half, we were not ruthless. If you win those personal battles you gain confidence. In the second half we won more balls. Most of the time in the second half we controlled the transitions. We have the quality in the final third. Not everything was bad in the first half. It was obviously not great being 2-0 down but there were positives.
“It is important to have individual quality and the four players up top should not just define themselves by their individual quality but how they work together. Our wide players worked really hard for the team.
“Danny [Welbeck] is in great shape and taking care of himself, how he prepares for games. He is a role model for young players. I really enjoy working with him as he is a great professional. Young players should look up to him.
“You have to trust the process. It is normal to have disappointments. The process is not linear. How you react to bad days is important. We focused on small steps and the players showed a great reaction today.”
06:45 PM BST
Celebration time for Brighton
LOVE THIS TEAM! 💙🤍 pic.twitter.com/LuGFdm7Vkn
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) October 6, 2024
06:44 PM BST
Danny Welbeck and Georginio Rutter speaking to Sky
Welbeck:
“It is obviously amazing to win the game. We were bitterly disappointed and frustrated with the first half, it was embarrassing and not something we want to be part of. We showed our character in the second half, where we fought hard and got the three points.
“I have been getting a few more opportunities this season. There was an opportunity I missed in the first half that I was really annoyed about but I kept going. We stuck to the gameplan. We have to give credit to the senior players, including some lads not involved. We have to compete and fight, it is the Premier League. We want to challenge the establishment in the Premier League and we know we have the quality.”
Rutter:
“We are happy and all stay together. The coach said at half-time we have to believe, we said it was not about tactics in the second half, it is about fighting. I only fight [for my assist].”
06:38 PM BST
2-0 down at the break, then go on to win 3-2
Football is crazy. 🤯
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) October 6, 2024
06:37 PM BST
A picture that says a thousand words
06:35 PM BST
Your reactions
Chris Green: “How Spursy.”
David Pittman: “Back to business as usual for Spurs.”
Paul West: “Self inflicted, from the mentally weak spurs. Should have been five up at h/T, then collapsed as suspected second half. Lose against West Ham in their cup final and Big Ange on borrowed time.”
Bonzo Dog: “Cruising 0-2 at HT. Udogie responsible for all 3 goals. Complacent. Predictable. Slow. Lost. Dreadful by the defence and by Postecoglou for not seeing the problems and making changes. Laughing stock. Worse than MU.”
The Happy Camper: “What’s the word I’m looking for….? Spursy, that’s it. That was so Spursy. All is good with the world. Spurs are back doing what they do best.”
Steve Airhill: “Really serious questions have to asked about Postecoglou, what did he say to his players at half time to make them play like headless chickens, how did he not see what Mitoma was doing to his team. I really hope he gets the sack now.”
Remember you can have your say in the comments section at the bottom of the blog.
06:32 PM BST
Les Ferdinand on Sky
“People will say they’ve gone back to what Spurs are - I’m not going the say the word. First half we saw Spurs being devastating and playing with confidence. Then in the second half the passing was laboured and Mitoma came into the game. When Brighton got a goal back I was expecting Spurs to kick back into how they were playing in the first half but it never happened.”
06:31 PM BST
All Tottenham fans right now
06:29 PM BST
Falling apart
10 - This is the 10th time that Tottenham have lost a Premier League game in which they led by 2+ goals, the first club to hit double figures for this, and at least three more than any other side in the competition's history. Spursy. pic.twitter.com/9Xe0zx7ntq
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 6, 2024
06:25 PM BST
Full-time
Brighton have done it. They have come from 2-0 down at the break to win 3-2. Tottenham absolutely crumbled in that second half.
FT: WHAT A WIN FOR THE ALBION! 😍
[3-2] 📲 #BHAFC // #BHATOT 🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/CFNTQNFOiX— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) October 6, 2024
06:24 PM BST
90+3 mins: Brighton 3 Tottenham 2
One added minute left. Can Brighton see this one out having come from 2-0 down at half-time?
06:22 PM BST
90+2 mins: Brighton 3 Tottenham 2
Brighton clear and counter. They have so many numbers over Tottenham and get into the penalty area but Gruda dithers on it for too long and the chance is gone. They had to shift it right, where they had so many men over.
06:21 PM BST
90+1 mins: Brighton 3 Tottenham 2
Veltman puts Porro’s cross behind for a corner, taking no risks with Moorte behind him.
06:20 PM BST
90 mins: Brighton 3 Tottenham 2
Sarr tries to find Solanke with a cross from the right but Brighton just about clear their lines.
There will be four added minutes.
06:17 PM BST
87 mins: Brighton 3 Tottenham 2
Brighton change:
OFF Minteh
ON Gruda
A debut for German Brajan Gruda.
06:15 PM BST
86 mins: Brighton 3 Tottenham 2
Tottenham change:
OFF Maddison
ON Moore
06:15 PM BST
85 mins: Brighton 3 Tottenham 2
Minteh drives into the box and his effort is deflected behind for a corner. Udogie did slide in before Minteh shot and the Brighton wide man could have gone down there. Tottenham clear the corner.
06:14 PM BST
83 mins: Brighton 3 Tottenham 2
Chance for Tottenham to get level. Udogie finds himself forward from his left-back position and shoots from the edge of the box. Verbruggen gets down smartly to his right to make the save.
06:10 PM BST
80 mins: Brighton 3 Tottenham 2
Verbruggen has been booked for time wasting.
06:09 PM BST
79 mins: Brighton 3 Tottenham 2
Double Tottenham change:
OFF Werner, Bentancur
ON Sarr, Bissouma
06:09 PM BST
78 mins: Brighton 3 Tottenham 2
Porro attempts a shot from just outside the Brighton box but his effort is blocked by Igor. Maddison then lines up a shot moments later but makes a mess of his attempt.
06:03 PM BST
73 mins: Brighton 3 Tottenham 2
Brighton double change:
OFF Rutter, Baleba
ON Enciso, Wieffer
06:02 PM BST
72 mins: Brighton 3 Tottenham 2
Werner cuts in from the left and strikes from distance but he cannot keep his effort down and it goes over Verbruggen’s bar.
05:59 PM BST
69 mins: Brighton 3 Tottenham 2
Another yellow card for a Tottenham player as Kulusevski cycnically takes down Mitoma. Tottenham have lost the plot; there is zero leadership and Ange Postecoglou is not looking to make any changes to wrestle the momentum back.
05:58 PM BST
67 mins: Brighton 3 Tottenham 2
Tottenham are all over the place. Udogie goes flying in on Minteh and that is one of the easier yellow cards to give.
05:56 PM BST
GOAL! Welbeck puts hosts ahead
Brighton are into the lead. 20 minutes after the break, Brighton have gone from 2-0 down to 3-2 up. The ball looks like it is going to run out of play for a goal kick but Rutter’s desire keeps it in. The ball loops into the path of Welbeck, who has the simplest of headers to put Brighton ahead. The cameras pan to Ange Postecoglou, who cannot believe what he is watching.
05:53 PM BST
62 mins: Brighton 2 Tottenham 2
Minteh beats van de Ven like he is not there and wins his side a corner. Minteh takes it and finds Dunk but his header does not trouble Vicario’s goal.
05:52 PM BST
61 mins: Brighton 2 Tottenham 2
Brighton are all over Tottenham here. Mitoma has the latest chance for the hosts but his effort is blocked. This match has completely flipped on its head.
05:49 PM BST
GOAL! Brighton back level
All square on the south coast. How this game has changed! Mitoma again is at the heart of it as he sets up Rutter, who makes no mistake from around 12 yards out. Goals in back-to-back games for Rutter. Spurs being Spursy? They were in complete control of this match at half-time but within 15 minutes of the start of this second half they have squandered their lead.
05:47 PM BST
57 mins: Brighton 1 Tottenham 2
Mitoma has probably been Brighton’s best player today. He drives towards the Tottenham box and then forces Vicario into a save down to his right.
Down the other end Tottenham have a great chance to restore their two-goal advantage. Kulusevski really should pick out Solanke in the centre but he puts too much on the ball.
05:46 PM BST
55 mins: Brighton 1 Tottenham 2
Veltman’s cross from the right and takes a big deflection off Bentancur. Vicario back pedals and has to tip it over. Tottenham deal with the corner.
05:43 PM BST
53 mins: Brighton 1 Tottenham 2
Estupinan slides in but can only divert it behind for a Tottenham corner. Kulusevski takes it short and Porro then sends in the cross. He picks out an open Romero, who makes a hash of his header. Replays show he was actually offside so it would not have counted anyway.
05:40 PM BST
50 mins: Brighton 1 Tottenham 2
Clearly whatever Fabian Hurzeler said to his side at half-time has worked as already they look better than they did for most of the first half.
05:38 PM BST
GOAL! Minteh gets goal back
Exactly the start to the half Brighton wanted and needed. Mitoma sends in a cross from the left and Udogie makes an absolute mess of his clearance. It falls at the feet of Minteh, who makes no mistake as he slots home into the bottom corner. Game on.
05:37 PM BST
46 mins: Brighton 0 Tottenham 2
Baleba is penalised for a foul on Maddison just outside the Brighton box inside the opening minute of this second half. The delivery is sent in and headed out to Porro, who tries to volley towards goal. Romero then tries to flick it on with his head but his effort goes over.
05:35 PM BST
Second half
We are back under way on the south coast. Evan Ferguson was going through his paces during the break but it is Pervis Estupinan who comes on for Kadioglu. Fabian Hurzeler clearly felt a change was needed.
05:30 PM BST
What do Brighton do?
Fabian Hurzeler will not be particularly happy with his side’s performance in that first half. Their high defensive line was once again suspect and that will have to change if they do not want to keep giving up numerous chances.
05:27 PM BST
Maddison added Tottenham’s second
James Maddison made sure he found the camera before performing his trademark celebration! 😅🎯#BHATOT pic.twitter.com/kvKPDMSxPi
— Premier League (@premierleague) October 6, 2024
05:24 PM BST
Six in six
6 - Brennan Johnson is the first player to score in six consecutive appearances for Tottenham in all competitions since Harry Kane in January 2019. His six goals in this run surpasses his tally in the whole of last season for Spurs (5 in 34 apps). Super. pic.twitter.com/PRCN4pct50
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 6, 2024
05:19 PM BST
Half-time
There is the whistle and Tottenham have a comfortable 2-0 lead at the break thanks to goals from Johnson and Maddison.
05:16 PM BST
45 mins: Brighton 0 Tottenham 2
Three added minutes at the end of this first half.
05:16 PM BST
44 mins: Brighton 0 Tottenham 2
Tottenham come very close to their third in this first half and Johnson nearly gets his second of the game. Kulusevski plays a ball forward, which Johnson gets to first ahead of Kadioglu. Johnson’s finish lets him down as he lifts it over the bar. Brighton’s high defensive line is really not working here and they need to make a change.
05:11 PM BST
39 mins: Brighton 0 Tottenham 2
Nearly a response for the hosts and it is Welbeck again with the chance. Kadioglu sends in a cross from the left and finds Welbeck, who flicks on a header, which just goes wide of the far post.
05:08 PM BST
GOAL! Maddison makes it 2-0
Tottenham double their lead but Verbruggen will be very disappointed he allowed that one in. Solanke finds Werner out on the left-hand side. The German lays it back to Maddison on the edge of the box and he curls one towards the far corner. There is not much pace on the shot and not really in the corner but Verbruggen makes an absolute mess of it and allows the ball to get past him.
05:06 PM BST
34 mins: Brighton 0 Tottenham 1
We have the first booking of the match and it is Igor, who came on for Webster in the first 10 minutes. It is a cynical foul on Kulusevski and he can have no complaints.
05:05 PM BST
33 mins: Brighton 0 Tottenham 1
Kadioglu finds Minteh in acres of space at the back post but Minteh’s touch is poor. He just keeps it in play and wins his side a corner. Minteh’s corner is headed behind for another corner but the referee gives Tottenham a free-kick. The Veltman vs Maddison battle goes on.
05:03 PM BST
32 mins: Brighton 0 Tottenham 1
Big chance for an equaliser for the home side. The ball is switched out to Mitoma on the left, who plays a delightful cross into the centre of the box with the outside of his right foot. He finds Welbeck, who cannot guide his shot on target.
04:59 PM BST
28 mins: Brighton 0 Tottenham 1
Mitoma plays a dangerous ball in from the left, which Vicario punches away. Brighton have barely thrown a punch of their own so far.
04:59 PM BST
27 mins: Brighton 0 Tottenham 1
Maddison goes down wanting a penalty but the referee is having none of it. Veltman is distinctly unimpressed with Maddison going down and then as they exchange words Veltman goes down rather theatrically.
04:55 PM BST
GOAL! Johnson gives visitors the lead
Tottenham do get their goal now, merely seconds after that goal was chalked off. After Tottenham win it off Brighton high up, Solanke slides the ball into Johnson inside the box and the Welshman makes no mistake as he slots home past Verbruggen. Six goals in his last six games for Johnson.
04:54 PM BST
23 mins: Brighton 0 Tottenham 0
VAR confirms the on-field call. Johnson was adjudged to be offside in the build-up but only just, and I mean only just. That was very, very close.
04:54 PM BST
22 mins: Brighton 0 Tottenham 0
Tottenham think they take the lead but the flag is up. Porro plays Johnson into the right-hand channel. Johnson’s cross to the far post finds Werner, who heads towards goal. It hits Maddison and just crosses the line but the offside flag goes up. VAR is checking this...
04:50 PM BST
18 mins: Brighton 0 Tottenham 0
Tottenham have certainly been on top in these opening 20 minutes and had the quality in the final third been better, they could be a couple of goals up already. Tottenham have had around 70% possession.
04:44 PM BST
13 mins: Brighton 0 Tottenham 0
Hinshelwood clips it in but Romero heads away.
04:44 PM BST
12 mins: Brighton 0 Tottenham 0
Brighton have been under pressure in these early exchanges but they now have a free-kick in a good area after Welbeck is fouled around 30 yards out...
04:42 PM BST
11 mins: Brighton 0 Tottenham 0
Porro tries to find Maddison in behind but the ball has slightly too much on it. Brighton were criticised for their high line last weekend and it has already caused them a few issues today.
04:40 PM BST
9 mins: Brighton 0 Tottenham 0
Igor Julio is the man to replace the stricken Webster. Not ideal for the home side to have to make a change so early.
04:39 PM BST
7 mins: Brighton 0 Tottenham 0
Play is halted as Webster, who had a bit of a shocker against Chelsea last weekend, is down injured. He had not long before played a long ball forward and immediately clutched the back of his leg. An early change is incoming for the hosts...
04:37 PM BST
5 mins: Brighton 0 Tottenham 0
It is all Tottenham to start this game and another chance is spurned. Romero plays a great ball in behind to Maddison, who probably takes too long on the ball before taking the shot as his effort is blocked. It would have been a close call on the offside but it appears Maddison would probably have just been onside.
04:35 PM BST
3 mins: Brighton 0 Tottenham 0
No wonder people were predicting goals in this game as it is so open already. Kulusevski drives down the right and cuts onto his favoured left foot inside the penalty area. Dunk slides across though with a crucial sliding block.
04:33 PM BST
1 min: Brighton 0 Tottenham 0
Tottenham should be ahead after just 15 seconds. Werner, who is onside, is played through down the left-hand side and all he has to do is play it across to an open Johnson at the far post. The ball across though is poor and too far in front of Johnson. Huge wasted early chance for the visitors. Johnson is thinking it should have been six goals in his last six appearances for him there.
04:31 PM BST
Kick-off
Before the game gets going, they pay tribute to former Brighton manager Barry Lloyd, who died recently aged 75.
We are under way on the south coast.
04:26 PM BST
Kick-off fast approaching
Pascal Gross is welcomed onto the pitch as a special guest for this game. Gross, who joined Dortmund in the summer, is Brighton’s all-time record Premier League goalscorer. A great reception for Gross from the home fans.
Both sides emerge from the tunnel at the American Express Stadium and we are just moments away from kick-off on the south coast.
04:21 PM BST
Reminder of the team news
Brighton: Verburggen, Veltman, Webster, Dunk, Kadioglu, Baleba, Hinshelwood, Minteh, Mitoma, Rutter, Welbeck.
Substitutes: Steele, Lamptey, Estupinan, Julio, Ayari, Enciso, Gruda, Wieffer, Ferguson.
Tottenham: Vicario, Udogie, Van de Ven, Romero, Porro, Bentancur, Maddison, Werner, Kulusevski, Johnson, Solanke.
Substitutes: Forster, Dragusin, Gray, Spence, Sarr, Bissouma, Bergvall, Moore, Lankshear.
04:18 PM BST
The managers speaking to Sky
Tottenham’s Ange Postecoglou:
“Let’s keep it open. We want to entertain people and get the win. We want to play expansively and so do Brighton, so it should be a great game.
“For us, there are some elements that are irrespective of the opponent.”
Brighton’s Fabian Hurzeler:
“They have a lot of individual quality and speed. You have to defend together and play with intensity. There are some similarities between the two teams but differences as well.”
04:07 PM BST
Visitors out to warm up
Time to get warm! 💪
🌟 @BetMGMUK pic.twitter.com/5PTTnoOx4J— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) October 6, 2024
04:02 PM BST
Elsewhere in the Premier League
The two 2pm kick-offs have just concluded. It has ended goalless at Villa Park as Aston Villa and Manchester United have drawn 0-0 whilst at Stamford Bridge it has also finished in a draw as Chelsea and Nottingham Forest drew 1-1. You can follow all the reaction to the game at Villa Park here.
03:53 PM BST
Special visitor
Pascal Gross left Brighton for Borussia Dortmund over the summer but he is back at the American Express Stadium this afternoon as a special guest. He started for Dortmund in their final match before the international break yesterday as they went down 2-1 away at Union Berlin in the Bundesliga. Gross made over 200 appearances for Brighton over seven years.
Before #BHATOT, Pascal had time for a pre-match chat... 🥹 Make sure you're in your seat at 16:20 today to welcome him home! 🙏 pic.twitter.com/ZY8PRlJQKE
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) October 6, 2024
03:46 PM BST
Missing out
James Maddison starts for Tottenham this afternoon but unlike his club teammate Dominic Solanke, he has missed out on the England squad. Should Maddison be in Lee Carsley’s squad? Remember you can have your say in the comments section at the bottom of the blog.
03:43 PM BST
Debut incoming?
Brajan Gruda made the move from Mainz to Brighton over the summer and he has been named on the bench ahead of what could be his Brighton debut if he comes on. Gruda, who has represented Germany at Under-21 level, is of Albanian descent.
So good having Brajan in our matchday squad! 🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/NoiUK9Mqwa
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) October 6, 2024
03:37 PM BST
Full team news
Brighton make two changes from the side that lost 4-2 at Chelsea last week. Yankuba Minteh and Joel Veltman come in for Mats Wieffer and Pervis Estupinan.
Brighton: Verburggen, Veltman, Webster, Dunk, Kadioglu, Baleba, Hinshelwood, Minteh, Mitoma, Rutter, Welbeck.
Substitutes: Steele, Lamptey, Estupinan, Julio, Ayari, Enciso, Gruda, Wieffer, Ferguson.
Tottenham are unchanged from their last Premier League match, a 3-0 victory at Manchester United.
Tottenham: Vicario, Udogie, Van de Ven, Romero, Porro, Bentancur, Maddison, Werner, Kulusevski, Johnson, Solanke.
Substitutes: Forster, Dragusin, Gray, Spence, Sarr, Bissouma, Bergvall, Moore, Lankshear.
03:34 PM BST
Call-up for Solanke
Dominic Solanke starts up top for Tottenham this afternoon and after the game he will join up with the England squad for the first time since 2017, when he played against Brazil during his time at Liverpool. Lee Carsley’s side play Greece on Thursday before taking on Finland a week today.
03:30 PM BST
Visitors arriving
Reporting for duty 🫡
🔜 #BHATOT pic.twitter.com/9vwOq88B2i— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) October 6, 2024
03:24 PM BST
Home side in the house
Brighton are in the building. 🫡 pic.twitter.com/f84YvcCfd9
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) October 6, 2024
03:21 PM BST
Last five meetings
February 2024- Tottenham 1-2 Brighton
December 2023- Brighton 4-2 Tottenham
April 2023- Tottenham 2-1 Brighton
October 2022- Brighton 0-1 Tottenham
April 2022- Tottenham 0-1 Brighton
03:16 PM BST
Tottenham team news
Your Spurs XI on the South Coast 👊
🔢 @krakenfx pic.twitter.com/dO8gwo4GLk— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) October 6, 2024
03:15 PM BST
Brighton team news
TEAM NEWS! 🚨 Here's our starting XI to face @SpursOfficial this afternoon. 👀📝 pic.twitter.com/LTohnFdRgT
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) October 6, 2024
12:06 PM BST
Friendly high-line foes
It’s the battle of the high lines this afternoon on the south coast as Brighton play host to Tottenham.
Since he arrived in north London Ange Postecoglou has had Tottenham press aggressively. It worked well against Manchester United last week, a 3-0 win underlining Spurs’ entertaining approach under the Australian as much as it illustrated United’s current malaise.
The high line, however, for Brighton last week did not work as well. Having shipped four first-half goals to Chelsea/Cole Palmer, questions were being asked about the new, young, manager Fabian Hürzeler whose commitment to the high line at Stamford Bridge bordered, at times, on the kamikaze.
So how will this afternoon’s match play out? It would be a shock to see either coach depart from their go-to philosophy, but one thing that’s not in doubt is that there will be a warm embrace from Postecoglou to his 31-year-old opposite number.
The Spurs manager has revealed that Hurzeler “made a real impression on everyone” when he visited the Tottenham training ground last year.
“He spent a day with us,” Postecoglou said. “He asked a lot of questions and I gave him too many answers, for sure.
“He was inquisitive about everything. He was already a senior manager, doing a good job, and the fact that he still wanted to ask questions – he made a real impression on everyone.”
Would the Australian have extended the invitation to Hurzeler had he known that they would be facing each other this season.
“Yes, I would have done,” Postecoglou said. “There’s nothing wrong with being a nice person.
“If somebody comes and knocks on your door and wants a cup of tea as a kindred spirit, you let him in your house. He’s not going to take the furniture or steal the cutlery. You kind of trust that.”
Let’s see if they’re so friendly with each other come the final whistle today, with kick-off set for 4.30. Stay here for all the team news and action.
