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Late rally fails to save Tottenham in 4-2 loss at Brighton – ARN News Centre
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Tottenham Hotspur’s top-four ambitions suffered a blow as they lost 4-2 at Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on Thursday.
A late rally saved them from their heaviest defeat since Ange Postecoglou became manager this season.
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 Josh Hinshelwood and Joao Pedro’s penalty gave the hosts a deserved 2-0 lead at halftime as Tottenham struggled to deal with Brighton’s intensity.
The visitors responded in the second half with Richarlison having a goal disallowed but when halftime substitute Pervis Estupinan sent a thunderbolt past Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario and Joao Pedro netted a second penalty the game seemed over.
However, Tottenham’s late substitute Alejo Veliz fired home from close range in the 75th minute and Ben Davies scored with a header making a miraculous comeback suddenly look 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 on 30 points while Tottenham remain fifth on 36, a point off the top four.
The final scoreline hardly did justice to a chaotic match in which Tottenham were second-best for long periods but showed some spirit to emerge with their pride intact.
However Brighton, without the likes of winger Kaoru Mitoma, Tariq Lamptey, Solly March and Julio Enciso, were worthy winners as they snapped a three-match league sequence without a win.
“It is a very disappointing performance. This is not how we’ve approached the season,” Spurs captain Son Heung-min said.
“This performance was nowhere near the level we want to play at. But now is not the time to point fingers at each other because the games are coming fast.”
Tottenham host in-form Bournemouth on Sunday when they will be without Kulusevski who will be suspended after picking up another booking, while Brighton visit West Ham United on January 2.
Tottenham’s defensive problems, made worse by Argentine centre back Cristian Romero having been added to their long injury list, were exposed by Brighton as the hosts dominated the first half with some slick, high-intensity football.
Vicario had already made two fine saves before Hinshelwood was played in by Joao Pedro on the edge of the area and thumped an unstoppable shot high into the net.
Brighton almost doubled their lead when Jan Paul van Hecke’s header hit the post and as the ball rebounded towards Danny Welbeck the striker was blatantly pulled back by Dejan Kulusevski with a penalty being awarded after a VAR check.
Joao Pedro rolled the 23rd-minute spot kick past Vicario to put Brighton in command although Richarlison nearly responded just before halftime with a shot that kissed the post.
Spurs looked brighter after the break and wasted several chances before Brazilian Richarlison netted, only to have his joy cut short as VAR showed he was offside.
Estupinan made it 3-0 with a sensational strike from outside the area before Tottenham substitute Giovani Lo Celso conceded a penalty that Joao Pedro dispatched.
A raft of substitutions revived Spurs with Bryan Gil and Veliz adding some energy to the visitors and the latter celebrated wildly as he slotted his first goal for the club.
Davies headed in from close range and Tottenham then had numerous chances to try to grab an unlikely point although they can have no real complaints about leaving empty handed.
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Tributes have poured in after the son of former Chelsea star Eddie Newton was found dead alongside his friend following a hike in the UAE, where temperatures soared to 50C.
Cassius Newton, 34, and his friend Aran Martinson, 33, were found by rescuers on July 18 after setting out on a hike in the mountainous Wadi Naqab region.
The pair, from Dorset and Essex respectively, both lived and worked in the UAE. Their bodies were discovered between 3km and 4km from their vehicle.
According to a report, Chelmsford area coroner Michelle Brown said their provisional causes of death included cardiac and respiratory arrest.
Cassius, a non-league footballer, was the son of former Chelsea midfielder and coach Eddie Newton, who spent more than a decade with the club.
His wife was in the UK when she became concerned after Cassius failed to contact her following the hike and reported him missing.
The two men had been living at a luxury resort in Ras Al Khaimah.
Tributes after desert tragedy
Tributes poured in after the deaths.
Aran’s wife described him as “incredibly driven, hardworking and ambitious”, saying he had recently begun a new chapter in his career and was excited about the future.
Blackfield & Langley Football Club paid tribute to their former player, saying: “It is with heavy hearts that we share the sad news of the passing of former player Cassius Newton; our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with his family and friends during this difficult time.”
National League club Eastleigh, where Cassius had previously played, said it was “deeply saddened” by his death.
Chelsea connection
Cassius’ father Eddie Newton played for Chelsea from 1990 to 2001 and famously scored in the club’s 1997 FA Cup final victory.
The former midfielder also represented Cardiff City, Birmingham City, Oxford United and Barnet.
After retiring as a player, Newton moved into coaching, working as assistant manager at MK Dons and West Brom before returning to Chelsea.
He later served as assistant manager under Roberto Di Matteo and Rafael Benítez.
(With inputs from BBC, The Sun)
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