Brighton and Hove Albion (A) 01/03/26

Brighton and Hove Albion 2-1 Nottingham Forest

Gomez 6'                                                       Gibbs-White 13'

Welbeck 15'

With fellow relegation rivals all losing, this was a golden opportunity for Forest to extend the gap from the drop zone. If they would take it, was another matter.

Forest are without a win in four in the league, a run that was extended last weekend as they lost 1-0 to Liverpool at the City Ground. This run leaves them just two points above the relegation zone with a failure to score, one of the main reasons they find themselves in this position. Only Wolves have failed to score in more Premier League games this season than Forest (13). Vitor Pereira named only one change from the Liverpool defeat as Sels was luckily fit enough to replace the injured Ortega in goal. Brighton ended a six match winless run last time out with a 2-0 win at the Gtech. The Seagulls had failed to score in their three previous matches in all competitions before last weekend. However, they haven’t won consecutive league games since November but these two games were Brentford followed by Forest. Hurzeler named an unchanged XI from their visit to the Bees. Forest are winless in their last five trips to the AMEX.

Things started badly for the visitors. Van Hecke played a ball to the right flank but it looked to be landing to Williams. However, he missed the ball and then slipped over, allowing Gomez to recycle the ball. Gomez tried to find Welbeck but Milenkovic intercepted this and Forest looked to clear. However, Williams’ header only landed as far as Gross who then found Gomez in the right side of the box. He let the ball bounce before hitting it on the volley from a tight angle. Sels got a hand to the ball but it wasn’t strong enough and it went in.

Forest’s record when going behind away from home this season isn’t pretty, with seven out nine being losses. However, not long after conceding, they found an equaliser in some style. Murillo played a ball down the left channel. Jesus let it run past him and his marker Van Hecke, letting it go past him to Hudson-Odoi. He played a dummy though, allowing Jesus to break free down the wing. He cut inside before laying off to Gibbs-White from 25 yards out. The ball set up perfectly for him to hit it. He took a touch before firing with a beautiful finish. He now goes second, level with Bryan Roy, for Forest’s all time top goal scorer in the Premier League.

Almost immediately after the restart, Brighton regained the lead. The Seagulls broke down the left before Mitoma lofted the ball into the box. Williams had made a run forward and both Milenkovic and Aina had been dragged out wide, leaving Murillo alone in the box with Hinshelwood and Welbeck whilst he waited for his teammates to get back. Hinshelwood was allowed a free header, down into the floor, back into the six yard box where Welbeck was waiting. With his back towards goal, the striker controlled the ball with his knee, turned and hit the ball first time into the bottom left corner. This is the first game this Premier League season to have three goals in the opening 15 minutes.

Defensively, Forest were all over the place. The two goals they had conceded were from poor defending and they almost conceded another preventable goal. Williams had started the game poorly and he had lost the ball deep in his own half again. Gomez recycled the ball and played it into the middle of the park to Mitoma. He played a one two with Welbeck, gliding so easily through the Forest defence to receive the favour. He took a few touches before shooting, one on one with Sels, but the ‘keeper rushed out and made himself big with a brilliant save to deny Mitoma.

After retaking the lead, Brighton were completely dominant. They were playing some lovely football, moving the ball brilliantly and looking so fluid. Forest struggled to get out of their half as Brighton had six shots in the opening half hour with five of those on target. Their next best chance came in the 37^th minute. From the right, Van Hecke whipped a ball into the box and it was met by the diving header of Hinshelwood. Sels got down well to parry it away.

In the minutes leading up to half time, Forest had finally got a foothold in the game and were getting forward into good areas. Half time was perhaps coming at a bad time for them as they were starting to build some momentum.

The hosts came out looking to recreate their first half performance. They came close to extending their lead through Mitoma. From the left, Gross found the Japanese in the box. He took a few touches before firing towards the bottom left corner. However, his shot flashed just wide of the post. Moments later, Sels was called into action yet again. Brighton had a corner just outside the top left corner of the box. Gross passed it short to Milner who put his foot on the ball to set it for Gross on a better angle. He shot, looking for the bottom left corner, but Sels got down well.

On the hour mark, Vitor Pereira decided to change formation, changing from a four at the back to a three. Cunha was bought on for Hutchinson whilst Netz replaced Williams. This tweak completely changed Forest. They took control and managed to get forward, registering some shots. Just like the rest of the season, the thing that has been missing for Forest is that final piece of quality.

With just five minutes of normal time to go, Forest had a brilliant opportunity to equalise through substitute Awoniyi. Anderson whipped in a free kick from 35 yards out. Awoniyi met the ball first but his header went wide of the right post. A chance the striker should’ve put away. Brighton had to survive a last minute scramble in the box and they had sealed the three points.

We lost that game on conceding two silly goals. We concede such preventable goals and when we struggle up top too, we need our defence to be as solid as possible. We looked much better when we went to the three at the back and I think that is something we definitely need to consider going forward. My standout player was Gibbs-White. He was putting in such a shift and at the moment he looks like one of the only players who is willing to fight. His quality was also on show. It is not the end of the world as the other teams around us lost but we need to start picking up points from somewhere.

Brighton: Verbruggen; Kadioglu, Dunk, van Hecke, Wieffer (Veltman 71’); Gross, Milner (Baleba 86’); Mitoma (De Cuyper 90’), Hinshelwood, Gomez (March 86’); Welbeck

Forest: Sels; Williams (Netz 56’), Murillo, Milenkovic, Aina (Ndoye 82’); Anderson, Sangare; Hutchinson (Cunha 56’), Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi (Bakwa 74’); Jesus (Awoniyi 83’)