Leandro Trossard’s second-half strike provided a vital win for Brighton to move three points clear of the relegation zone with a 2-1 victory at Southampton. – By Madellene Kalunda.
Trossard finished off a flowing team move from the visitors, firing Danny Welbeck’s deft touch high beyond Fraser Forster, 11 minutes after half-time to end a run of five games without victory.
Brighton had taken an early lead through skipper Lewis Dunk’s powerful header from a corner before Che Adams’ close-range volley ensured the Saints headed in level at the break.
Adams came closest to a second equaliser for Southampton, still without injured scorer Danny Ings, but he was denied by the outstretched leg of Brighton keeper Robert Sanchez.
Victory halted a three-game losing streak for Graham Potter’s Brighton, who climb to 16th above Newcastle, 3 points clear of 18th-placed Fulham and with a game in hand.
A 10th defeat in 12 league games, meanwhile, Southampton are at 14th place.
The win is Brighton’s first over the Saints in the Premier League in eight attempts, and five of their six Premier League wins this season have now come on the road.
Three successive defeats in a five-game winless run had dragged Brighton back into relegation trouble after back-to-back victories over Tottenham and Liverpool had seemed to move them clear.
Leandro Trossard’s previous Brighton goal was also a winner in January’s 1-0 victory over Tottenham.
Saints keeper Forster had produced fine saves to thwart Neal Maupay shortly before Dunk’s opener and Pascal Gross at the end of the first half as Brighton carved out the game’s better openings.
This was the first time in 11 Premier League games that Brighton had scored more than once. Centre-half Dunk, now on four goals for the season is their second leading scorer behind Maupay.
The Brighton skipper met Gross’ corner but superbly guided his header out of Forster’s reach into the bottom corner as Southampton paid the price for not having a man on the post.
After Trossard regained them the lead, they saw the game out comfortably, their only scare a late penalty appeal after Kyle Walker-Peters went to ground but the video assistant referee ruled there was no foul.
