Second-half goals from Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter saw Brighton & Hove Albion to a 2-0 victory over the Blues at Portman Road. Town had grown into the first half and forced visitors keeper Bart Verbruggen into a number of saves, but in the second period, after Joao Pedro had been very lucky not to see red for charging into Town keeper Christian Walton, Mitoma netted on 59 and Rutter with nine minutes remaining with the Blues never looking like getting back in it once they were behind.

Boss Kieran McKenna made three changes from the team which drew 2-2 at Fulham 11 days ago with Omari Hutchinson a surprise starter and with Kalvin Phillips and Wes Burns also coming into the team, and captain Sam Morsy on the Blues bench for only the second time in a league match, the first at Oxford in March 2022.

Walton continued in goal against his old club with Burns wide on the right and Leif Davis on the left with McKenna sticking with the back three of Dara O’Shea, who skippered, Luke Woolfenden and Jacob Greaves, despite the signing of Ben Godfrey, who was among the subs.

Phillips, who is ineligible for Sunday’s game against his parent club Manchester City, partnered Jens Cajuste in the double pivot with Hutchinson, who had been out with a groin problem and was expected to be a sub at best, and Nathan Broadhead behind number nine Liam Delap.

In addition to Morsy and Godfrey, striker George Hirst was back on the bench in the league for the first time since November.

Brighton, who had former Town central defender Adam Webster captaining, made four changes from the team which won 4-0 in the FA Cup at Norwich at the weekend with Joao Pedro OK to start after an ankle injury, replacing Rutter, who was among the subs.

Verbruggen returned in goal for Jason Steele, while Matt O'Riley and Simon Adingra replaced Julio Enciso and Yankubah Minteh, with all three players dropping out on the bench, alongside club captain Lewis Dunk, ex-England international Danny Welbeck and Solly March.

The visitors saw most of the ball in the early stages but without causing any danger until the sixth minute when Joel Veltman looped a deep cross for Mitoma at the back post but O’Shea in front of him flicked a header past the Japanese international.

The game continued to be played uniformly in the Town half until the 12th minute when Phillips and Hutchinson exchanged passes on halfway before the ex-Chelsea man broke into Brighton territory and was dumped on the floor by Webster, who was fortunate not to be booked.

The free-kick came to nothing and moments later a Walton pass out from the back landed at a Brighton player’s feet, but Mitoma’s low shot to his left was easily gathered by the one-time Seagull in the Town goal.

Albion continued to dominate possession but with Hutchinson making another break into their half before being dispossessed by Pervis Estupinan.

On 22, there was a brief moment of panic after Walton’s clearance found Veltman, but Woolfenden headed his ball into the box behind.

Despite their possession, Brighton had failed to threaten and in the 23rd minute it was the Blues who would force the first serious save.

Broadhead brought the ball forward from not far over halfway, cutting his way past defenders before hitting a shot from the edge of the area, which Verbruggen did well to palm wide to his left.

Town made nothing of the corner but they were gaining belief, Hutchinson making another strong run forward from the right two minutes later but the England U21 international held onto it for too long and was tackled.

In the 28th minute, the Blues confidently played their way out from the back, Cajuste passing forward to Broadhead, who moved it on to Delap on the left, the striker cutting in and hitting a shot which Verbruggen again saved down to his left, the Dutch international holding on with Burns ready to pounce.

On 38, with Town now having an equal if not greater share of the ball, Hutchinson played in Burns in space on the right, the Welshman having been free in similar situations earlier but without having been spotted. Burns took the ball on, then cut back to the edge of the area where Hutchinson’s shot was blocked.

Two minutes later, Jan Paul van Hecke looped a cross in from the right and Estupinan looked to have headed wide ahead of O’Shea but referee Tony Harrington gave a corner. From the flag-kick, the ball flew just over Pedro’s head and out of play, a fortunate escape for the Blues.

Moments later, the Brazilian international went to ground and stayed there after minimal contact with Woolfenden, who had beaten him to the ball. Play continued and the Blues kept the ball in the Brighton half as they probed for an opening, before Hutchinson eventually hit a well-struck effort which Verbruggen saved down to his right. Pedro proved to be fine to continue.

After one minute of additional time, the half-time whistle was met by applause from the home fans, pleased with their side’s display, the Blues having grown into the half.

Brighton saw all the ball in the first 20 minutes or so but without ever forcing Walton into a taxing save with the backline maintaining the solidity seen in recent matches.

Broadhead struck the game’s first significant effort and the Blues gained confidence and control the longer the half progressed, Delap and Hutchinson also hitting efforts which required Verbruggen to make saves, albeit not necessarily the toughest stops the Dutchman will make.

Hutchinson, Delap, Broadhead and Burns had all caused the visitors problems, particularly on the counter-attack.

The early period of the second half was surprisingly open with Broadhead having the ball taken off his feet just as he was getting inti a dangerous area on the edge of the box.

Five minutes after the restart, Delap was yellow-carded for an off the ball shove on Van Hecke, the pair, who had also clashed earlier, exchanging views after the card had been shown.

Within a minute, Estupinan got into a decent position on the left and crossed to Adingra, whose shot on the turn was blocked.

Moments later, Pedro went down very easily as he went past O’Shea on the left of the box, referee Harrington waving away the protests.

Pedro already had the Portman Road faithful on his back for the dive and taking to the turf in the first half, but in the 53rd minute they were calling for his dismissal, and with good reason.

Greaves played a back pass to Walton and the Brazilian deliberately jumped into the keeper well after the ball had gone, catching him in the face with his shoulder. The Town players surrounded referee Harrington, who eventually showed only a yellow card, much to the anger of the home support. VAR appeared to uphold the decision and Pedro stayed on, while Walton was deemed OK to continue after treatment.

Four minutes later, the Blues weren’t far away from going in front, Burns hitting a first-time shot across the face and wide after a long throw had fallen to him in the box.

However, it was the visitors who would take the lead in the 59th minute. Greaves was only able to help a ball into the path of Yasin Ayari on the right of the box and the Swedish international cut back to O’Riley, who moved it on to Mitoma, whose low shot beat O’Shea and went under Walton, who may have been unsighted and perhaps still affected by Pedro’s challenge.

The goal was harsh on the Blues, who had been the better side for the period either side of the break, although with Brighton starting to look more of a threat.

Going in front gave the Seagulls a significant boost of confidence and on 62 Woolfenden was booked for a foul on Pedro as the forward broke midway inside the Town half.

Moments later, Albion made a triple change, Dunk, Rutter and Minteh replacing Webster, O’Riley and Adingra.

In the 67th minute, Pedro was found in the Town area and hit a shot on the turn which Walton brilliantly tipped wide with the ball otherwise destined for the top corner.

The Blues were struggling to get out of their final third for the first time since the early stages and on 69 Rutter hit an effort from a tight angle into the side-netting off a defender.

Town made their first changes a minute later, Burns and Cajuste making way for Jack Taylor and Morsy.

Eight minutes later, with the Blues having made little further headway and Brighton in control, Pedro was booed off by the Town support as he was replaced by Welbeck.

The game was effectively settled in the 81st minute when a free-kick from just outside the area on the left was sent low into the area, Burns appeared to have a chance to clear as it ran loose but Rutter was able to stroke into the corner of the net. VAR took a look as Dunk may have been in front of Walton in an offside position but eventually gave the goal.

Town swapped Phillips and Delap for Jack Clarke and Hirst for the final few minutes but with the match already looking beyond McKenna’s men.

As the game moved into six additional minutes, Veltman was booked for a foul on Clarke, to sarcastic cheers from the Town support, frustrated by the referee’s decision-making and reluctance to show cards to Brighton players throughout.

The Blues were unable to launch a late comeback and referee Harrington’s whistle ended a disappointing night for home supporters.

Town had grown into the second half and may feel they should have made more of their opportunities in the opening period, although none were clear-cut chances.

Pedro’s challenge on Walton will be the game’s main talking point with the ball well gone and it appearing a deliberate jump shoulder first into the keeper’s face.

But once the visitors had gone in front, the Blues never looked like getting back into it with Albion, who previously hadn’t won in eight in the league, regaining their confidence and controlling the game with Town not creating an opportunity.

The Blues drop back into the bottom three, level on goal difference with Wolves but with the Old Gold having scored more goals, with Manchester City at Portman Road on Sunday.

Town: Walton, O’Shea (c), Woolfenden, Greaves, Davis, Phillips (J Clarke 84), Cajuste (Morsy 70), Burns (Taylor 70), Hutchinson, Broadhead, Delap (Hirst 84). Unused: Muric, Johnson, Godfrey, Townsend, Luongo. 

Brighton: Verbruggen, Webster (c) (Dunk 63), Pedro (Welbeck 78), Adingra (Minteh 63), Baleba, Mitoma, Ayari (Moder 94), Van Hecke, Estupinan, O’Riley (Rutter 63), Veltman. Unused: Steele, Lamptey, March, Enciso. Referee: Tony Harrington (Cleveland). VAR: Michael Salisbury. Att: 29,403 (Brighton: 2,977).

Photo: Matchday Images

Mariner1974 added 00:25 - Jan 17 Good football team Brighton and good possession team. They bossed the first 10 mins, but we came back into it and defended well, and were the bigger threat going forward going into half time. It was as McKenna would say a game of fine margins. The first slip and opening given from us, they scored from. Their first real chance from what I can remember, and for a team happy on the ball and happy to fall over and break up play, a 1-0 lead is great for them and gave the freedom to do as they please. The disappointment was not how we played first 60 mins, but how we couldn't find a way to have more sustained pressure after that point. Brighton should be credited for that, 3 sets of quality fresh legs straight after their first, and they pressed on. The Premiership is brutal if you make a mistake or let a team have a chance. Greaves has made a few of them, Leif has made a few of them, and we know Muric has made plenty... we will be punished for any mistake or slip. If Chelsea had scored first the other week, they'd probably have gone on and score more, but we scored the first and settled to get the second. Brighton did that tonight with us. It wasn't the worst performance by us. Plenty in that first 60 mins to be happy with. We can't just expect to steamroll teams. The new defensive system means teams will have the ball. We just need to hone that tightness, and are reliant on the break like we did against Chelsea with Omari, Delap and another threat having to be on song. Omari gets lots of grief, but was probably best attacking player on the pitch first half, but because he got crowded out by two or three players at key moments, he gets the knockers. He still looked well up for it, and a threat. Adam Webster and rest of defence were canny against Delap. Playing on his physicality and conning the ref left right and centre. It's gonna happen as he has a bit of a rep already for his physicality. Shame we didn't get something from the game tonight, but let's be fair no matter what recent points hauls are, they are one of the better teams in the Prem, and no doubt fired up after us taking a point at their place. Looking forward to Philly Fodes and Haaland coming to town Sunday, and hopefully there will be enough slips from their backline for Delap, Omari, Philogene and co to have some joy. We beat Chelsea. We beat Spurs. We can beat another of the big boys! Let's enjoy it no matter what.

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mehrad added 00:52 - Jan 17 That was an unimaginatively poor display - not a one (other than Broadhead maybe) deserve their paycheck for that game. I hate to single out anyone among an awful gaggle, but for me Kalvin Phillips is an absolute zero - in his position, you need to turn some of those passes from the back into positive turns and runs (maybe 1-2 times per game) instead of pinging them back to where they came from. Hopefully, got all the uglies out of the way in one game and can put a "Chelsea performance" together against City.

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Granthamblue62 added 00:57 - Jan 17 Totally outclassed tonight. I don't mind losing if we give it a real go, but overall I thought it was a gutless, insipid performance. It was very difficult to watch and hard to understand why we blow hot and cold. We clearly need more quality players through the door. Difficult to see where the next points are coming from. Could do with Leics and Everton being slapped with PSR fines!

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Carberry added 01:24 - Jan 17 We played a very good team who didn't really need to get out of 2nd gear. Playing around at the back is getting us nowhere. When good teams do it they move the ball forward quickly and keep possession, when we do it we end up losing it, our players just aren't good enough for it. And a criticism that keeps getting raised...where's plan B? We just keep playing the same way. Even when we were chasing the game McKenna bought on Morsy for Cajuste, hardly a positive forward thinking move. We don't have players on the bench who can do anything different sadly. We are pretty one dimensional and when smart managers and talented players work us out we get what happened tonight.

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ThaiBlue added 04:33 - Jan 17 Such a poor 2nd half,wooly,greaves,all over the place at times and Hutchinson should have gone off not burns.suicide football at the back again when will we ever learn.
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KiwiTractor added 05:15 - Jan 17 Very disappointing after an okay first half. I don't understand why, when we are losing a game, we just pass the ball across the back 4 and back to the keeper repeatedly. Most of our passing throughout the game was so slow, we need to up the tempo, we are far too easy to defend against. As others have said O'Shea had a good game. I thought Broadhead did too, our biggest threat. I even thought Burns was okay today and I have been critical of him this season. I'm a Woolfy fan, but he wasn't great today and Burgess hasn't put a foot wrong when he has played? Our midfield needs to work harder and play forward more - maybe we need 3 in there?

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pablo123 added 07:07 - Jan 17 This was a massive game in IMHO, can't see anything from the next 2 games which means 16pts after 23 games !! With only 15 left it's going to be incredibly difficult to survive now
4

Dissboyitfc added 07:30 - Jan 17 Great post TimmyH nothing to add, your post nailed it!
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Dissboyitfc added 07:30 - Jan 17 Great post TimmyH nothing to add, your post nailed it!
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Tractorboy1985 added 07:36 - Jan 17 @leejames99 you say Burgess isn’t good enough and can go but have him in your 11 for Saturday??? For me I think he can be very hard done by.. barring O’Shea he’s been our best defender this season when called upon. I was worried about the jump to the championship with him let alone the premiership but he just keeps pulling out performances! I do like your options up top with Broady behind Delap and Omari and Philogene operating the wider areas but v City I think we’d get hammered. Certainly an option id like to see soon though! Very underwhelming performance last night.. first half like a game of chess but we grew into it and was happier going into half time.. 2nd half the less said the better! Onto Sunday.. the champions are in town.. COYB

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bluesman added 07:41 - Jan 17 It was a tight game till the sending off that wasn’t. Yes Brighton had most of the ball but we had the chances. The sending off turned the game. We lost concentration and they suddenly looked more confident and aggressive. It was like we were all a bit concussed. Looking back at it, it was a stone wall red card. No ball anywhere and he went in to do serious damage. Wouldn’t be surprised if Walton not fit for Sunday. No goalkeeper will enjoy watching that go unpunished.

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Dissboyitfc added 07:47 - Jan 17 Blueboy i mark you down because you love it when we lose so you can come on here and state the obvious, of course we need points to stay up and if we dont get enough we will get relegated thats the rules! You never talk about the game, who played well who didnt perhaps you could have an opinion on what we could have changed, done differently! Thats not what you do, you slate the supporters of our great team who are enjoying an historic period, you slate the team the club. No one with any football knowledge will have expected anything other than a relegation scrap, but there you are slating everyone who accepts the inevitable massive challenge of staying in the Prem. WE are goal difference away from safety, did you really expect us to be further up the table?

4

Dissboyitfc added 07:47 - Jan 17 Blueboy i mark you down because you love it when we lose so you can come on here and state the obvious, of course we need points to stay up and if we dont get enough we will get relegated thats the rules! You never talk about the game, who played well who didnt perhaps you could have an opinion on what we could have changed, done differently! Thats not what you do, you slate the supporters of our great team who are enjoying an historic period, you slate the team the club. No one with any football knowledge will have expected anything other than a relegation scrap, but there you are slating everyone who accepts the inevitable massive challenge of staying in the Prem. WE are goal difference away from safety, did you really expect us to be further up the table?

0

bluesman added 07:48 - Jan 17 Thought Phillips, Broady, Wes, O’Shea all did well. Omari not quite fit. Woolfy behind the game.
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Alphawhiskey added 07:50 - Jan 17 Wrong starting line up. Why not start with Godfrey, he was class against Rovers and should have started. Hutchinson takes too many touches, cant tackle and last night was a show pony. He clearly wasn't match fit so why start him. Why leave our captain out? Greeves, massive mistake which led to their first goal, after then it was all over. We were clueless, clutching at straws. We were weak all over the pitch, Even Walton was poor. Sorry Kieran, but you got it horribly wrong last night right from the start. Brighton were miles better than us all over the pitch, better tactics too. It was a game that we needed to win or at least draw. Sorry but we were complete bottle jobs. Now our goal difference will get obliterated over the next too games.

4

blueboy1981 added 08:10 - Jan 17 Delap deserves to be playing in a better Premiership Team, to be fair.
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blueboy1981 added 08:18 - Jan 17 Dissboyitfc - all you spout is excuse for failure, and non factual comments. Last night was an embarrassment against one of the Teams that should have yielded at least a point for us - we failed again ! That’s Fact for you.
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dirtydingusmagee added 08:28 - Jan 17 Very disappointing performance resulting in a disappointing loss just when it looked like we could cash in on other results again , frustrating.I know we have players to come in but its not looking good ,we seem to be only able to have brief spells where we put other teams under pressure .On this occasion i agree with Blueboy re men against boys .Ive said before it will go down to the wire and i still think its the current bottom 5 that will be in the final day lottery

3

londontractorboy57 added 08:30 - Jan 17 Teams that survive in the premiership take their few chances teams that go down don't simples.oh and ffs stop playing out from back .
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dirtydingusmagee added 08:38 - Jan 17 Leejames marked you down but didnt mean to
1

blueboy1981 added 08:46 - Jan 17 Questions continue to have to be asked - after spending Circa £120million !! Like it or not it’s Truth ! - it’s no longer the Championship Team remember.
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Jezeroo added 08:47 - Jan 17 why oh why didn't Morsy start! i know he doesn't always look class but surely he makes us tick and moves the ball forward rather than sideways and back! He makes Ipswich tick, I am not convinced Phillips gives us the same. Cajuste and Morsy should be the midfield two, this is where we lost the game last night, they were too strong and swamped us through the middle
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warktheline added 08:49 - Jan 17 Poor performance and we’ve had a few, I now believe McKenna just has enough quality players to secure premiership status…Delap is key and it’s vital he remains and is on the pitch for as many minutes as possible.
4

tractorboybig added 09:00 - Jan 17 unfortunately home game results against everton, palace, Leicester, brighton show that we are not good enough for this div, stop blaming individuals its a poor second half team performance
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Dissboyitfc added 09:26 - Jan 17 I would defend anybody’s right to an opinion, but Blueboy is just a contrarian, let’s face it if the majority were not happy with KM and MA you would defend them like you did Evans. It seems you just seek attention. Delap will play at a better premier team one day but for now being first choice getting minutes and getting the very best coaching is what he needs. Did you really blueboy expect anything other that a huge struggle for survival?

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