Onwards and upwards go Brighton. One other victory to ship them hovering into second place within the Premier League desk behind solely Arsenal.
It’s a lofty perch for the Seagulls and extra admirable when contemplating the depths from which they’ve risen.
Homeless and penniless, on the point of extinction on the finish of the final century they’re now daring to dream in regards to the Champions League.
To infinity and past and why not? Fabian Hurzeler’s workforce have overwhelmed Arsenal and Manchester Metropolis with out conceding this season.
The one objectives they’ve leaked within the final six Premier League video games got here at Anfield, the place they misplaced to Liverpool however have been actually not outplayed.
The opposite half of the normal Massive Six are misfiring so badly in the meantime there’s a honest likelihood there can be house for an outsider when the European tickets are handed out in Could.
It’s nonetheless six months away however, at this second in time, you may be laborious pressed to seek out 4 groups higher than Fabian Hurzeler’s.
Brighton are fluent going ahead, artistic with alternative ways to attain objectives.
Diego Gomez celebrated one other memorable strike on the Amex Stadium after his halfway-line stunner within the 5-0 win over Crystal Palace
They’ve an outlined type of play and are stable on the again with the sporting maturity to outlive a take a look at of needle, which this turned towards Brentford as soon as tempers turned frayed after a crimson card for Igor Thiago halfway by way of the primary half.
Brentford have been already trailing to an exquisite opener from the left boot of Diego Gomez and went additional behind earlier than half time when Pascal Gross transformed a penalty awarded for a shirt pull by Keane Lewis-Potter on Luka Vuskovic.
The second aim successfully ended the competition.
The Bees assembled within the deep all through the second half seeking to minimise the injury and seek for openings on the break or possibly from a set piece.
Brighton dominated the ball with near 75 per cent possession and probed away, registering 20 photographs with out discovering the third aim.
Each substitution made by Hurzeler got here as a reminder of their power in depth.
On got here Mats Wieffer and Jack Hinshelwood and Georginio Rutter and Yankuba Minteh and Malick Yalcouye.
The Convention League is just not proving a distraction.
Thiago’s crimson mist…
There are occasions when Brentford’s bodily status goes earlier than them. And Igor Thiago’s crimson card was a type of moments. Chema Andres was dominated to have fouled Thiago however fell to the bottom solely to spring as much as confront the Brazilian striker.
Igor Thiago’s yellow card was upgraded to crimson after a VAR intervention
Thiago moved to push him away and caught him with a forearm beneath the jaw. Andres collapsed to the bottom for a second time.
When referee Michael Oliver gave them a yellow card every it appeared like the precise name, however VAR Stuart Attwell beneficial a pitch-side overview.
Oliver studied the replays, and the contact all the time appears to be like worse in sluggish movement and upgraded to a crimson card.
Off went Thiago, smiling wryly and shaking his head, despatched off for standing his floor and being goaded right into a response.
He’ll miss three video games towards Everton, Manchester United and Arsenal.
Opinions of Oliver within the away finish weren’t improved when he awarded the penalty when a shirt pull by 5ft 7in Lewis-Potter despatched 6ft 4in Luka Vuskovic somersaulting to the turf.
