Brighton & Hove Albion secured a hard-fought 2-0 Premier League victory at Sunderland on Sunday, extending their winning run to four games. The Seagulls had to play the final 33 minutes with ten men after defender Pascal Struijk was sent off.
Maxim De Cuyper opened the scoring early in the second half, finishing from a Pascal Gross assist. The game turned in the 57th minute when Struijk was shown a straight red card for hauling down Sunderland striker Wilson Isidor as he broke clear. Brighton dug in, and substitute Jaouen Hadjam sealed the win with a goal in the third minute of added time.
Head coach Fabian Hurzeler praised his team's response to the dismissal. "It was a different performance [to the win over Arsenal] because we had difficult circumstances and faced different adversities," Hurzeler said. He questioned the red card decision, suggesting it was harsh, and stated his belief that VAR should intervene on clear errors. The manager highlighted the team's defensive discipline and collective spirit as the foundation for the win.
The result means Brighton remain third in the Premier League table with 13 points from six matches. It also marked their third consecutive league clean sheet, a run of defensive solidity that has underpinned their strong start. This recent form, with four straight wins, sets them up for their next fixture, a home match against Crystal Palace on 18 October.
For Sunderland, managed by Regis Le Bris, it was a second consecutive home defeat without scoring, leaving them 16th. They were without striker Brian Brobbey, who suffered a hamstring injury on international duty with the Netherlands. Le Bris acknowledged his team's struggle to create clear chances against a resolute Brighton defence that was reorganised after the red card.
Brighton's focus now shifts to a home fixture against Crystal Palace on 18 October. The full schedule is available on our fixtures page. Pascal Gross, who provided the assist for the opener, became the oldest player to set up a goal in three successive top-flight games at 35 years and 117 days. Hurzeler also confirmed the team came through the match with no new injury concerns ahead of the Palace game.
The report in full is at vavel.com
