Diego Gomez’s second-half double capped off a fantastic Brighton performance in a 3-0 win that sent Leeds closer to the Premier League relegation zone.
Daniel Farke’s side lacked quality throughout the game as Brighton squandered multiple opportunities to capitalise on Danny Welbeck’s early opener, but two Gomez goals in six second-half minutes launched Brighton into the top half of the table.
Brighton’s intense pressing rattled the Leeds defence throughout, and paid dividends early when a Mats Wieffer cross took goalkeeper Lucas Perri out of the game and allowed Welbeck to fire into an empty net after 11 minutes.
Danny Welbeck scored Brighton’s opener after 11 minutes
Despite a golden opportunity for Matty Longstaff to equalise on the brink of half-time, it was Brighton who continued to have the best chances. The best two fell to Welbeck, whose curling shot after half an hour was inches away from the top corner, and the dangerous Yankuba Minteh, who should have doubled the Brighton lead after a winding run through the Leeds defence before the break.
Leeds came close early in the second half when Dominic Calvert-Lewin missed from outside the box, but the writing was on the wall after Minteh’s low-driven cross allowed Gomez to finish with the net at his mercy.
Diego Gomez celebrates his second goal of the game vs Leeds
The Paraguayan’s second came shortly after, and in similar fashion – former Leeds man Giorginio Rutter capitalised on Jayden Bogle’s poor clearance to give Gomez another easy finish in only his third Premier League start of the campaign.
Brighton’s first clean sheet of the season sends them into the top half, while Leeds remain five points clear of the drop zone following Nottingham Forest’s 2-2 draw with Man Utd.
Hurzeler: Tuchel will make right decision with Welbeck
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler was full of praise for his team.
“The clean sheet was well deserved. Everyone worked hard for it – not just the midfielders, but the defenders and the strikers.
“I thought we started the game really well. We scored a really nice goal, and then afterwards we lost a bit of control but we still created chances.
“In the second half I was pleased. We had control, we had chances, we defended quite well.
“We kept them away from the really dangerous areas – in the end, we have a really good goalkeeper in Bart, but he made a good save at the end.”
On Danny Welbeck’s chances of an England call-up:
“Again it’s not my decision. I’m happy he’s in my team. I’m sure the other German will make the right decision!”
Farke: We have to accept the loss
Leeds manager Daniel Farke accepted that his side was second best.
“Yes, we don’t have to overanalyse this game. They were the better side today and deserve to win this game and for that, you have to say congratulations.
“I think there were a few key periods in this game. The first 10-15 minutes we didn’t start brave and confident enough, we were hanging a little bit on the ropes, and in this period, they scored the goal.
“Brighton is a side who always wants to invite and wait until the opponent opens, and if you’re then 1-0 down in the away game, it’s difficult because you have to go for it.
“It was not our day today, there were a few key moments, and for that, we have to accept the loss.
“So we stay self-critical, but it’s also pretty quick to analyse, and individually as a team it was not our best performance today. For that, they deserve to win it.”
