Brighton & Hove Albion 3-1 Southampton: Seagulls secure European football with win

Evan Ferguson scored twice within the first half as Brighton beat Southampton within the Premier League to safe European soccer for the primary time of their historical past.

Mohamed Elyounoussi’s glancing header supplied the guests temporary hope of a comeback however Pascal Gross fired in a 3rd to seal victory for the hosts.

Brighton strengthened their grip on sixth place within the desk and have all-but certified for subsequent season’s Europa League due to their superior objective distinction over seventh-placed Aston Villa.

Some extent from their two remaining matches will affirm a sixth-placed end however victory over their south-coast rivals assures Brighton of a Europa Convention League spot on the very least.

Southampton, whose relegation was confirmed with their defeat by Fulham final trip, will end their top-flight marketing campaign towards Liverpool at St Mary’s subsequent Sunday.

‘We’re all occurring a European tour’

The Brighton followers had been in buoyant temper as the sport kicked off within the sunshine on the Amex Stadium.

The Seagulls, one of many success tales of the marketing campaign, had been heading for Europe and their followers loved each second by taunting the guests, who in distinction shall be watching their aspect within the Championship subsequent season.

On the pitch, the hosts had been shortly into their stride and Kaoru Mitoma ought to have put them forward when he drove into the world solely to shoot large from shut vary.

McCarthy practically handed Brighton a straightforward second because the Japanese ahead latched on to the keeper’s unfastened cross however might solely hit the put up together with his lifted try.

The impasse was finally damaged when Alexis Mac Allister teed up Ferguson, who took a contact to set himself earlier than smashing the ball via the legs of Lyanco and below McCarthy, who shall be upset to not have saved it out.

Ferguson took his tally to 10 targets for the season 11 minutes later when the colourful Mitoma shrugged off Romeo Lavia’s problem and picked out the Irishman, who discovered the nook of the web with a composed strike.

Southampton had been boosted by Elyounoussi’s header from a nook however Gross equalled Glenn Murray and Neal Maupay’s Premier League membership file of 26 targets with a fierce swipe of his left boot.

Brighton followers cheered the ultimate whistle with renditions of “We’re all occurring a European tour” – one thing they will look ahead to for the primary time ever subsequent season.

Struggling Saints flip attentions to contemporary begin

Saints arrived on the Amex with their destiny already sealed. In actuality, their relegation has appeared inevitable for a while and defeat by Brighton was a twelfth top-flight recreation and not using a win.

The guests regarded bereft of concepts and depth however they might have taken the lead earlier than the Seagulls took management when Carlos Alcaraz fired large after a brisk counter-attack.

It meant Brighton might make their dominance depend via Ferguson’s double and Elyounoussi’s objective simply earlier than the hour mark was Southampton’s first try on the right track.

Nevertheless, minutes later Theo Walcott thought he had overwhelmed the offside lure to stun the hosts with an equaliser – with an preliminary burst of tempo to run clear adopted by the composed end which has typified his profession – however the objective was chalked off by the tightest of margins following a video assistant referee evaluation.

Gross’ objective killed Southampton’s problem and meant a fourth away recreation in a row during which they’d conceded at the very least three targets, for the primary time since 2012-13.

On a shiny notice for the guests, right-back Tino Livramento made his return after 13 months out with an anterior cruciate ligament damage he sustained within the corresponding fixture final season.

Saints will wish to finish their keep within the Premier League on a excessive towards Liverpool however work will have already got begun behind the scenes as they put together to launch a promotion bid on the first time of asking, with Swansea boss Russell Martin closely linked to guide the cost.

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