NEAL MAUPAY missed a sitter from three yards as Brighton’s safety hopes took a knock against the already-relegated Sheffield United.
Eight points from their previous five games had taken the Seagulls seven points clear of Fulham, and this looked a perfect opportunity to stretch the gaps to double figures.
But despite dominating proceedings after falling behind to David McGoldrick’s 19th minute strike Graham Potter’s team could not find a way through.
That was largely because of a couple of shocking misses from Maupay – the second a contender for miss of the season – although there was also the inevitable VAR intervention to rule out Jakub Molder’s ‘goal’ for offside.
Brighton have probably already done enough to stay up, especially as their goal difference – a mere minus six – is worth another point to them.
But if the teams below them pick up points in the next couple of weeks, there could still be a bit of squeaky bum time before we learn who will join the Blades in the Championship.
Caretaker boss Paul Heckingbottom said he hoped the fact United’s relegation was confirmed with their defeat at Wolves last time out would give his players the freedom to “express themselves”.
They certainly began as if they wanted to make an early statement.
Rhian Brewster fired off a shot on the turn and McGoldrick climbed above Adam Webster to meet Jayden Bogle’s cross, although he could not get any power on his looping header.
Brighton seemed happy to let the home team make the early running, sensing they had the pace to hurt them on the counter attack. And that policy should have paid dividends after just 12 minutes.
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Pascal Gross won the ball deep in his own half, and a quick ball sent Yves Bissouma rampaging towards the United goal.
Bissouma timed his pass perfectly to put Maupay through one on one with Aaron Ramsdale, and the Seagulls striker should have scored.
Ramsdale made himself big to block Maupay’s shot, but it came at a good height for the United keeper to deal with it.
The Seagulls were regretting that miss even more as McGoldrick scored against them for the fourth time, pouncing on a couple of defensive errors.
Joel Veltman failed to deal with Osborn’s low cross, and when Gross dived in to prevent Brewster reaching the rebound, he only succeeded in steering the ball straight to McGoldrick.
The Blades could not have asked for the chance to fall to a better man, as McGoldrick swept the ball home for his seventh Premier League goal of the campaign.
It was only his team’s 18th goal of a season they will want to forget – and McGoldrick has been responsible for 39 per cent of that meagre return, the best of any striker in the top flight!
That strike did wonders for the home team’s confidence, and Webster had to put his body on the line to block fierce efforts from Brewster and Enda Stevens.
Brighton’s best chance of hitting back lay with giving Bissouma as much of the ball as possible, and more clever footwork from the Ivory Coast midfielder forced Stevens into a brave block of his own.
A glorious crossfield ball from Gross then sent Leandro Trossard galloping into the Blades box. But instead of pulling the trigger he tried to play Jakub Molder in, and that allowed the home team to snuff out the threat.
Lallana shot straight at Ramsdale as Brighton stepped up a gear, and the Blades keeper was at full stretch to deny Maupay after he was played in by a clever flick from Danny Welbeck.
It looked like only a matter of time before the equaliser arrived – but when the Seagulls finally managed to put the ball in the net, their celebrations were cut short after a VAR review.
Molder thought he had scored his first Birghton goal after Stevens made a mess of clearing a corner, but the replays showed he had come back from an offside position to hook the ball in.
But they really should have been level after Alireza Jahanbakhsh pulled the ball back from the byline, and found the unmarked Maupay two yards from goal.
The ball was slightly behind him, but the Frenchman will still never know how he managed to hook it high over the bar. You knew then there was going to be no way back for Potter’s men.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
