How will being the main guy in a couple of touchline tear-ups impact Roberto De Zerbi’s candidacy to transform Tottenham’s subsequent supervisor? The Italian and his reverse quantity Cristian Stellini had been banished from the sidelines for his or her function in an all-in wrestling consultation by the point Harry Kane scored a purpose that denied Brighton, simply as two previous VAR selections had. Until then it have been Brighton showing a method Spurs fanatics may acknowledge as adjoining to the “glory game” idea that underpins their membership.
“We have to be proud of this performance,” mentioned De Zerbi, with some justification. “We are not to forget we are Brighton. We deserved to win the game.
Although Daniel Levy, perhaps understandably, might fear employing another explosive Italian, Brighton’s performance was a worthy audition. Kane, who thrashed home Pierre-Emile Højbjerg’s pass, had been reduced to feeding off scraps but his goal revived Tottenham’s fading push for the Champions League, dead-eyed on a day his partner in crime, Son Heung-min, scored Spurs’ first of a game that fizzed up even before kick-off.
On Thursday, Stellini had recalled De Zerbi as an “aggressive” opponent in their playing days as defender and attacking midfielder respectively. An altercation during a pre-match handshake suggested that had not gone down well. “A personal situation,” said De Zerbi. “I am used to respecting everyone outside and inside the pitch. And I don’t like it when people don’t respect me.
The hoped-for slugfest between the ailing giant and progressive new force, fifth and sixth respectively, duly followed. Stellini, celebrating a first victory as Spurs caretaker manager, later attempted conciliation while unwilling to relitigate anything beyond the white lines. “I don’t like to be involved when there is a fight or something too aggressive,” he mentioned. “I am a friendly person. Football is enjoyable. If you see what happened, I was polite and calm.
Brighton were attempting to repeat last season’s late-arriving, attritional 1–0 win at Spurs. Times and styles have changed since; when Alexis Mac Allister and Moisés Caicedo joined his attacking trio, De Zerbi’s team exhibited verve rarely seen in the N17 postcode since Ossie Ardiles was throwing caution to the mid-1990s wind. Stellini’s strategy was familiar to those who suffered the dark winter of Conte-ball; his team often played as if on the away side; wing-back rigidity, Kane foraging for himself.
Clad in crimson, Brighton pushed from the start but swiftly fell victim to a rare sight once habitual. A stunning strike from Son, a right-footed dipper Jason Steele had little chance with, brought the South Korean a 100th Premier League goal, last year’s Golden Boot slowed to eight this season. “I was really emotional because I have had tough moments in the last few weeks,” mentioned Son, dedicating his purpose to his overdue grandfather. “I’m the most frustrated guy and player but I see where I can improve.”
That simplest spurred Brighton on much more. Kaoru Mitoma quickly had the ball within the web, dominated out for a handball that was once long deliberated over by means of VAR. Brighton resumed with injustice as gas. From Solly March’s nook, Lewis Dunk was once allowed freedom to attain on his 2 hundredth Premier League look, the primary Brighton participant to take action.
A equivalent development emerged after part time, Brighton pushing on, Spurs countering. On the sidelines, De Zerbi’s turf conflict with the Tottenham bench – and fit officers – was once effervescent up. VAR ultimately supplied the detonator, after Danny Welbeck’s as it should be disallowed purpose. Although De Zerbi and Stellini had been bystanders for a lot of the hold-me-back sideline rancour, each had been disregarded by means of Stuart Attwell, the referee. Where Stellini protested innocence, De Zerbi departed with indolence, a provocateur stuck red-handed, his 2nd purple card this season; he additionally has 4 yellows. “I don’t like when the other bench pressures the referee,” he mentioned.
That set alight the remainder of the competition. Kane walloped over an more uncomplicated probability than his winner and Dejan Kulusevski blazed large as Brighton started to lose keep watch over. On got here Evan Ferguson for Welbeck as Brighton sought the purpose that went as a substitute to Tottenham. Kane, the grasp, had proven Ferguson, the younger pretender – and in all probability his subsequent supervisor – simply how it is achieved. “I had time to think about it, but I trusted myself,” he mentioned.