It took Brighton & Hove Albion’s attacking trio only four minutes after kick-off to click into goal-scoring gear against Bournemouth.
And another four into the second half for Joao Pedro, Georginio Rutter and Danny Welbeck to combine again to equal effect. It bodes well for the future — Saturday’s trip to the Vitality Stadium was the first time the three forwards had started a match together.
The way they linked up for the goals, by Joao Pedro and Kaoru Mitoma, in Brighton’s 2-1 win was a warning to the rest of the Premier League: new head coach Fabian Hurzeler has the firepower at his disposal to sustain a challenge at the top end of the table.
Joao Pedro, 23, marked his first start since August by becoming the first Brighton player to score and assist in successive Premier League appearances. It followed the impact made by the Brazil international coming off the bench in the 2-1 home win against champions Manchester City before the international break.
An ankle injury sustained as a substitute against Nottingham Forest in the 2-2 home draw in September had kept out Joao Pedro for the previous five league matches. Rutter and Welbeck thrived in his absence, the former setting up the latter for goals in three games in a row last month. Adding Joao Pedro back into the mix proved too potent for Bournemouth to handle.
Hurzeler fitted the trio into the team by switching Rutter back out to the right, where the 22-year-old has played on occasions since a club-record £40million ($50.2m at the current exchange rate) move from Leeds United of the second-tier Championship in August. Joao Pedro took over the No 10 role, with the evergreen Welbeck, 33, operating as the attacking spearhead.
Brighton’s early breakthrough began with an incisive passing move involving all three players. It ended with Joao Pedro tucking away his third goal in as many Premier League starts after goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga parried Rutter’s left-footed drive.
The Brazilian emphasised his value to the team four minutes after the restart with an exquisite pass behind Bournemouth captain Adam Smith for Mitoma to run onto and double the lead. The build-up to that goal started with Rutter cutting infield with the ball at his feet before Joao Pedro exchanged passes with Welbeck. It was power, understanding and finesse rolled into one.
The pass from Joao, the finish from Kaoru… pic.twitter.com/3j2bLkPsQg
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) November 23, 2024
Hurzeler, asked later about Joao Pedro’s pass, said, “Not bad”, then laughed at his understatement, before adding, “It shows that he has special quality. We shouldn’t hide behind the message, it’s the truth. Every team in the Premier League has this one key player, and in possession he is unbelievable.
“He makes a difference for us, but I never judge him by goals or making assists. For me, it is so important also how he works against the ball. He invests a lot out of possession. He does a lot of work in the shadows, work that is unseen, and that is why it is very good to have him as a leader on the pitch.”
Rutter and Welbeck are similarly voracious out of possession, an aspect of the game that is a non-negotiable for Hurzeler. “If you can’t do counter-pressing, you can’t play in my team,” he said.
Joao Pedro now has four goals and two assists in his six league matches this season, Welbeck is on six and two in 12 and Rutter two and two in 11. That adds up to a combined 12 goals (of Brighton’s 21) and six assists across 29 Premier League appearances.
“Good players find the connection to each other quickly and they are really good players,” Hurzeler said. “We made the choice to let them start together. It’s also about us (the coaches) to find the right position for everyone, so that they are close to each other, can combine for what they showed in both goals.
“It’s good to have this potential in the squad. We also missed (injured winger Yankuba) Minteh. (Brajan) Gruda didn’t play, so we have a lot of options. It’s very big competition and this competition improves the hunger, the individual player in training. We hope that we keep this availability.”
Hurzeler also has Simon Adingra, Evan Ferguson and Julio Enciso in his attacking armoury, plus Solly March, once he has fully recovered from what currently stands at 13 months out with a serious knee injury.
Joao Pedro and Rutter were both substituted on Saturday within five minutes of a red card for Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba in the 59th minute for a second bookable offence.
Hurzeler’s side have 22 points after 12 games, and those 21 goals. Brighton scored 53 in the 38 league matches under Roberto De Zerbi in the 2022-23 season as the club secured European qualification for the first time. They will lift themselves from fifth in the table to second place, behind only Liverpool, if they beat last-placed Southampton at the Amex Stadium on Friday night, although they’ll have to do it without the now-suspended Baleba.
The second-half soundtrack from the away supporters in the wind and rain at Bournemouth was all about playing in Europe again.
That is premature, but with Joao Pedro, Rutter and Welbeck in unison and strength in depth behind them, goals should continue to flow freely for Brighton.
(Top photo: Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
