In the Premier League, Brighton and Nottingham Forest played a heated match that ended in a 2-all draw, keeping both teams undefeated for the season. Manager Nuno Espírito Santo’s strategic decisions once again proved beneficial, with substitutes contributing significantly to the Forest’s performance, particularly with the securing of an equalising goal at Brighton that followed their impressing win at Anfield.
Tensions flared at the Amex Stadium, climaxing with Forest midfielder, Morgan Gibbs-White, receiving his second red card towards the match’s conclusion. Both Santo and Brighton’s manager, Fabian Hürzeler, ended up expelled due to their vehement sideline reactions, turning the match into a contentious denouement.
Hope for Forest’s fifth consecutive away-win emerged with Chris Wood’s early penalty, based on a string of victories dating from the previous season. Despite a slow start, Brighton surged back with two late first-half goals from local teenager Jack Hinshelwood and a free kick from Danny Welbeck.
Forest made several substitutions in the second half, and these changes eventually led to an equalising goal from the reserve Ramón Sosa. Gibbs-White was expelled following a flagrant foul on João Pedro, which infuriated Santo and led to his dismissal by referee Rob Jones. Hürzeler also received marching orders in an acrimonious ending.
Brighton adapted its line-up by replacing Yasin Ayari and Yankuba Minteh with Pervis Estupiñán and Simon Adringra, following a stalemate match against Ipswich. João Pedro, previously out due to an injury, returned, while Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga started in lieu of Ryan Yates and Nicolás Domínguez.
Brighton controlled the initial phase of the game, with Georginio Rutter creating opportunities, but Adringra’s first shot missed Matz Sels’s goalpost. The first successful Forest attack was led by Hudson-Odoi following midfield action by Gibbs-White. The latter was fouled by Carlos Baleba which saw Chris Wood converting a penalty and deceiving Brighton’s goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen for his third league goal of the term.
Hudson-Odoi facilitated a potential shot on target for Wood, however the ex-Brighton player narrowly missed from a near distance. Fortunately, an offside ruling saved him from outright embarrassment. Forest began to establish a stronger presence in the game, with several threatening counterattacks, one of which saw Hudson-Odoi set up Gibbs-White only for his shot to be blocked by Verbruggen.
The locals became increasingly annoyed at their inability to penetrate the solid defence of their rivals, highlighted by Rutter’s unsuccessful header from Estupiñán’s corner. Rutter, a former Leeds forward, was deemed the most promising developer for the host despite his missed shot from the outer field.
Brighton made their first shot count, levelling the score before half-time. This was thanks to a beautifully executed cross from Jan Paul van Hecke, which Hinshelwood turned into a goal, dampening the spirits of Sels. Things seemed to brighten further for Brighton with Welbeck’s subsequent free-kick curling past the wall, leaving Sels frozen in his tracks.
Nuno made some strategic changes during the mid-game break, substituting Jota Silva, Neco Williams and Yates for James Ward-Prowse, Álex Moreno and Elanga to help alter the game’s dynamic. As a further boost to their attack, Paraguayan striker Sosa was also deployed on the pitch.
Kaoru Mitoma proved to be a daunting figure on Brighton’s left wing, keeping Nuno’s side at bay with his skillful coordination with Welbeck. Welbeck nearly doubled his score during the second half, breaking past the defenders although thwarted by Sels who saved with a crucial leg deflection.
Minteh’s entrance into the game proved unexpectedly challenging, given his first contact with the ball resulted in a near own goal, with his backwards header forcing Verbruggen into a recuse manoeuvre.
Forest continued to pose a danger with their swift counterattacks and their reserves managed to level the game midway into the second half. Precision passing from Gibbs-White to Silva resulted in a first goal for Sosa on his welcoming assist.
The match concluded with some heated exchanges between Gibbs-White and the management, leaving Brighton to come to terms with an unbeaten start to the Premier League season – the first in their history after the first five matchdays. – Guardian.