Our seven best wins in the top-flight

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Albion made it 100 wins in the top-flight with their victory over Chelsea on Saturday.

Nick Szczepanik

2022-10-31T05:00:00Z

Florin Andone scored a memorable goal for Albion against Crystal Palace.

The 4-1 victory over Chelsea’s was the Albion’s 100th win in top-flight games, spread over four seasons from 1979 to 1983 and from 2017 and now.

Some have been hard-fought, scrambled affairs while others – not quite as many, admittedly – have been convincing and glorious. Among the century have been memorable triumphs on great European stages and times when the great and the good have arrived at the Goldstone or the Amex and been sent packing while we kept the points.

We present a pick of our most significant wins among the elite. In the end, there were so many highlights to pick from that the 3-0 win at West Ham, two 4-1 batterings of Manchester City and even last season’s 4-0 evisceration of Manchester United did not make the cut.

November 17 1979 Nottingham Forest 0 Brighton 1

Albion were bottom of the old first division when they travelled to the City Ground to face former boss Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest, the European Cup holders and unbeaten at home in 52 games. A deal to sell Peter Ward to Forest had fallen through in the days before the game, and he lined up in the stripes after all, putting in an impressive performance along with debutant Peter Suddaby in defence and Mark Lawrenson, back from injury and stiffening the midfield in an unfamiliar number ten shirt.

Gerry Ryan’s shot as he slipped in the mud wrong-footed Peter Shilton to give Albion the lead after 12 minutes and Graham Moseley saved a penalty from John Robertson to complete one of the shock results of the season, and kick-start the club’s successful battle for survival.

April 25 1981 Sunderland 1 Brighton 2

Albion needed to win their last four games of the 1980-81 season to stay up and this, the third of the sequence, was the closest they came to a stumble, against direct relegation rivals. Chris Ramsey cleared a Tom Ritchie header off the goalline before Michael Robinson scored from close range after goalkeeper Barry Siddall could only parry Andy Ritchie’s shot.

However, Alan Mullery’s men conceded an equaliser when Alan Brown’s shot squirmed past Perry Digweed just after the hour, which would have kept the Black Cats up. But in the last minute, Gordon Smith slung over a cross from the right and, almost out of nowhere, left back Gary Williams appeared at the far post to half-volley home to the horror of the home fans at the Fulwell End.

March 6 1982 Liverpool 0 Brighton 1

Andy Ritchie's effort took a deflection off Alan Hansen to secure us a famous win at Anfield.

Liverpool would go on to take the title, four points clear of Ipswich Town, but Albion were on course for their best finish to date, ending up 13th – a final position that would not be bettered until last season.

Mike Bailey’s side won five away games, relying on an uncompromising defence to keep a clean sheet and smash-and-grab forward raids to nick a goal. Andy Ritchie’s scrambled effort at Anfield went in off the knee of Alan Hansen five minutes before half time to give Albion the lead.

But the most memorable incident took place 13 minutes from time when Tony Grealish’s underhit backpass gave Ian Rush the chance to level. His shot beat Perry Digweed but the ball stuck in the mud and Steve Foster was able to clear.

May 4 2018 Brighton 1 Manchester United 0

What better way to ensure survival in one of the best leagues in world football than by beating one of its biggest names? Jose Mourinho’s United were hoping to guarantee second place, so had plenty to play for, but Albion were in determined mood, which was exemplified by Pascal Gross’s headed winner in the 57th minute.

Jose Izquierdo supplied the cross from the left at the second attempt and Gross leapt between lunging heads and boots to nod firmly goalwards. Marcos Rojo’s attempt to clear off the line was a split second too late and goal-line technology showed that the ball had crossed the line by a matter of millimetres.

Dec 4 2018 Brighton 3 Palace 1

A victory over the old enemy demands a place in this list, and this was achieved against the odds. Albion led when Glenn Murray clipped a penalty in off the underside of the crossbar after Jose Izquierdo had collided with Palace’s James McArthur, but the fates seemed to turn against Chris Hughton’s side when Shane Duffy was shown a red card for a confrontation with Patrick van Aanholt.

However, his replacement, Leon Balogun, scored with his first touch, volleying home when Palace could not clear Solly March’s corner. Bernardo then cleared off the line from Luka Milivojevic before setting up the third for Florin Andone. His long clearance found the Romania striker haring down the left, outpacing James Tomkins by the touchline, cutting inside and beating goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey with a low shot. A late Palace penalty was barely a footnote at the end of a memorable Amex night.

May 18 2021 Brighton 3 Man City 2

There was double cause for celebration with fans back inside the Amex post pandemic to see Albion’s first top-flight victory over Pep Guardiola’s City. That did not look likely when Ilkay Gundogan sauntered past immobile Albion defenders to head in from close range and Phil Foden accelerated away from Ben White before putting City 2-0 ahead just after half time, even though the the newly-crowned champions had gone down to ten men when Joao Cancelo pulled back Danny Welbeck.

But Leandro Trossard got Albion back in the game when he took a misplaced pass from Rodri, sat City defender Ruben Dias on his backside twice and finally thrashed the ball into the North Stand net. Adam Webster headed Albion level before Dan Burn scored an improbable winner, prodding home at the second attempt from a horizontal position.

Oct 29 2022 Brighton 4 Chelsea 1

As well as completing Albion’s set of victories over the big six clubs of the Premier League, this was a result to gladden the hearts of football romantics everywhere. After losing head coach Graham Potter and five of his staff - as well as reigning player of the season Marc Cucurella – to Chelsea, handing out a 4-1 stuffing to the boys from the Fulham Road was a defiant message that you can take our people, but taking three points will not prove quite so straightforward.

It was also new head coach Roberto De Zerbi overdue first win as Albion boss, but well worth waiting for as Leandro Trossard put the Seagulls in front after only five minutes and own goals by Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Trevoh Chalobah made it 3-0 by half time. Chelsea pulled one back but Pascal Gross – who began the match at right back and finished it as a number ten – made sure in added time.