- Glenn Murray bags a brace
- Anthony Knockaert nets third of the season
- Jurgen Locadia registers first Premier League goal
- Seagulls record highest ever top-flight victory at the Amex Stadium
Brighton & Hove Albion ran out 4-1 winners against Swansea City in Saturday’s Premier League game at the Amex Stadium.
A brace from Glenn Murray, who put Albion in front with a first-half penalty before adding a second after the break, was added to by goals from Anthony Knockaert and Jurgen Locadia as Albion recorded a record-breaking top-flight win.
Man-of-the-match Murray now has 10 goals in the top-flight campaign and 12 overall and his double helped seal back-to-back home victories in the Premier League for the second time this season.
Chris Hughton made one change to the side that drew 1-1 away to Stoke City in the Seagulls’ previous Premier League encounter with Anthony Knockaert replacng Solly March on the right-hand side.
For the visitors, Carlos Carvahal named the same side that defeated Burnley 1-0 at the Liberty Stadium a fortnight ago.
The first chance of the game fell to the hosts after seven minutes when a good counter attack led by Knockaert saw the Frenchman find Jose Izquierdo on the edge of the area.
Izquierdo returned the ball to Knockaert, who got to the line and fired across goal, finding Pascal Gross who saw his shot blocked.
The Seagulls went close again from the resulting corner, as Gross’s clever ball to the back-post was only half-cleared to Izquierdo on the edge of the area, but the Colombian fired over the bar.
Albion continued to look dangerous on the counter attack and Knockaert combined with Ezequiel Schelotto to begin another move forard which ended in Davy Propper shooting wide after 14 minutes.
Hughton’s men would be rewarded for their positive after 18 minutes when Murray notched his ninth goal of the Premier League campaign.
The forward got into the area and was brought down by Mike van der Hoorn. Referee Mike Dean pointed to the spot and Murray stepped up to slot his spot-kick down the middle of the goal and past Lukasz Fabianski to give the Seagulls the advantage.
Maty Ryan had to be alert to claim a deflected van der Hoorn effort just before the half-hour mark when the Dutchman’s shot spun off Shane Duffy and towards goal, before Andre Ayew replaced Nathan Dyer for the visitors ten minutes before the interval.
Gross delivered another trademark set-piece two minutes before the break that Shane Duffy crashed against the bar with a powerful header and in a frantic end to the first period Jordan Ayew struck the foot of Ryan’s right-hand post.
Luciano Narsingh replaced van der Hoorn at the interval as Carvahal made a second switch for the visitors and Gross forced Fabianski into a routine stop three minutes after the restart with the first chance of the second half.
Ki Sung-yueng forced Ryan into a superb stop soon after as the Australian dived full-strength to his right to keep out the midfielder’s drive from the edge of the box.
Albion had the ball in the net again on the hour when Murray converted Knockaert’s centre from the right-hand side – but the goal was ruled out as the forward strayed marginally offside as he put the ball in the net.
Murray was then inches away from turning Izquierdo’s cross into the back of the net after the Colombian broke free down the left after a neat exchange between the pair and Gross and produced a dangerous cross.
The trio combined then combined again superbly to allow Murray to swivel and fire just wide, before Tammy Abraham entered the action with 25 minutes left to play as Tom Carroll made way for Swansea.
Murray gave the Seagulls a two-goal advantage with 20 minutes left to play.
The trio of Izquierdo, Gross and the striker linked up yet again and this time the former laid the ball on a plate for Murray to calmly slot the ball low into the net.
Two would soon become three when Knockaert got himself on the scoresheet for the third time this season. Gross found space between Swansea’s defensive lines and fed the winger, who sped into the area and stylishly poked the ball past Fabianski with his left foot.
Solly March replaced the goalscorer moments later and Murray was given a standing ovation when Locadia took to the field for his Premier League debut inside the final 10 minutes.
Abraham got Swansea on the scoresheet late on when his effort deflected off the leg of Lewis Dunk to make it 3-1, but Albion responded by restoring their three-goal cushion in the last minute.
Izquierdo raced away down the left again and cut the ball all the way across the area for Dale Stephens and his square ball was tapped home by Locadia from a few yards out.
Beram Kayal replaced Gross in the closing stages before the home fans were able to acclaim an outstanding display by their side at the final whistle.
Albion line-up: Ryan; Schelotto, Duffy, Dunk ©, Bong; Knockaert (sub: March 78), Propper, Stephens, Izquierdo; Gross (Kayal 90); Murray (Locadia 82).
Subs not used: Krul , Bruno, Goldson, Ulloa.
Swansea City line-up: Fabianski; Naughton, Mawson, Fernandez ©, van der Hoorn (sub: Narsingh 45), Olsson; Sung-yueng, Carroll (Abraham 66), Clucas; Dyer (A.Ayew 36), J.Ayew.
Subs not used: Nordfeldt (GK), Bartley, King, Routledge.
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