The Media Review: Southampton

Once again, compiling this column seems like a futile endeavour because surely everyone has already been out to buy the papers as souvenirs of a milestone in Albion history. 

And it is a pleasure to note that there have been plenty of such milestones in recent seasons: promotion, highest league finishes and first-ever victories over various members of the big six – and many of us are still pinching ourselves when we look at the league table and see Albion in sixth place.

But qualifying for Europe for the first time is an astonishing landmark, and it seemed to fit that members of the 1983 Cup final team watched the 3-1 victory over Southampton that delivered it. They represented the peak of Albion’s achievements in our first spell in the top flight, and they were present to see the current side hit unprecedented heights.

Daniel Matthews noticed and their attendance led his report in The Daily Mail. “The half-time whistle went, the two teams headed for the tunnel and Brighton’s boys of ‘83 emerged on to the pitch,” he wrote.

“They were special guests to mark the 40th anniversary of this club’s first and only FA Cup final appearance. They talked of Wembley and fond memories and the new ground being broken by Roberto De Zerbi’s current crop. 

“And then the sprinklers came on and drenched these heroes of yesteryear. Nothing can rain on the parade of Brighton’s new history boys. Not now. Not after this win over already-relegated Southampton, secured thanks to Evan Ferguson’s first-half double and a record-equalling third from Pascal Gross. Brighton are soaring towards uncharted waters.

“With two games left, De Zerbi’s side sit sixth, three points clear of Aston Villa. European football is secure for the first time ever. Only two defeats and a goal-difference swing of 17 can deny them a place in the Europa League.

“Villa await on the final day but here Brighton players and staff re-emerged for a lap of honour. To thank their supporters and digest what they have done.

“Captain Lewis Dunk walked out first. His Brighton journey began at MK Dons in May 2010. Now he can dream of trips to continental powerhouses.

“The celebrations started well before the final whistle but only after Southampton threatened to spoil the party in four bonkers second-half minutes.

“Mohamed Elyounoussi halved the deficit with a glancing header and then Theo Walcott raced clear to level. Alas, the winger was offside and, before long, Brighton had restored their two-goal lead and supporters were singing and dancing once more. De Zerbi joined in, taking a photo on the pitch with his staff.”

In The Daily Telegraph, a particularly talented and handsome scribe (who felt privileged to be reporting on such a momentous occasion) also spotted that “members of Brighton’s 1983 FA Cup Final team were presented to the Amex crowd at half-time yesterday. That side famously fell just short of glory when Gordon Smith’s last-gasp shot was saved by Manchester United’s Gary Bailey, but the 2023 squad made no mistake as Roberto De Zerbi’s stylish Seagulls secured the highest finish in their history and a first-ever place in European competition with victory over relegated Southampton.”

He continued, “De Zerbi admitted that the squad will need to be reshaped ahead of the European adventure. But they already have plenty of talented performers to take on the continent next season, not least the immensely promising Ireland striker Evan Ferguson, still only 18, whose two goals put Brighton 2-0 ahead at the interval, when everything looked cut and dried against a Southampton team with nothing to play for.

“However, Saints pulled a goal back through Mohamed Elyounoussi but Pascal Gross, one of Brighton’s relatively unsung heroes, made it 3-1 and after that the songs about European tours began to issue from the North Stand. Oddly, this was the first time in the 12 meetings of these clubs in the Premier League that the side playing at home has won. 

“The breakthrough goal after 29 minutes was so simple that you wondered why nobody had tried it before. Ferguson took a short pass from Alexis Mac Allister on the right of the penalty area and simply blasted the ball so hard at goal that it had gone under McCarthy before he had chance to dive. 

“It was the Dubliner’s fifth Premier League goal and his sixth followed five minutes before the break when Mitoma outmuscled Romeo Lavia on the left and crossed low for Ferguson to hit a first-time shot back across McCarthy and in. 

“Southampton, though, were not finished. Elyounoussi glanced in a corner by James Ward-Prowse after 57 minutes and when Theo Walcott ran through to flick the ball past Jason Steele, their fans thought they repeated last season’s match here, when their team came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2, but VAR ruled the former England forward offside. 

“Brighton seemed to believe that attack was the best form of defence and were proved right after 69 minutes when Gross collected the ball following a corner and rolled a low shot between McCarthy and his near post. ‘It’s the best day in my football life,’ he said. Most of the Amex crowd seemed to feel the same.”

Ferguson was the starting point for a number of other reports. Isabelle Barker of The Sun, for example, wrote that “teenager Evan Ferguson kicked Brighton into Europe for the first time ever. 

“The 18-year-old’s outrageous first-half brace before Pascal Gross’ 69th minute strike has guaranteed the Seagulls at least a spot in the Europe Conference League next season. 

“Roberto De Zerbi was overcome with emotion after the final whistle given he had previously said that guiding the club to a season in the sun would be his biggest achievement ever as a manager. 

“The future is bright for Ferguson (18 years and 214 days) who has now hit six Premier League goals this term. Only four players have scored as many in the top-flight at a younger age - Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen, Francis Jeffers and Alan Smith. 

“It has been a breathtaking campaign for Brighton in general, with them now toasting their 18th win in 36 Premier League games this season. Kaoru Mitoma was wreaking havoc from the start, lashing a rasping shot just wide early on. 

“Carlos Alcaraz had his head in his hands for missing an absolute sitter after a pretty passing sequence with Walcott. Saints got carried away knocking the ball about and Mitoma pounced on a limp pass from Alex McCarthy to then lash a shot off the woodwork.

“Brighton were building, they just needed another sniff on goal. That came from Ferguson after being played in by Mac Allister before drilling a low drive past the Saints goalkeeper on 29 minutes. 

“The Seagulls were flying and 11 minutes later Mitoma picked out another Saints victim to make a mug of. This time it was Romeo Lavia who he brushed aside before pinging a floating pass over the top to Ferguson to slot home a second on 40 minutes. VAR took a look to see if Mitoma had fouled Lavia in the build up - but it was not given and the goal stood.”

The post-match celebrations led two other reports. The i paper noted that “Roberto De Zerbi’s Brighton squad enjoyed the sort of post-match lap of honour yesterday that usually follows a promotion or a title win. But a guaranteed place in Europe for the first time in a club’s history, not to mention their highest-ever league finish, is worthy of a break in convention.

“With two matches left to play, at home to champions Manchester City on Wednesday and away to Aston Villa on Sunday, they are likely to finish sixth and qualify for the Europa League thanks to a superiority of 16 in goal difference over Villa. Should the unthinkable happen, then seventh and the Europa Conference League would be the worst they could do and both would have been beyond their wildest dreams when Chelsea poached head coach Graham Potter in autumn.”

In The Guardian, Paul McInnes wrote that “Roberto De Zerbi’s message to the fans was brief. Brighton had qualified for Europe for the first time in their history and were completing a lap of honour, but the Italian wasn’t satisfied. ‘You have been fantastic, but we need another point to play in Europa League because we want to play in Europa League, and not the Conference,’ he told the crowd. ‘See you next year.’

“He will see them on Wednesday night when Brighton host the champions Manchester City and, barring enormous swings of goal difference, the Europa League is already guaranteed. But if De Zerbi is to continue his odyssey with the Seagulls next season and continue to demand the highest from his players, then the denizens of Sussex could be forgiven for being excited.

“This was a nervy contest, decided by Pascal Gross’s low shot in the 69th minute. For a time Rubén Sellés’s doomed Saints actually imposed themselves effectively on the match, denying Brighton their characteristic flamboyant possession and looking dangerous on the counter. But this game was all about the result and the validation and anticipation it provides. Brighton are going places, but they have also arrived; the long journey from lower league to established Premier League side is complete.

“No doubt there will be turmoil ahead – largely during the summer transfer window when half their squad will surely be the subject of enquiries or offers. And as poor Southampton have proved, you are only ever as ‘established’ as your league position allows. But Brighton have the infrastructure, the players and, no doubt, the manager to take on opponents at any level without fear.

“That is a lesson that does not seem to need spelling out to Evan Ferguson. The teenage striker scored two accomplished goals, full of sang-froid while many appeared to be on edge. His first was a brutish effort that mugged Lyanco and smashed past Alex McCarthy; his second, a placed finish off an expert Kaoru Mitoma cross. If you squint there is a Shearer-esque quality to his game and already he is tipped for clubs at the very top.

“Yet six months ago no one had heard of him, and you could say the same for Julio Enciso or Facundo Buonanotte, who shared Brighton’s right-hand side here. Stretch the period to 12 months and there’s Mitoma or Moisés Caicedo, with even Alexis Mac Allister only faintly on the radar. This squad is stacked with talent who appear able to step instantly on to the most demanding stage in league football. They surely can’t lose them all this summer, and who knows who might be next on the production line?”

Tom Roddy of The Times also asked a question, and it is the one that will surely preoccupy Albion fans throughout the summer. “Milan or Monaco? Lisbon or Leverkusen? The only question for Roberto De Zerbi and his brilliant Brighton & Hove Albion side now is where: where will this European tour take them? After a campaign such as this, no opponent on the continent should underestimate the Premier League’s great disrupters.

“For so long this season, the question was whether Brighton could sustain such splendid form and outmuscle the monied men of English football. A place in Europe was secured by this victory over Southampton, and the top-six spots are all but guaranteed. Only a heavy defeat away to Aston Villa on the final day of the season, and a seismic swing in goal difference would cost them a place in the Europa League.

“’We need another point because we want to play in Europa League, not in the Conference,’ De Zerbi said to rapturous applause after the final whistle at the Amex Stadium. Behind him was this eclectic group of overachievers. From World Cup-winner Alexis Mac Allister to the reinvigorated Danny Welbeck, 32, and long-time club servant Lewis Dunk, who first appeared for Brighton in League One 13 years ago.

“This victory was another reminder of the talent in his squad. Ferguson’s second goal, the highlight of the match, meant Brighton have recorded more goals by teenagers in the Premier League than any of the other teams combined. Yet the plaudits were rightly directed at the marvellous Kaoru Mitoma who raced down the left, outmuscled Romeo Lavia and arched a cross to Ferguson with the outside of his right boot.

“De Zerbi promised to retain the style regardless who Brighton face in Europe next season. ‘We can lose the game, yes, but we can’t lose our style, our DNA’.”

The draw for the Europa League group stage is on September 1, and then we will know!