Brighton STUN Champions Liverpool | Words from the West Upper

Just when all hope is lost, it’d take pure delusion and false hope to even think things could get any better after the miserable weekend that Albion fans had to endure. Watching your rivals win their first-ever trophy whilst all but taking away chances of the glorious European tour of 2025/26…

Has the feeling faded?

There’s no chance of beating the Champions and relying on another SEVEN results to go your way, right? In fact, at the time of the final ending, the chances were calculated to approximately 0.8% likelihood.

As football fans, we’re collectively delusional. In life, we’re taught to be logical. To break things down, and to understand with factual evidence. All things which go out of the window when watching your club play every week.

Three results came in, quickly. Arsenal beat Newcastle, Fulham completed a stunning comeback from two goals down in two minutes to beat West London rivals Brentford, and Nottingham Forest beat West Ham. To follow up? Brighton had to focus on themselves.

In comes the Champions, Liverpool arrived, and started well. A quick and easy goal from previously-linked Harvey Elliott set the game up for an anti-climax, which turned into anything but.

What just happened?

Intensity and togetherness, two words used by Fabian Hürzeler five times per interview ever recorded since his arrival last summer, were totally on display last night.

Image via Twitter/X

Despite the rocky start, Albion grew. This came shortly after a notable tactical change from Hürzeler.

The back-four rotated into a back-three out of possession in the first half, a shape that was familiar with Hürzeler’s St Pauli tenure.

Defenders, most significantly Adam Webster, stepped up to maneuver into midfield. This freed up space in front of them with the extra man to counter-press Liverpool’s ball-playing defenders. Shortly after, a beautifully worked goal between Danny Welbeck, Brajan Gruda, and Yasin Ayari carved open the Liverpool defence.

Gruda was on fire. Creating chances whilst making positive runs both with and without the ball shook the Reds. His dazzling runs and cut-in shots were just a glimpse of things to come from the £25 million man.

The reminder of the quality in depth which the Seagulls possess, Gruda started his career with a struggle. In recent weeks, huge improvements in his physicality and confidence in taking the ball forward have been like watching a different player than almost nine months ago. Further proof in the pudding for young players at the club, and the adaptation process that each of them has to go through.

Players like Facundo Buonanotte and Julio Enciso (both out on loan) back up the points to patience with these young players.

Understandably, fans want to see the next balance to keep this level of talent as they enter their primes/best stages, but it is difficult. Being patient with players just for them to leave a year or two later is a good business model, but not so nice to watch. You want to keep getting better, it’s not like the fans are taking the money home with them.

Albion crawled back into the game after some pressure but got caught cold just seconds before the break. Dominik Szoboszlai with a powerful looping effort beat Bart Verbruggen, questions whether it was a cross or shot was insignificant. 1-2 down at the break.

Fabian’s Super Sub’s Supreme

“Brajan Gruda AGAIN”, I was shouting across to my Dad next to me with wave after wave of attacks from the young German. He was just excellent, wasn’t he?

Flicks to Danny Welbeck, which should’ve resulted in a goal, will steal the highlights, but sometimes it’s the things you don’t see online that make a difference. Relentless press, at times, became a one-man show. A type of main character performance that threw me back to being 16 again watching Anthony Knockaert in the Championship.

Albion went a little flat after some wasted opportunities, it was time for a change.

Substitutions followed as Kaoru Mitoma replaced Simon Adingra, and the dynamic changed. Liverpool were there for the taking, perhaps the trips to Dubai were slightly premature… Mitoma leveled it up just three touches later.

The level of Mitoma is quite incredible. His impact off the pitch has attracted a whole new audience across Japan and here at the Amex. Fans travel from all over the world just to catch a glimpse of our superstar. In classic Mitoma fashion, his highlight remains the touch to keep the ball in play, despite having absolutely no right to get a foot close to it. One of the many, many times we’ve experienced something out of this world over the last three years.

Combined with a cute through pass to Welbeck, his shot rebounded back to Mitoma’s athletic left leg at a near-perfect 90-degree angle. Technique from another planet, his convincing volley into the ground found the top-left-hand corner and Brighton were back in it.

Emotion outpoured, fans felt the significance of the goal, and the hurt of the weekend was heard in the stands. The much-critiqued home atmosphere was unlocked last night, there was something in the air that Albion were about to turn it around. To the lad hitting the big screen in the North Stand, I noticed you from the West Upper! Everyone doing their bit counts, and does make a genuine difference on the pitch.

Gruda continued to terrorise Liverpool but made way to a huge, deserved standing ovation for my Player of the Match.

In one of the stand-out favourite Albion moments so far, local boys and cousins Jack Hinshelwood and 17-year-old Harry Howell together greeted the Amex with huge cheers. Moments that dreams are made of in families, as the duo seemed to try and find each other with every pass and run that they made!

Image via Twitter/X

The natural chemistry was there to see, Hinshelwood occupied the centre-forward role perfectly, as Howell’s dummy run opened space at the back post. Freshly introduced Matt O’Riley curled a beautifully weighted ball across the box to meet the feet of the Worthing-born interim striker, and the Amex lost its head.

An incorrect offside flag quickly killed the momentum, however, a rare VAR overturn allowed the Seagulls to complete a memorable turnaround against the Champions of the land.

Howell showed huge signs of promise, with players trying to find his feet with every opportunity. The exciting forward is very highly regarded at youth level in all squads and is tipped to be the ‘next big thing’ at the South Coast. We certainly saw signs of it last night, even in just 12 minutes!

Boyhood and local production of players should certainly be on the agenda of the next big targets that the club sets themselves, there truly is nothing like feeling the energy of like-minded fans on the pitch.

With that all in mind, 4 out of 9 results to go Albion’s way has now happened. Win against Spurs, and see where the journey takes us next.