Southampton 1 Brighton & Hove Albion 1
Albion are virtually assured Premier League football again next season after a hard fought point at St Mary’s against Southampton.
Only an unlikely sequence of results, which includes Bournemouth or Aston Villa overturning a 10-goal deficit and winning both their remaining games with Albion needing to lose both theirs, could lead to the Seagulls being relegated.
Neal Maupay gave Albion the lead after 17 minutes after good build up play from Solly March and a great assist from Glenn Murray allowed Maupay to slot the ball past Alex Macarthy.
March was getting a lot of the ball and Albion were pressing the home team. With Oriol Romeu booked early, Albion players such as Leandro Trossard could be far more expressive.
Maupay got into the box and went down under a challenge from Pierre Emile Hojbjerg, but ref Andre Mariner waved the penalty claims away and VAR concurred.
Danny Ings did manage to get the ball in Albion’s net via a deflection from Tariq Lamptey but, luckily for Albion, assistant referee Sian Massey-Ellis flagged for offside.
Albion were up against it in the second half. Danny Ings hit a glorious curling shot against the post, Che Adams hit the rebound towards goal but Lewis Dunk cleared his shot off the line superbly.
It was now Albion who were pressed back, Adam Webster with a great clearing header to deny Hojbjerg another chance.
It was Ings who pulled Southampton level, Lamptey wasn’t able to reach a through ball from James Ward- Prowse and Ings scampered clear and hit a low shot past Maty Ryan.
Jannick Vestergaard hit a screamer which Ryan tipped on to the bar magnificently
Yeves Bissouma, who came on for the hard working Davy Propper, had a glorious chance to put Albion back in front as Trossard’s cross deflected into his path off Romeu but the Albion midfielder fired wide from 12 yards.
Right at the end Pascal Gross misplaced a pass and Hojbjerg had an effort from distance but Ryan saved well again.
Albion take on Newcastle United at the Amex on Monday 20 July. A point will guarantee safety once and for all.
