Player ratings as late Johnson winner breaks Seagulls’ hearts

FROM TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR STADIUM – Tottenham summoned a dramatic second-half turnaround capped by Brennan Johnson’s late winner to steal victory over Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

The Seagulls went ahead in north London as Pascal Gross converted from the penalty spot after Danny Welbeck was brought down, but Spurs railled and dragged themselves level when Pape Matar Sarr finished on the rebound.

A winner looked unlikely to emerge but Son Heung-min’s late cross was powered into the roof of the net by Johnson in the 97th minute to earn the hosts a momentous victory.

How the game unfolded

Tottenham welcomed club captain Son back into their squad following South Korea’s elimination from the Asian Cup, with Sarr starting in midfield and Yves Bissouma on the bench. Kaoru Mitoma started for the away side, who were without Simon Adingra, Joao Pedro and James Milner.

Welbeck made Micky van de Ven aware of his presence in the opening minutes, robbing the Dutch defender on the halfway line before cutting in and drawing an early save from Guglielmo Vicario.

The Seagulls’ aggression caused Spurs problems throughout the first half, constantly nicking the ball in dangerous positions, but the opening goal of the game was heavily self-inflicted by the hosts.

Trying to play out from the back, Rodrigo Bentancur was caught by Gross and the ball found its way to Welbeck, who collapsed under Van de Ven’s loose challenge. Gross, so often Brighton’s cool head in fierce surroundings, converted with Vicario going the wrong way.

Tottenham have been their own worst enemy in recent weeks, giving away easy goals in games against Brentford and Everton, and an equaliser was not forthcoming in the opening 45 minutes as the south coast visitors zipped the ball around impressively.

Whenever the hosts did get through on goal, it was often aided by some thoughtless Brighton defending. Richarlison had Spurs’ first shot on target beaten away by Jason Steele before the Brazilian combined with James Maddison, whose curler just whipped past the far post.

Mitoma soon scampered to the byline and forced Vicario into a fingertip save from a tight angle, but Tottenham cranked up the pressure just before half-time as Dejan Kulusevski called Steele into action again.

Timo Werner scuttled inside and saw a scuffed shot deflect wide as Spurs continued in the ascendancy at the start of the second half, but just as the trio of Son, Bissouma and Johnson readied themselves for their…