Brighton & Hove Albion produced a remarkable second-half comeback as Georginio Rutter scored one and helped set up another in a 3-2 home victory over Tottenham Hotspur.
Ange Postecoglou’s side had won their last five games in all competitions and came flying out the blocks at Amex Stadium as in-form Brennan Johnson scored for a sixth straight outing.
James Maddison doubled the visitors’ lead before the break, helped by Bart Verbruggen’s poor handling, but Yankuba Minteh halved that deficit after the restart.
Rutter restored parity prior to the hour-mark before playing a key role in the third goal, edging past numerous Spurs defenders, with his cross deflecting up for Danny Welbeck to head in and seal a memorable turnaround.
Verbruggen was still required to deny Destiny Udogie late on, however, as Fabian Hurzeler’s side held on for a victory that lifted them up to sixth, three places above Spurs.
Maddison saw a 21st-minute finish ruled out for an earlier offside against Pedro Porro, though there was no denying the visitors two minutes later when Dominic Solanke’s well-weighted pass teed up Johnson’s sweeping left-footed strike.
Spurs continued to dominate and found further reward when Maddison’s tame attempt from Timo Werner’s cutback somehow squirmed through Verbruggen’s grasp.
An error at the other end offered Brighton hope when Udogie made a mess of clearing Kaoru Mitoma’s left-wing delivery, with Minteh slamming in from close range on 48 minutes.
The hosts were back on level terms 10 minutes later when Mitoma’s delicate through-ball freed Rutter, who danced around two Spurs defenders before firing a low left-footed finish past the helpless Guglielmo Vicario.
And Rutter proved the difference for Brighton’s winner, battling to the byline past three Spurs defenders before lunging to lift a cross, which looped up off Rodrigo Bentancur, towards the six-yard box, where Welbeck was waiting to cap off a stunning comeback win.
