Fulham 3-1 Brighton Player Ratings as Alex Iwobi brace secures a big win for the Cottagers

In what was set to be a contest for those contending for the European spots, Fulham and Brighton clashed in a very important game for both sides. With only a singular point separating them in the League table in 5th and 6th place, the matchup was one that avid watchers of English football have been waiting for. 

That said, the quality on display did not make the spectators wait for too long as Alex Iwobi was quick to capitalize on a loose pass from Bart Verbruggen and snatch the lead for the home side. However, the game was far from done as Brighton soon grew into the game and created quite a few chances to equalize and looked likely to take the lead. That said, two goals from Fulham in the second half sealed the deal and put the game beyond all doubt.

All in all, the contest was very watchable and easily one of the better games from a technical standpoint. Whilst the game swayed in favor from one side to the other, there were a lot of good moments of pure quality from both sides. 

Fulham Player Ratings vs Brighton

Goalkeeper

Bernd Leno: 6.5/10- Kept things clean at the back for the most part. Made a couple of big saves from close range which were very vital in the grand scheme of things. 

Defenders

Antonee Robinson: 7/10- Needed some time to get into his rhythm and when he did, was heads and shoulders above any other defender on the pitch. Was active moving forward and solid defensively, which is all that could have been asked of him.

Calvin Bassey: 6.5/10- Played quite well under pressure and was solid in defense. Was very keen to get forward and played a vital role in the second goal as well.

Issa Diop: 6/10- Struggled in spells and was outdone on the odd occasion. Did his best to keep things under control and was much better with the ball at his feet.

Timothy Castagne: 6.5/10- Did have a lot to do with Brighton’s best attacks coming from his side. Managed to get compact and did not have any standout moments or errors either.

Midfielders

Sander Berge: 6.5/10- Kept things clean and simple at the back and shielded the backline well for the most part. Did get a little rash at times and picked up a yellow for it as well.

Alex Iwobi: 7.5/10- Read the game well in order to intercept and score the opener for his side. Got stuck in playing much deeper in the middle and aside from a few lapses in confidence, had a very good showing on the night, which was rounded off by a superb finish for his second goal.

Emile Smith Rowe: 6.5/10- Linked the play well on numerous instances providing that vital touch or pass to keep the move going. Couldn’t really be at his incisive best on the night and lacked that killer touch that he usually does. 

Attackers

Harry Wilson: 7/10- Popped up in a few good positions and threaded through a great pass in one instance. Got stuck in defensively to help out his team when they were under pressure too. 

Reiss Nelson: 7/10- Gave his opposing number a torrid time and posed a real threat with his dribbling ability. Couldn’t quite figure out when to pull the trigger and for all his good work, he lacked the final shot or the final pass.

Rodrigo Muniz: 7/10- Absolutely excellent with his hold-up play and distribution at times. Made himself a big threat during crosses and made a nuisance out of himself despite not getting many clear-cut chances. 

Substitutes

Andreas Pereira: N/A

Adama Traoré: N/A

Joshua King: N/A

Raúl Jiménez: N/A

Jorge Cuenca: N/A

Manager

Marco Silva: 7/10- Did well with a makeshift side that had a few key players missing. His substitutions were on the money and made for the turning point in the game which gave them the win.

Also Read: Manchester City 3-0 Nottingham Forest Player Ratings as the Cityzens end winless drought with a resounding win at home

Brighton Player Ratings vs Fulham

Goalkeeper

Bart Verbruggen: 5.5/10- Made a horrendous error out of a relatively manageable situation which led to Fulham’s first goal. Was better moving forward but did not have much to do in the game. Was left helpless for the other two goals as well.

Defenders

Jan Paul van Hecke: 6.5/10– Made a few very incisive passes infield which were extremely accurate on most occasions. Was able to keep up with the Fulham attackers for the most part as well. Was put on toast by Nelson a few times though. 

Lewis Dunk: 6.5/10- Struggled a few times against Muniz but was resolute for large parts of the game and often the initiator for their attacks. 

Igor Júlio: 7/10- Sensed danger well, coming to clear things up when needed. Showed good ability on the ball, dribbling forward when needed. 

Pervis Estupiñán: 6.5/10- Deployed more as a wingback rather than left back. Ventured forward and linked up well with Mitoma, often switching play over to Adingra with a big switch across the flank. 

Midfielders

Carlos Baleba: 7.5/10- Very good on the ball at times and solid with his work off the ball as well. Did show momentary lapses of concentration in key areas which nearly cost his side. Scored a superbly placed goal which more than made up for it.

Mats Wieffer: 6.5/10- Slightly less involved with his team in possession, but was always present whenever his box was besieged. Assisted the center-backs well and kept the ball rolling from deep.

Matt O’Reilly: 6.5/10- Took some time to grow into the game but started popping up in great spots, linking the play better and making sure that he could keep things moving well in attack. Was very unlucky with the own goal.

Attackers

Simon Adingra: 6.5/10- Played more as a wing-back than an out-and-out winger. Was good moving forward, linking well with O’Reilly. Did not shirk away from his defensive responsibilities either. 

Kaoru Mitoma: 7/10- Made a few beautiful crosses into the box with the outside of his foot. Was busy and linked well with Estupiñán on the left. Was a solid presser out of possession as well. 

Joao Pedro: 7/10- Made a menace of himself on the night, constantly getting the ball in good positions and bringing other players into the game. Got an assist as a result of it, which covered over a big opportunity he missed in the first half. 

Substitutes

Tariq Lamptey: N/A

Yankuba Minteh: N/A

Evan Ferguson: N/A

Georginio Rutter: N/A

Brajan Gruda: N/A

Manager
Fabian Hurzeler: 6.5/10- Was in the ascendancy and at one point on course to go and win the game. Should have made better changes, which was the main difference maker between the two sides.

Also Read: Athletic Club 2-1 Real Madrid: Player Ratings as Bellingham Scores but Mbappé Misses a Penalty in a Disappointing Defeat for Los Blancos

FAQ’s