Nottingham Forest 2-3 Brighton: Joao Pedro nets a superb brace to help Seagulls earn hard-fought win at the City Ground… as Roberto De Zerbi’s men survive late scare after Lewis Dunk’s red card

• Winger Anthony Elanga gave Nottingham Forest an early lead in the third minute
• Evan Ferguson scored his sixth goal of the season before Joao Pedro’s brace
• CHRIS SUTTON: Everton players must keep their heads – It’s All Kicking Off 

There was a moment just after the halfway mark when Brighton’s Tariq Lamptey went down with injury and the Brighton fans housed in the lower tier of the Bridgford Stand started chanting ‘Stand up if you’ve brought your boots’.

They had already lost Ansu Fati earlier in the half and now Lamptey – in his first appearance since October – was forced off to add to their growing injury list.

Yet in the end, Roberto De Zerbi’s injury-ravaged side were fine in a thrilling contest as Fati’s replacement, Joao Pedro scored twice after Evan Ferguson’s equaliser to give the Seagulls their first league win since September and a first top-flight win against Nottingham Forest since 1979.

And that too, with ten men for almost half an hour of the second half after captain Lewis Dunk was booked twice in the space of ten seconds by Anthony Taylor for dissent. In doing so, they inflicted Forest’s first home defeat of the campaign.

De Zerbi had initally made five changes from the the team that drew against Sheffield United before the international break but within three minutes, the hosts had opened the scoring.

Joao Pedro scored a brace for Brighton to help inspire a thrilling victory at Nottingham Forest 

Anthony Elanga’s header opened the scoring for Nottingham Forest at the City Ground

18-year-old Irishman Evan Ferguson took his goal superbly well to make it 2-1 to Brighton

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Anthony Elanga’s header ensured that Brighton’s hunt for a clean sheet goes on and it is only them, Burnley, Luton and Sheffield United who have failed to keep a clean sheet in the Premier League this season.

Morgan Gibbs-White was allowed to charge down the right flank and float a delightful delivery to the far post where Elanga was free, with Brighton’s defenders seemingly occupied with trying to nullify Chris Wood. And the 21-year-old headed in wonderfully from a tricky angle to give Forest the lead.

Brighton’s woes were compounded when just 20 minutes in, Fati was forced off with injury and replaced by Joao Pedro.

Yet five minutes later, they found themselves level thanks to Ferguson. It was a superb finish too from the 19-year-old after Pascal Gross found him on the edge of the box and the Irishman placed the ball past Odysseas Vlachodimos and into the bottom corner with sheer precision.

VAR checked whether Adam Lallana’s toe was offside in a case of possible interference but thankfully, common sense prevailed and the goal stood.

With the equaliser, Brighton ensured that they had scored for the 29th Premier League game in success. Only three teams have ever had a longer run and each have won the league in at least one of the seasons that those runs spanned.

Lamptey’s injury led to the introduction of 18-year-old Jack Hinshelwood, whose name wasn’t even in the match day programme. Such has been the injury crisis on the South Coast and in first half added time, Brighton took the lead thanks to another excellent finish.

Gross’s delivery from the right found Joao Pedro, who was too strong for Ola Aina and guided a terrific header past the keeper to give the visitors a deserved half-time lead.

Brighton wonderkid Ferguson recently signed a new deal, meaning he is now tied down to the Sussex club until 2029.

Brighton captain Lewis Dunk was given a red card after he gave away a penalty to Forest

MATCH FACTS

NOTTINGHAM FOREST (4-1-4-1): Vlachodimos 6, Aina 6 (Williams 90), Niakhate 5, Murillo 5, Toffolo 6, Mangala 5, Gibbs-White 7, Danilo 5 (Hudson-Odoi 62, 6), Dominguez 6 (Yates 69, 6), Elanga 6, Wood 5 (Origi 63, 6)

Subs unused: Turner, Kouyate, Aurier, Montiel, Boly

Goals: Elanga 3, Gibbs-White 76 (pen)

Bookings: Toffolo, Niakhate

Manager: Steve Cooper 6

BRIGHTON (4-2-3-1): Verbruggen 7, Veltman 7, Van Hecke 7, Dunk 5, Lamptey 5 (Hinshelwood 35, 6), Gross 7, Gilmour 6 (Baleba 77, 5) Adringra 6, Lallana 6 (Buonanotte 45, 6), Fati 5 (Joao Pedro 21,8), Ferguson 7 (Moder 77, 5)

Subs unused: Steele, Baker-Boaitey, Jackson, Duffus

Goals: Ferguson 26, Joao Pedro 45+4, 58 (pen)

Bookings: Adingra, Ferguson, Verbruggen, Buonanotte

Red card: Dunk 73 (two bookings)

Manager: Roberto De Zerbi 7

Referee: Anthony Taylor 7

Attendance: 29,404

With only one more opportunity to make a change, De Zerbi used the half-time interval to take off 35-year-old Adam Lallana for 18-year-old Facundo Buonanotte.

Just shy of the hour mark, Wood was deemed to have fouled Joao Pedro in the box and the Brazilian sent the keeper the wrong way to double Brighton’s lead.

Yet when Dunk was booked twice in the space of ten seconds for dissent for enraging at Anthony Taylor after the referee gave Forest a penalty for Hinshelwood’s fould – which Gibbs-White converted – following a VAR check, Brighton had to see out 27 minutes including ten minutes of added time with a man shy.

That they did, thanks to some resolute defending and a last gasp stop from Bart Verbruggen to deny Ryan Yates.

And the whistle went, De Zerbi had his David Pleat moment as he charged across the pitch and towards the away end with his players to celebrate a remarkable win.

One thing’s for sure with Brighton. Guaranteed entertainment.

Morgan Gibbs-White cooly converted a penalty to drag Nottingham Forest back into the match

IT’S ALL KICKING OFF! 

It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football.

It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube, Apple Music and Spotify.

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