Marco Silva hailed the "amazing" job Alex Iwobi did, as his brace fired Fulham to a 3-1 win over Brighton at Craven Cottage on Thursday.

The Nigeria international, playing in a more central midfield role, pounced on Bart Verbruggen's error after only four minutes to put the hosts ahead.

And he rounded out the win with a fine curling effort three minutes from time, after Matt O'Riley's luckless own goal had restored Fulham's lead following Carlos Baleba's brilliant equaliser.

Speaking to Amazon Prime, Cottagers boss Silva said of Iwobi: "This evening, we played with Alex Iwobi in a different position. He's an offensive player and did an amazing job this evening.

"It was a big three points for us in a tough game. We started in the best way possible with the early goal, but Brighton made it really difficult for us in the first half. They started with three at the back, and it made it difficult for us to connect with the wide players.

"We had chances as well. Second half, we were much better. We conceded in a moment we should prepare better for the long ball. It was a good shot from the edge of the box. [A] difficult game, but a big three points for us."

Iwobi hinted his early opener was a product of Fulham's set-up, while he revelled in giving the home fans a "gift" with his expertly taken second late on.

"We know Brighton like to play and so do we. I was able to capitalise on the high press," he said.

"We know that Brighton like to play out from the back, so we came up with a structure, and it obviously worked for the first goal. We take it, however it goes in, a goal is a goal. We wanted a goal from a set-piece because we were a real threat last season.

"It's [his second goal] a gift for Fulham and the fans. It was a good pass from Antonee Robinson, and it was a good finish."

Lewis Dunk cut a frustrated figure after the game and felt he should have been awarded a free-kick for a foul from Issa Diop leading up to Fulham's second goal.

The Brighton captain was particularly annoyed VAR failed to spot an infringement.

"It was a foul," he said. "It was the same as the one on the halfway line and in the box. I jumped for the header, and he put his hands in my back.

"How the ref or VAR can't see it, it is what it is. It was clear. It's annoying. If you watch the replay, it's a clear foul, a push in my back.

"I don't think the scoreline reflects the game. We picked ourselves up, and I thought we were the better side, but that's football. 

"It baffles me sometimes how we have some people watching on a screen, and they can't get the decision right."

Fabian Hurzeler said Brighton will learn from their first loss under him as they aim to bounce back against Tottenham in the Premier League.

The Seagulls had enjoyed an unbeaten start under the German in all competitions, going unbeaten in his first seven matches.

However, after winning their opening two Premier League games, they drew three in a row before suffering that 4-2 defeat to Chelsea last weekend.

Hurzeler was not shying away from the poor result though, instead looking for the positives they can build on before the international break.

"It's very important after defeat that you are honest to yourself, you reflect on yourself, what was good, what was not good in the game," Hurzeler said.

"If you lose a game, of course, there are more negative points.

"But there were also some positive things. In the end, we have to learn from it; I have to learn from it because I was the responsible person for the match plan and the match plan wasn't good enough. Now we try to show a reaction."

Meanwhile, Spurs have won their last five matches in all competitions, impressively brushing aside Manchester United 3-0 in the Premier League last weekend before beating Ferencvaros 2-1 in the Europa League on Thursday.

They will most likely be without captain Son Heung-min again for the trip to Brighton, but Ange Postecoglou believes Spurs are settling into the style of play.

"It is always a shifting measurement," he said. "Any time you go on a consistent run of form - and I think we have been consistent all year, but the results in the past five games have rewarded the performances.

"We are a developing side, still very much a young side. The squad is still developing together, so it suggests whatever markers we set we should be able to exceed.

"We have had belief, the energy accelerates, and the key is to keep it going. You don't want to let it go."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Brighton – Carlos Baleba

After not scoring or assisting in any of his first 31 Premier League appearances, Carlos Baleba scored and assisted in their 4-2 defeat to Chelsea.

He is the youngest Cameroonian to both score and assist in a Premier League match (20 years, 269 days).

Tottenham – Dominic Solanke

Since the start of last season, the only Englishmen with more Premier League goals than Dominic Solanke (21) are Cole Palmer (28) and Ollie Watkins (23).

The Spurs forward is looking to find the net in three consecutive appearances for the first time since December 2023 before heading to meet up with England during the international break.

MATCH PREDICTION: TOTTENHAM WIN

Just one of the 14 Premier League meetings between Brighton and Tottenham has finished as a draw (1-1 in April 2018), with Spurs winning nine to the Seagulls' four.

However, after losing consecutive Premier League home games against Spurs without scoring in 2021-22 and 2022-23, Brighton won this exact fixture 4-2 last season.

Brighton won six of their first 10 Premier League games in October (D2 L2) between 2017 and 2019 but have since won just one out of 16 October games since 2020 (D9 L6), a 4-1 win over Chelsea in 2022.

And given recent form, that run may continue, as the Seagulls have drawn their last two home Premier League matches, last drawing three in a row in November 2023. Indeed, since the start of last season, no side has drawn more home games than Brighton (8).

Tottenham, meanwhile, have won their last two Premier League games, last winning three in a row in December last year. Spurs have netted three goals in each victory (3-1 vs Brentford, 3-0 vs Man Utd), but have not won three consecutively while scoring 3+ goals since April 2022.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Brighton – 34.2%

Draw – 23.9%

Tottenham – 42%

A dreadful mistake from goalkeeper Aro Muric cost Burnley dear in a 1-1 Premier League draw with Brighton that could prove decisive in the relegation battle.

Moments after Josh Brownhill had capitalised on a poor back pass from Carlos Baleba to put the Clarets on course for a victory that would have left them four points from safety, Muric let a routine pass from Sander Berge slip under his foot and dribble into the net, leaving the gap at six.

In a season in which Vincent Kompany’s men have still only won two home league games, it was an awful way to squander two points and the confidence victory would have given Burnley with only five games left to play.

Kompany, serving a touchline ban, had already seen his side waste glorious chances to go ahead, with both Jacob Bruun Larsen and David Fofana guilty of poor misses, although the same could also be said of a Brighton side who had 20 attempts at goal, but needed an own goal to avoid defeat.

Burnley wanted a penalty seven minutes in when Wilson Odobert, having been slipped in by Lyle Foster, was left in a heap by Pervis Estupinan, but referee Simon Hooper was entirely unmoved, deeming he had taken the ball before the man.

It was Estupinan’s only involvement of real note before the Ecuadorian was forced off after only 13 minutes, replaced by Igor Julio, to add to Brighton’s already considerable injury problems.

All the early attacking intent was with Burnley and they should have led in the 17th minute when Odobert’s curling cross seemed to put the ball on a plate for Bruun Larsen, but the Dane somehow put it wide when he had to score.

Brighton had barely threatened, but they almost benefited from some chaotic Burnley defending in the 21st minute after Simon Adingra was allowed to break into the box, with Bruun Larsen over-hitting a back pass which struck Muric before bouncing to safety.

Brighton were growing in confidence, with Adingra and Baleba both testing Muric and Joao Pedro heading wide before Jakub Moder’s curling free-kick in the 41st minute had the Kosovo goalkeeper stretching to push the ball around a post.

But the half ended with Burnley squandering another outstanding chance, with Fofana somehow failing to get a toe to Odobert’s cross with the goal gaping.

Burnley replaced Vitinho with Charlie Taylor at the break and had another superb chance and another poor miss in the 52nd minute as a nice move ended with Fofana heading wide from Lorenz Assignon’s cross.

But Brighton were taking the ascendancy. Adingra should have done better with Moder’s low cross, unable to get his effort on target, and Pascal Gross saw a shot deflected wide after Burnley had to scramble to cut off Pedro.

Just before the hour, a lazy pass from Berge on the edge of the box gifted the ball to Gross, who saw his shot tipped over the bar by Muric before Pedro headed wide from the resulting corner.

Burnley thought they were on to a winner when Brownhill, just on for the injured Hjalmar Ekdal, struck in the 74th minute.

Baleba struggled to deal with a high bouncing ball and did not get enough power on his back pass, with Brownhill charging after it to punish the mistake.

But five minutes later Turf Moor’s celebrations were cut short by a moment that will give Muric sleepless nights.

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