(Football news) In their final pre-Christmas match, the Seagulls were thwarted to a 1-1 draw by longtime rivals Crystal Palace, while Ange Postecoglou’s team narrowly defeated Everton 2-1.
The England striker made a crucial injury-time contribution against Leicester City during the Foxes’ 2015–16 title-winning campaign, so those who support Arsenal are already familiar with late Danny Welbeck headers. The 33-year-old accomplished the same feat at Selhurst Park last week.
Although the circumstances were not as dramatic as they could have been, Welbeck’s intervention in the 82nd minute proved to be crucial. Prior to the Brighton player showcasing his aerial skills, a header by Jordan Ayew had put Palace on the verge of victory over their long-standing rivals in the so-called M23 derby.
A Selhurst Park point dropped Brighton to ninth in the standings due to a three-game losing streak in the division, despite being a significant improvement over their 2-0 loss to Arsenal, where Roberto De Zerbi acknowledged his team was simply outclassed for ninety minutes. However, they were unable to fall any lower in the rankings prior to kickoff.
De Zerbi and his coaching staff will be extremely relieved to have Europa League football back for a few months. The Seagulls have only won two Premier League games in their last 12 games as they adjust to balancing domestic and continental commitments.
