UK Edition
Cardiff win to keep survival hopes alive and drag Brighton into relegation dogfight
Cardiff are still alive. Victory on the south coast against the only team they can realistically catch in the scramble to remain in the Premier League means reports of Welsh demise were more than a little premature.
There were those who wondered how Neil Warnock had managed to get his side promoted last season. If he maintains this sort of momentum, heads need not be scratched as to exactly how he kept them up.
Topped off by two smart goals, this was a performance of bravery, intensity and intelligence. Which are three words that nobody would use to describe a Brighton side apparently sleep walking into the Championship.
The statistics before kick off did neither side any favours. Finding the net just nine times on the road all season, Cardiff arrived with the worst away goals record in the division.
Brighton, meanwhile, had suffered four defeats in the last six at the Amex. Brighton hopeless at home, Cardiff awful away: this was a clash of the desperate. But it began with a real zip. Brighton’s Solly March had piled a shot into the side netting within two minutes.
A moment later Neil Etheridge slid out of his area a moment later. And Cardiff responded. Joe Ralls then swung in a cross that only just missed Sean Morrison coming in at the far post. Then Junior Hoilett skipped down the left, crossed, but Aron Gunnarsson shot well over.
And Brighton had a shout for a penalty when Bruno Manga hauled Lewis Dunk to the ground, with arm wrapped around his opponent’s neck. As the game settled, however, the familiar Brighton traits began to be exposed. Passes were not going to feet, crosses were going too long, attacks were stalling as the ball was miscontrolled. Cardiff were quickly hassling them out of possession. And in the 21st minute it all came together.
A Brighton attack broke down as Davy Propper failed to control a pass. Nathanial Mendez-Laing scrambled the ball off the stumbling, stuttering Propper and belted forward out of defence. With Brighton on their heels, he passed to Hoilett, who passed back. Well outside the area, the winger took one touch, then bent a shot beyond Mat Ryan into the corner of the Brighton net. He ran to the Cardiff bench to celebrate with the subs.
Neil Warnock, stony faced, told him to get back into the fray. As Brighton faltered, as the ball was continuously surrendered, as Hughton raged, Mendez-Laing again attacked. Panic now infecting every Brighton touch, the Amex was sinking into anguish.
The half time whistle was greeted with a huge boo, which turned into a throaty roar as the home fans realised encouragement was vital. Brighton emerged for the second half first. Whatever Hughton had said in the dressing room, the requirement was straightforward: go for it. Alireza Jahanbakhsh had a shot, but it lacked conviction. And gradually torpor settled on the enterprise.
Still the ball was too frequently served up to their opponents. Still there was no hint of control or plan. And again Cardiff’s belligerence undermined them. No more than five minutes had elapsed in the second half when a needless freekick was surrendered midway into the Brighton half.
Victor Camarasa floated the ball into the box, Sean Morrison stole in behind Dunk and, as the defender seemed to duck, headed home a second goal. As the Cardiff supporters burst into astonished song, even Warnock, never one for premature celebration, joined in the fist pumping.
Hughton tried to add some quality to his faltering enterprise, bringing on Florin Andone. On his first burst into the box, pursuing Murray’s downward header, he slipped over. Even as Cardiff raged against the certainty of going down, Brighton were sinking into the mire. The weight of what defeat would mean seemed to be in their boots.
Jahanbakhsh haplessly ceded possession when well placed, Solly March was snapped into when trying to turn, Murray passed straight to a green shirt. True, Murray blasted just over the bar, March had a sharp run deep into Cardiff territory and a late freekick that drifted beyond the post. But Brighton needed more. They needed precision, accuracy, intelligence. Above all they needed belief.
Confidence, however, appeared to have been entirely surgically removed. They huffed and puffed, Morrison required to clear from a free kick, the substitute Jose Izquiredo shooting extravagantly over the bar. But Cardiff did precisely what Bournemouth had done at the weekend: they dominated every part of the game.
Brighton still have Wolves, Spurs, Newcastle, Arsenal and Manchester City to play. But after this, it is hard to see them gaining so much as a point from that schedule. Cardiff face Liverpool, Fulham, Crystal Palace and Manchester United. Now just two points behind, one win out of that lot might be enough. The great escape is still on.
How the bottom of the table looks now...
15. Newcastle - 38 (-11) after 34 games
16. Southampton - 36 (-15) after 33
17. Brighton - 33 (-21) after 33
18. Cardiff - 31 (-33) after 34
19. Fulham - 20 (-44) after 34 R
20. Huddersfield - 14 (-48) after 34 R
Worrying for Brighton. Very worrying. Cardiff are still in it. Brighton have had a terrible week. Even a draw tonight would have left it very difficult for Cardiff to do much.
FULL TIME - Brighton 0 Cardiff 2
Solly March fires the free kick over and that's it. The ref blows up and that is a HUGE three points for Cardiff and a dreadful result for Brighton. A dreadful result for a dreadful performance. They are in trouble now and have a very tough run in. Neil Warnock doesn't look especially pleased but Mendez-Laing's superb first-half strike and Sean Morrison's header are enough to give his side the three points. They fought very well tonight and deserve their rewards.
90+2 min - Brighton 0 Cardiff 2
Still time for another Cardiff counter...or not. Not, then.
March plays a wicked cross into Murray who jumps and heads it...onto the post. That was their best chance of the game, no doubt, the glancing header should have been glanced in but it was too late in any case. Probably. Brighton win a free kick 22 yards out in front of goal.
90 min - Brighton 0 Cardiff 2
Three additional minutes (a minimum of). Think they could play for another 300 and Brighton wouldn't score. They'd be well puffed out, though. Cardiff going to within two points of them as it stands...Brighton being dragged further into the relegation mire. By their own poor performances. March plays a cross into Duffy but again, no. Cleared.
83 min - Brighton 0 Cardiff 2
Cardiff on the attack again...Oumar Niasse has a powerful shot blocked well. Bruno wins a free kick in his own half. Cardiff pick the ball up again just in the opposition half but it trickles out to nothing. Back to the keeper. Cardiff somehow win a free kick on the half-way line. Six of one but they'll take it. Another sub for the Bluebirds: Kenneth Zohore for Oumar Niasse, who has worked incredibly hard tonight for his side.
82 min - Brighton 0 Cardiff 2
Izquierdo takes a very long shot and it's very far away. Desperate. Speculative. Surely Cardiff have the three points now. Brighton are not really threatening all that much. Cardiff are sitting back and hoping to counter. But they don't need to do much. Cardiff look like they're going to keep themselves in the fight for another match or two at least...
73 min - Brighton 0 Cardiff 2
Solly March makes a great run down the right wing but he's outnumbered by Cardiff players and is dispossessed. Brighton coming into it a bit more now and looking as good as they have done all match. Murray again on the edge of the box...tries something...but is tackled and falls over. Still lacking incision in and around the penalty area, are the home team. They need something and soon.
69 min - Brighton 0 Cardiff 2
Oof. So nearly could have been three. A glancing header from Morrison but it goes wide. Could he have done better? Yes. Should he have? Hard to say on first glance.
Murray with Brighton's best (and only?) chance as the ball falls to him 18 yards out. He can't quite get the ball out from under his feet, it's a decent strike but it flies just over the crossbar...
67 min - Brighton 0 Cardiff 2
Another wayward pass from Duffy, gives Cardiff the chance to counter but it comes to nothing. March is fouled by Hoilett, who must be close to a card now. Brighton take it quickly...but it's given away again. They look well and truly out of ideas. Niasse wins a corner from nowhere, somewhere, running for a ball that was gone. But it wasn't. He plays it off Dunk for a corner.
65 min - Brighton 0 Cardiff 2
Just a few months ago Brighton were on a lilo in a sea of alright. Now they're hanging dangerously around the relegation trapdoor. Chris Hughton looks a little lost on the touchline. Whatever he tried hasn't worked. Mind you, he can't pass the ball for his players. If he could he'd probably do a better job than, even in his smart shoes.
48 min - Brighton 0 Cardiff 1
Brighton begin with intent and boy do they need to. Gross tries to find Murray in space on the edgeo f the box but it's not a good cross for once. Propper finds Bruno on the right wing who clips it to Jahanbakhsh...the cross comes in down the byline but Etheridge is equal to it, down low at his near post.
HALF TIME - Brighton 0 Cardiff 1
Cardiff end the half the better the team, the side in the lead and the happier side. Brighton have really been poor in the final third. Wasteful. Cardiff, though haven't had as much possession, have looked MUCH more dangerous and go in the leading side after a superb strike by Mendez-Laing. Really cracking strike.
45+1 min - Brighton 0 Cardiff 1
Gunnarsson fouled in the centre circle. It comes to nothing. Brighton attack with Propper in space. Gross fires one across the edge of the penalty box from the right...Mendez-Laing fails to clear a cross and slices it upwards...Cardiff nearly get a chance with Niasse chasing down the loose ball towards goal. But no.
39 min - Brighton 0 Cardiff 1
Brighton try the long ball. To no avail. They give the ball away to Camarasa but his through ball is too heavy. Mendez-Laing gets into a dangerous position on the left in the penalty box after a mazey run from the half-way line...the cross is blocked but it's a corner to Cardiff...
34 min - Brighton 0 Cardiff 1
Cardiff venture into the Brighton half for the first time in several minutes. Maybe even seven. Hoilett is fouled and stays down after a late tackle by Solly March...could be a booking but it's not. Hoilett has been down a good minute or two now. He's finally up but looks a bit sore.
GOAL! Brighton 0 Cardiff 1
Nice build-up play by Brighton who try to take advantage of Cardiff's looseness at the back...Cardiff counter...Brighton are spread at the back...
Mendez-Laing runs 50 or so yards into space in the Brighton half, plays a slow 1-2 with Hoilett, who plays it back to him 22 yards out, he takes his time, in space and he curls it with his right foot into the top-right corner side netting. Superb finish!
14 min - Brighton 0 Cardiff 0
The game has settled down into more of a rhythm now. That is to say: it's less frantic and has been mostly in midfield in the last few minutes. Both sides with good intent, mind, as you'd expect. Murray fouled by Hoilett - another FK won on the right-hand side, good chance for Brighton to get one in the "mixer".
5 min - Brighton 0 Cardiff 0
Cardiff get a corner from nothing, really, other than their own intent. Ralls gets the inswinger in, it's attacked...but cleared. On the rebound Hoilett goes to ground in the penalty box but nothing doing. A good cross comes in at the far post but nobody meets it...Brighton goal kick.
3 min - Brighton 0 Cardiff 0
Solly March steals a march on the Cardiff defence to fire a low shot to the goalkeeper's right...also to the post's right and it goes into the side netting. Glenn Murray is almost in but Etheridge comes out and destroys the danger, Murray couldn't quite lift it over him...Murray again fires off a left-footed shot after a throw in but it's well wide.
Just under 10 minutes until KO...
...can Cardiff manage the win they desperately need? Or will Brighton find the three points that would put them almost safe. It could be a draw, of course. Again, not great for Cardiff. Meanwhile, the last manager to get Cardiff relegated from the Premier League is taking charge of Man United against Barcelona at the Camp Nou tonight...
Remaining fixtures for both sides following today's game...
Brighton:
Wolves (A)
Tottenham (A)
Newcastle (H)
Arsenal (A)
Man City (H)
Cardiff:
Liverpool (H)
Fulham (A)
Crystal Palace (H)
Man United (A)
A win today for Cardiff and then it's possible. Lose and well...it would be the probably the greatest escape in the history of escapes. In football.
Why Brighton have slid into Premier League relegation trouble
It has not been a good few weeks for Brighton, it's fair to say. Whilst they are firmly second favourites to go down after Cardiff, they have fallen into contention when perhaps they shouldn't have. But why? Ian Winrow has a look at the Sussex team's slide into relegation contention.
Good evening...
...and welcome to our liveblog for the relegation six-pointer (™) between Brighton & Hove Albion and Cardiff City. One measly place but a massive five points separates them. Of the two, Cardiff are definitely in more bother. They are in 18th place, in the relegation spots and five points from safety. A win tonight, though, would mean they still have a chance of staying up.
Brighton, who sit 17th and five points above Cardiff are not "in a good moment" as many overseas managers are fond of saying. On Saturday they lost 5-0 at home to their south-coast rivals Bournemouth. They also lost the three before that, including defeats to Chelsea and Manchester City.
A win for them would be a great help, naturally. Unless it was a victory by a five-goal margin they would stay in the same position but, crucially, they would be a massive eight points away from the drop zone. And almost mathematically safe.
Cardiff, if they lose to Brighton and with only four games left after tonight's, would need three wins out of four to even have a chance of staying in the Premier League. In their last four games they play Liverpool on Sunday followed by Fulham, Crystal Palace and Manchester United. Safe to say it's a huge match for the Bluebirds, then. Their manager, Neil Warnock, hoped his team could draw inspiration from Tiger Woods' victory at the Masters at the weekend.
"We just have to look at the golf and at what Tiger has done - amazing," Warnock said of Woods' Masters title, which came 14 years after his last green jacket and after numerous back surgeries.
"Nobody gave him a chance either, he has been written off that many times and we have. Obviously over the last few weeks we have felt sorry for ourselves a few times. We haven't got time to do that [at Brighton] and if it's not good enough then we accept it.
"But this is an opportunity to give ourselves a chance till the end of the season. We have to grab that. I thought we had to beat Burnley and and Brighton if I am honest, so we are already one down. So it becomes even more important for both teams. I think they must feel the same."
"I thought we were a little bit apprehensive with the occasion (at Burnley), and the occasion at Brighton is going to be even bigger."
I'll be here for the next couple of hours to take you through it all.