DANNY’S NOT GIVING UP ON GOLDEN BOOT

YOU cannot take your eyes off Danny Ings for a second and last Brighton were the latest team to find that out.

The Southampton striker grabbed his 20th Premier League goal of the season to deny Brighton the win which would have guaranteed top-fight safety.

As it is, this point should be enough for Graham Potter’s side barring mathematical improbabilities, and it perhaps should have been better because Yves Bissouma wasted a golden chance late on.

Neal Maupay had given Brighton the lead with a firsthalf goal but Ings, now lying joint-second in the Golden Boot rankings behind Leicester’s Jamie Vardy, struck a sweet equaliser in the 66th minute.

It was no more than Ings deserved. A first-half ‘goal’ was chalked off for offside and, moments before his legitimate goal, he struck the Brighton post with a peach of a shot.

Saints have been the form team of the re-start, losing only one of their six games.

Manager Ralph Hasenhuttl admitted before kick-off that he is scared his better players will leave in the summer - and last night Everton made a £25million bid for midfielder Pierre-emile Hojbjerg.

Brighton had an early escape when Hojbjerg got away from Solly March, but keeper Matt Ryan pulled off a fine save. The Seagulls hit back and Maupay shot just over the bar.

Then old-stager Glenn Murray took a hand. The 36-year-old cleverly glanced on Tariq Lamptey’s throw, and Maupay, given far too much room, swivelled to shoot home. That made it 10 goals this season for the bargain £16m striker.

Saints, punchless before, suddenly sprung into life and Ings saw his strike ruled out for offside.

Suddenly Hasenhuttl’s side started to play, and Ings curled a shot against the post. From the rebound, Albion skipper Lewis Dunk brilliantly cleared Che Adams’ effort off the line.

Ings shot across the face of goal as the Southampton pressure increased – the goal was coming. And it came when Nathan Redmond’s cute pass sent Ings clear and the former Liverpool man made no mistake.

Jan Vestergaard’s rocket from 25 yards was tipped onto the bar by Ryan, one of the saves of the season, and Bissouma should have made the most of the let-off but screwed a shot wide when it seemed easier to score.

Maupay said: “It’s a massive point for us. But we need to keep fighting.”