THE VERDICT: TOWN 1 BRIGHTON 2 Straight red leaves Terriers all at sea
TOWN RATED
Laurent Depoitre: (for Pritchard 49) 6 Tommy Smith: (for Mooy 63): 6 Danny Williams: (for Hogg 77): 6 Not used: Hamer, Kachunga, Ramadan, Mbenza STEVE Mounie was controversially sent-off as Town’s threematch unbeaten run was ended by Brighton.
The big striker received a straight red card from Michael Oliver with only 32 minutes gone – and it completely changed the flow of the game.
Town had bossed it to that point and led through Mathias Zanka Jorgensen, but patient Brighton equalised on the stroke of half time through Shane Duffy before Florin Andone won it with a smart diving header.
It was a sickening way for Town to go down as they sought to win back-to-back Premier League games for only the third time in front of a crowd of 22,973 (1,394 from Brighton).
And they seem set to be without Mounie for this week’s away trips to Bournemouth and Arsenal, plus the home clash with Newcastle United that follows.
Wagner made just one change to the starting line-up from the 2-0 win at Wolves, with the suspended Jorgensen returning in place of club captain Tommy Smith.
Brighton, who had won only one of their previous 20 Premier League away matches, made three changes, including Florin Andone making his full debut in place of the benched Glenn Murray.
And Town made the perfect start with a goal in just 54 seconds from Jorgensen – the fastest goal scored in the Premier League this season.
It came from a Phil Billing long throw for which Steve Mounie challenged, but when Bruno’s hooked clearance landed from height back on the six-yard line, Zanka powered home a header off the underside of the bar.
The goal put Brighton firmly on the back foot, with Town continuing to press and threaten, and Mounie looking for his first goal of the campaign - fired over on the turn following another Billing long throw.
With 16 minutes gone, however, Town had an escape.
Firstly, Jonas Lossl blocked a powerful downward header by Lewis Dunk from a Pascal Gross corner. Then, as Andone looked to fire in the rebound, Jonathan Hogg made a fine block near the line. Normal service was resumed as Brighton struggled to defend a Hadergjonaj cross and Alex Pritchard had successive shots blocked. Then, sensationally, in the 32nd minute, Mounie was shown a straight red card for a slightly high, but certainly not malicious, challenge on Yves Bissouma. The decision by referee Michael Oliver - who also sent off Hogg against Cardiff - clearly baffled Wagner and his players and it infuriated the home fans.
The mood did not improve when, after a Kongolo header had been blocked in the six-yard box, Pritchard appeared to be pulled back in the area by Gross, but the referee did not even consider a penalty.
And it was Town, retaining their formation but with just Pritchard up front, who went
Pritchard appeared to be pulled back in the area by Gross, but the referee did not even consider a penalty