Veteran Murray rescues Brighton
Glenn Murray has had to be patient, but having been forced into a supporting role until the suspension of Tomer Hemed, the Brighton striker has stepped forward impressively to help the newly promoted side consolidate their status in the Premier League.
Murray, the club’s leading scorer during last season’s promotion campaign with 23 goals, scored twice in the recent 3-0 victory at West Ham United, their first away from the Amex Stadium this season. Back on home ground, he provided the response to Steve Davis’s early opening goal, helping Brighton recover to claim a point that, in the eyes of Chris Hughton, pointed to their growing assurance at this level.
“When you go 1-0 down so early against a side that has so much quality, it’s credit to our lads for the way they responded,” said the Brighton manager. “We deserve to be mid-table but there is a lot more work to be done.”
The performance may have provided few thrills, but it did point to Hughton’s side’s resilience at home, where they have not lost since the not unexpected opening-day defeat to Manchester City.
It also helps when that resilience can be capped by the kind of precise finish Murray provided in the 52nd minute. Sidelined at the start of the season with an ankle injury, the 34-year-old looked on as Hemed assumed responsibility for helping Brighton negotiate the early weeks of the season, scoring twice in five league starts before television cameras captured the Israel international stamping on Newcastle United’s Deandre Yedlin, earning him a three-match ban.
Murray has filled the gap and, with Hemed returning to the bench for the first time yesterday, Hughton was able to reflect on an enviable problem. “Right at this moment I am in the ideal position where I have got two No9s who are really pushing to get a place in the team,” he said. “Hemed was in really good form before the ban and Glenn would say the fact he was injured restricted his opportunities. So it is the best position for me to have two who are really pushing to have a start.
“It’s a good position for the team to be in. Hemed had a really good summer, and came back in really good shape. Of course he was really unfortunate with the ban but if these things motivate a player to stay in the team, with other players pushing them, it’s the best position for a manager to be in.”
Hughton’s mood might not have been upbeat had his side not improved after switching off when James Ward-prowse struck a seventh-minute free-kick against a post, allowing Davis to react first and head home from close range.
Southampton were unable to build on that and, while Brighton created few chances during the remainder of the first half, they did grow into the game, eventually levelling seven minutes after the restart when Pascal Gross crossed to the far post, where Murray rose above Cedric Soares to head into the angle of the goal.
Gross’s contribution was not unexpected. The German, signed for £3 million from Ingolstadt in the summer, has now had a hand in seven of Brighton’s 10 goals, including five assists, which puts him behind only Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva in the Premier League.
“We knew before he came here he was capable of providing assists but to do it as a new player in the Premier League, that’s outstanding,” said Hughton. “It’s credit to our scouting department – £3million doesn’t usually get you much in the current market.”
He added: “I am very conscious that everybody around here remains very level. We haven’t done anything and the points gap between us and fourth bottom is only four and that could change in a twogame period. But I have to be
pleased. We are a newly promoted side and where we are after 10 games I have to be pleased.”
Less convincing was Fraser Forster’s attempt to keep out Murray’s header but the keeper was defended by Mauricio Pellegrino. “It was a bit unlucky, the ball deflected off Cedric’s head and surprised a little bit our goalkeeper, but it’s part of football. From the outside every action looks simple, but from the inside every action is completely different.”
He added: “I see the team competing well, in terms of making right decisions in different moments. I think the team is growing more mature.”