Maupay in tough spot

BUT POTTER SUPPORTS STRIKER AFTER MISS

GRAHAM POTTER is backing striker Neal Maupay to bounce back despite a woeful penalty miss that saw Brighton fail to beat rock-bottom Norwich City.

Maupay’s skied spot-kick was one of 31 shots on goal as Albion dominated but, in a familiar story, they failed to hit the net.

It’s a result that does neither side any favours with Norwich looking increasingly doomed and Albion’s hopes of a top-half finish fading fast.

But Seagulls boss Potter was relieved that home fans didn’t take out their frustrations on misfiring Maupay, even singing the Frenchman’s name when he was substituted late on.

“I thought the reaction of the supporters to him was fantastic, so a huge thank you to them for that,” he said.

“Neal gave everything in the game but it just was not his day.

“He’s had these experiences before, against Leeds for instance, and then the following game he’s scored. So, he’ll bounce back.

“The supporters recognise a lot of the good things that he does – and the good things he’s done for us in the past.

“Right now he’s suffering but has to see it as a way to improve and grow as a person.”

This was a result which typified Brighton’s season and underlined Norwich’s lack of quality, too, because although the visitors defended heroically – with goalkeeper Tim Krul and captain Grant Hanley outstanding – they were unambitious and toothless in attack.

Not what is needed when you are bottom and desperate for a victory.

Norwich boss Dean Smith said: “It wasn’t a great game.

We have a group of good footballers who are making poor decisions on the ball.

“But we’ve ended a sequence of bad results, so it’s a building block for us.

“We know we’re running out of games. We’ve got to give ourselves a chance of winning football games and be brighter.”

Two flashpoints summed up the home side’s woes.

The first was a sumptuous breakaway move, driven by Maupay and which included a delightful backheel flick from Solly March.

But when the ball came back for Maupay to shoot he mis-kicked – as did Danny Welbeck when the ball fell to him. Wonderful build-up play, awful finishing.

The second was a penalty, earned when Sam Byram inexplicably patted on a cross as if he was playing volleyball – only for Maupay to balloon it over the bar.

After the break it was a barrage with Krul denying Joel Veltman with a superb save and then March, Leandro Trossard, Lewis Dunk, Alexis Mac Allister and Maupay all missing chances.

The Canaries even had one chance on the break to win it, but Milot Rashica lacked composure when unmarked in front of goal and made a hash of it.

That summed up the afternoon, leaving everyone at the Amex with a sense of deja vu.

“I know,” Potter said. “But I’d rather have these feelings than the ones I’ve had for the last six games when we lost.

“At least we picked up something.”

Neal gave everything in the game but it just was not his day. He’s had these experiences before and the following game he’s scored