Brighton dragged into relegation battle after painful loss at lowly Bournemouth

Brighton and Hove Albion manager Graham Potter is facing up to a relegation battle

Relegation pressure increased on Brighton and Hove Albion following a painful 3-1 loss at lowly Bournemouth

It was a strange match for Albion as they started well then completely lost their way for a 10 minute spell at the end of the first half. They regrouped and played okay after the break but the damage had already been inflicted.

Bournemouth's woeful recent form has raised questions about Eddie Howe's future for the first time in his 11 years in the dugout.

But strikes from Harry Wilson and Callum Wilson, either side of a Pascal Gross own goal, secured a much-needed win to lift Bournemouth to 18th, level on points with West Ham and safety. Brighton are now well truly in the thick of it and are just two points from the drop zone.

Brighton and Hove Albion concede the second goal as Pascal Gross turns the ball into his own net while under pressure from Callum Wilson

It certainly appeared a good time to be playing Brighton, who have never won a Premier League match in January, or away from home on a Tuesday.

But Bournemouth looked every inch a side who had lost 10 of their previous 12 matches as they made a nervous start.

A more clinical team than Brighton would have taken advantage, but when Aaron Mooy's reverse pass gave Neal Maupay a sight of goal, his angled shot was parried by Cherries goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale before Nathan Ake blocked the rebound.

Moments later Bournemouth created their first chance, Callum Wilson sending Dominic Solanke clear down the right.

Bournemouth keeper Aaron Ramsdale was in fine form for the hosts and denied Albion on a number of occasions

Solanke's low cross was behind his fellow striker but rolled across the box to the galloping Diego Rico, who drilled his shot into the side-netting.

Yet the mere sight of the net rippling, from a team without a goal in their previous four matches, seemed to energise Bournemouth and their fans, and in the 36th minute Harry Wilson found the net.

A poor headed clearance from Lewis Dunk fell to Solanke, who guided the ball into the path of Harry Wilson, the midfielder taking a touch before smashing it past Mathew Ryan with the aid of a deflection.

Five minutes later the hosts were celebrating again as Gross, tussling on the goalline with Callum Wilson, turned Rico's corner into his own net.

Callum Wilson scores Bournemouth's match sealing third goal

Brighton boss Graham Potter had seen enough and made a triple substitution with Solly March, Aaron Connolly and Leandro Trossard sent on.

The visitors began to threaten, but Ramsdale came to the fore, bravely denying Dunk from point-blank range and beating away Maupay's fierce drive and Mooy's curler.

Brighton had to go for it and were piling bodies forward but looked vulnerable to a counter. The inevitable happened as Bournemouth finally had Howe punching the air in delight when Solanke set up Callum Wilson to round Ryan for the third on 74 minutes.

Mooy pulled one back when his shot crashed in off the far post with 10 minutes left but, despite one or two jitters near the end, Howe's men held on for a vital three points.

Aaron Mooy makes it 3-1 and celebrates what proved to be a consolation goal for Albion

Brighton have much needed time off to re-group and try to find a way out of a tight spot, that just got a little tighter.

Albion line-up: Ryan, Alzate, Dunk, Webster, Bernardo (March 60), Jahanbakhsh (Connolly 60), Gross (Trossard 60), Propper, Stephens, Mooy, Maupay.

Subs not used: Button, Duffy, Murray, Schelotto.

Attendance: 10,065

Referee: Kevin Friend