Brighton vs Tottenham Hotspur Player Ratings: Yasin Ayari 8.5/10 Rated as the Spurs Fight Back for Dramatic 2-2 Draw

Brighton & Hove Albion looked absolutely unstoppable at first. They stormed into a two-goal lead and seemed destined for victory. Yankuba Minteh opened the scoring early on with a real poacher's finish. Then, Yasin Ayari doubled their lead with a stunner. It was a goal from nothing, really. The Spurs looked completely shell-shocked. They couldn't get a foothold in this Premier League clash.

But football is a funny old game, isn't it? Just before halftime, Richarlison pulled one back. That goal changed everything. It gave the Spurs a lifeline they desperately needed. The second half was a completely different story. Spurs pushed and pushed, and you could feel the pressure building. Eventually, the dam broke. A heartbreaking own goal from Jan Paul van Hecke leveled the scores. What stood out to us was Brighton's collapse under pressure. The final 2-2 result in this match felt like a win for Spurs and a loss for Brighton. Here are the Brighton vs Tottenham Hotspur player ratings.

Tottenham Hotspur Player Ratings vs Brighton

Here are the Tottenham Hotspur player ratings vs Brighton.

Goalkeeper

Guglielmo Vicario - 5.5: A very tough day at the office for Vicario. He made a crucial error that led to a goal. It really put his team on the back foot. He did make a couple of saves, including one from inside the box. His distribution was decent under pressure. Still, that mistake was a glaring one that he'll want to forget.

Defenders

Destiny Udogie - 6.5: Udogie had a mixed but mostly solid game. He was very involved with 85 touches. He lost the ball a bit too often for our liking. However, he did create a chance and was a willing runner down the left. From our perspective, he did enough to justify his spot but didn't shine.

Cristian Romero - 7.0: The captain led by example with his aggression. He won 11 of his 17 duels, a fantastic effort. His six tackles and five interceptions were vital. He did pick up a yellow card for his troubles. A commanding performance at the back, even if the team conceded two.

Pedro Porro - 7.0: Porro was a constant outlet on the right. He delivered a staggering 15 crosses into the box. He created two key chances for his teammates. Defensively, he was solid, winning most of his duels. He was a real creative force for Spurs throughout his time on the pitch.

Micky van de Ven - 6.5: Van de Ven was incredibly tidy in possession. An amazing 99% pass accuracy is just ridiculous. He kept things simple and secure at the back. He wasn't tested defensively too often. We noticed he barely lost possession all game. A quiet but very effective performance.

Midfielders

João Palhinha - 7.0: A classic Palhinha performance. He was a machine in midfield, winning 10 duels. His seven tackles broke up Brighton's play consistently. He was the anchor that allowed others to push forward. He provided a solid shield for the backline. What stood out was his sheer work rate.

Lucas Bergvall - 5.5: A difficult game for the young midfielder. He was caught on the ball for an error leading to a goal. He lost possession 18 times which is far too high. It was a tough learning experience for him. He was subbed late on after a challenging day.

Rodrigo Bentancur - 6.5: The Uruguayan was decent before being substituted. He created two chances and looked composed on the ball. He won a good number of his duels in the middle. We thought he was subbed a bit early, honestly. He was connecting play well for Spurs.

Forwards

Richarlison - 8.0: Tottenham's best player on the day. He scored the crucial goal that sparked the comeback. He was a constant menace with five shots. His movement and persistence were a nightmare for Brighton's defence. He never gave up and got his reward. A true striker's performance from him.

Mohammed Kudus - 7.0: Kudus was a box of tricks. He provided the assist for Richarlison's goal. His six successful dribbles caused plenty of problems. However he lost possession 27 times, which was frustrating to watch. A very hot and cold performance but his creative spark was undeniable.

Wilson Odobert - 6.0: Odobert had a quiet outing. He struggled to make a real impact on the game. He had a few runs but they led to nothing. He was subbed off after 72 minutes. We expected more from him in the final third.

Substitutes

Xavi Simons - 6.5: Looked lively after coming on. Took a few shots and tried to make things happen.

Brennan Johnson - 6.0: Didn't have much time to influence the game.

Djed Spence - N/A. Archie Gray - N/A.

Manager

T. Frank - 6.5: His team showed great character to fight back from 2-0 down. The decision to keep pushing paid off. He gets credit for the comeback mentality. However, the team started so poorly. A mixed day for the gaffer.

Brighton Player Ratings vs Tottenham Hotspur

Here are the Brighton player ratings vs Tottenham.

Goalkeeper

Bart Verbruggen - 6.0: He couldn't do much about the goals he conceded. One was a close-range finish, the other an own goal. His distribution was quite poor though. A 42% pass accuracy is not good enough. He made two saves but didn't command his area.

Defenders

Lewis Dunk - 6.5: The captain was a rock for large parts of the game. He made a massive eight clearances to relieve pressure. He was solid in the air as always. He led a defence that ultimately crumbled. A decent individual display in a disappointing team result.

Jan Paul van Hecke - 5.0: Oh, what a cruel game this is. He was having a great game with 10 clearances. He made a last-man tackle. But then, the decisive own goal. It was a moment of pure misfortune that cost his team the win. You have to feel for him but the rating reflects that costly error.

Ferdi Kadıoğlu - 6.0: A really busy afternoon for him. He made four tackles but was dribbled past five times. It shows how much he was involved in the action. He battled hard but was often overwhelmed. It was a tough duel against Spurs' attackers.

Joël Veltman - 7.5: From our perspective, Veltman was excellent. He won all eight of his ground duels. He made seven tackles, a massive number for a defender. He was a brick wall on the right side. He hardly put a foot wrong all game. A standout defensive performance.

Midfielders

Brajan Gruda - 6.0: A fairly anonymous performance from Gruda. He didn't offer much going forward or defensively. He was subbed off just after the hour mark. He struggled to get into the rhythm of the match. An outing he will want to move on from quickly.

Yankuba Minteh - 8.0: He was on fire in the first half. He scored the opening goal with a sharp finish. He looked dangerous every time he touched the ball. His pace and directness were a huge threat. It was a surprise to see him subbed off. He was one of Brighton's best players.

Carlos Baleba - 6.0: Played only 45 minutes before being hooked at halftime. He did his job without any fuss. He kept possession ticking over. But he clearly didn't do enough to convince his manager. An average half of football.

Kaoru Mitoma - 6.5: We expect so much from Mitoma. He tried his usual dribbles but had limited success. He lost the ball quite a bit. He had one shot on target late on. It felt like he was playing with the handbrake on. A frustrating game for the winger.

Yasin Ayari - 8.5: What a player. Our Man of the Match. He scored a sensational long-range goal. He was a constant threat with five shots. He was everywhere, recovering the ball and driving forward. A complete midfield performance that deserved a win. He was simply brilliant to watch.

Forwards

Georginio Rutter - 6.5: He got the assist for the first goal. He also created another big chance. However, his duel success rate was very poor. He lost the ball 19 times, which is not ideal. A performance of good moments mixed with sloppy ones.

Substitutes

Diego Gómez - 6.0: Came on at halftime and picked up a yellow card.

James Milner - 6.0: Brought on to add experience but couldn't help see out the win.

Danny Welbeck - N/A.

Diego Coppola - N/A.

Mats Wieffer - N/A.

Manager

F. Hürzeler - 6.0: His team's start was tactically perfect. They were 2-0 up and flying. But he couldn't stop the collapse. His substitutions didn't have the desired effect. He will be so disappointed to have thrown away two points from that position.

Sportsdunia's Player of the Match is Yasin Ayari