Brighton and Nottingham Forest played out a fiery 2-2 draw in which Morgan Gibbs-White, Nuno Espirito Santo and Fabian Hurzeler were all sent off.
The key incident happened with seven minutes remaining with the scores level as Gibbs-White, already on a booking, jumped in with a scissor-like challenge on Joao Pedro that eventually led to a second yellow despite referee Rob Jones initially deeming that Gibbs-White had played the ball.
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Assistant coaches Andrew Crofts and Rui Pedro Silva reflect on the moment both Fabian Hurzeler and Nuno Espirito Santo were sent off in the game between Brighton and Nottingham Forest
It drew a furious reaction from both benches that led to Nuno and Hurzeler also being dismissed.
The game had ebbed and flowed before that with Forest taking an early lead from the penalty spot through Chris Wood after Callum Hudson-Odoi had been fouled. Brighton were flat in the first 45 minutes but somehow found themselves in front at the break after Jack Hinshelwood headed home before Danny Welbeck curled in a sumptuous free-kick – the first successful one of the Premier League season.
Brighton could not put Forest away, though, and substitute Ramon Sosa tapped in for the equaliser after Jota Silva had evaded the Seagulls’ offside trap. It was his first goal for the club since his summer move from Argentine club Talleres.
Brighton were given six minutes of additional time to make their numerical advantage count before being forced to settle for a third successive top-flight draw.
The result means both teams remain unbeaten in the Premier League this season with nine points.
‘Nuno’s red card was unjust’
Nottingham Forest assistant Rui Pedro Silva told Sky Sports:
“I’m not able to judge at the moment. The referee had a good view. Anthony [Taylor] was close to the situation. In this moment it was a very good game.”
He added in his press conference: “It was a fair and good tackle. Not justifying a second yellow card. I think the referees took their time. It’s not bad if they take their time. Anthony had a point of view. I didn’t hear nothing from the mouth of Nuno that justified a red card.”
‘We were upset with the tackle’
Brighton coach Andrew Crofts told Sky Sports:
“The tackle on Joao [Pedro] looked like it wasn’t a great tackle. We were upset with it. The reaction is to see what the referee does. After that, I didn’t see it too much because I was communicating with a player. The next thing I saw was the red cards to the managers and obviously the player. Joao took a nasty hit. Hopefully he’s OK.
“We are bitterly disappointed not to get three points. At the same time you have to finish the game well and get over the line. We created enough chances to definitely win the game. They had very little. That’s maybe why we’re frustrated and maybe tempers were frayed because of that.
“Hopefully we can learn a lot from the last two games at home. But we’re still unbeaten so there’s a lot to be positive about.”
Analysis: Welbeck rolls back the years
Danny Welbeck leaps in celebration after scoring against Nottingham Forest
Sky Sports’ Lewis Jones:
Goals from free-kicks are a rare breed these days in the Premier League. Long gone are the days of David Beckham racking up multiple goals a season from a dead-ball situation. There were only 11 free-kicks scored in the entirety of last season. There were 27 in the 2014/15 season. But we have our first of this Premier League campaign courtesy of an unlikely source in Welbeck. It was not exactly a Premier League classic despite at first glance it looking quite aesthetically pleasing – the blame was firmly at Matz Sels’ door.
“The goalkeeper should be fined a week’s wages,” blasted Sky Sports’ Roy Keane.
“He’s taken a gamble leaning to his right. He can’t be beaten on that side.”
Welbeck, who was excellent again in the Brighton forward line, rolling back the years in every way.
