Leeds United 0 Brighton 1: Below-par Whites slip to Seagulls loss on Ben White's return

LEEDS United fell to a third-straight defeat as Neal Maupay bagged the only goal of the game to give Brighton a 1-0 victory in Saturday's Premier League clash at Elland Road.
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Brighton bagged the only goal of the game in the 17th minute when Maupay finished off a fine flowing move with a tap in at the back post from Alexis MacAllister's cross.

Whites head coach Marcelo Bielsa then brought on Tyler Roberts, Pablo Hernandez and Ian Poveda in the second half but the Whites were unable to make a breakthrough on former United loanee Ben White's Elland Road return.

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The result meant a second Premier League loss in a row following the 3-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur which came before last weekend's 3-0 loss at third round FA Cup hosts Crawley Town.

Leeds United keeper Kiko Casilla can only look on as Neal Maupay taps home for Brighton. Picture by Bruce Rollinson.Leeds United keeper Kiko Casilla can only look on as Neal Maupay taps home for Brighton. Picture by Bruce Rollinson.
Leeds United keeper Kiko Casilla can only look on as Neal Maupay taps home for Brighton. Picture by Bruce Rollinson.

United went close to opening the scoring in the sixth minute when Gjanni Alioski powered in a brilliant low cross from the left that Rodrigo failed to convert as the ball flashed in front of the record signing and across the box.

But Brighton took the lead in the 17th minute when Maupay finished off a fine move with a tap in from close range to a MacAllister cross.

United's Patrick Bamford then squandered a chance to net an immediate reply when swiping at air after being played in by Raphinha.

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But Brighton almost doubled their lead nine minutes later when Leandro Trossard's cross took a big deflection off Luke Ayling and crashed back off the crossbar.

Whites head coach Bielsa opted to make no changes at the break and Brighton caused problems shortly after the restart with Maupay firing wide.

Leeds almost levelled in the 50th minute but Jack Harrison instead curled a powerful shot just wide on his 100th appearance for the club.

Brighton should have doubled their lead in the 62nd minute when Alioski's short pass was seized upon by Maupay who squared the ball to Trossard who could only blast over the bar.

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Bielsa then sent on Roberts on for Rodrigo and Roberts fired in a shot from a tight angle that Robert Sanchez safely held.

Hernandez was then introduced for Alioski and a fine Hernandez cross immediately set up Bamford who narrowly failed to connect with his header.

Poveda then came on for Raphinha as the final change but Kiko Casilla was forced to save a low drive from Adam Webster which the Spaniard spilled and then gathered again.

Leeds pushed for an equaliser but the Whites never clicked like they can and fell to what was a fifth league defeat from their last eight games as Brighton bagged their first win in ten.

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Leeds United: Casilla, Dallas, Ayling, Cooper, Alioski (Hernandez 66), Struijk, Klich, Raphinha (Poveda 75), Harrison, Rodrigo (Roberts 62), Bamford. Subs not used: Caprile, Jenkins, Davis, Llorente, Shackleton, Costa.

Brighton: Sanchez, White, Webster, Veltman, Burn, Dunk, March, Gross, MacAllister (Bissouma 62), Trossard (Tau 73), Maupay (Propper 80). Subs not used: Walton, Alzate, Zeqiri, Sanders, Jenks, Khadra.

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