Brighton vs Fulham: Glenn Murray at the double to turn thriller on its head

The Premier League may fall down occasionally on technical merit, but boy, does it continue to entertain. Brighton dominated, missed a penalty, went two goals behind and then came back to grab a point as two of the summer’s big spenders shared the points.

Marcus Bettinelli, the goalkeeper left out of Fulham’s first two games, saved a penalty from Pascal Gross after 24 minutes. Andre Schurrle gave Fulham the lead two minutes before the interval and when Aleksandar Mitrovic doubled the lead in the 61st minute after an error by Lewis Dunk, it looked all over.

But that ageless goalscoring warrior, Glenn Murray, led his side back from the brink with two goals, the second from the penalty spot.

Brighton made all the early running but had an early warning of what was to come after 15 min utes when Luciano Vietto escaped Dunk and found Schurrle on the left. His first-time cross was aimed squarely at the forehead of Mitrovic but the Serbian striker nodded it harmlessly over the crossbar.

But Brighton squandered an even better chance to go ahead after 24 minutes. Murray certain to be flagged offside from Anthony Knockaert’s forward pass but decided against touching the ball and the flag stayed down. So Knockaert raced onto his own pass and played the ball infield to Murray – definitely onside this time – who was tripped by Luciano Vietto.

Referee Lee Probert pointed to the spot without hesitation, but Gross, who had been fortunate to convert his two previous penalty kicks in a Brighton shirt, ran out of luck and Bettinelli dived to the right to touch the ball around the post.

A German missing a penalty? Gross himself could probably not believe it himself and tried to make up for his miss with whipped corner to the near post but Murray glanced it just wide.

Barring a couple of crosses from either wing, Fulham had been little threat but although Brighton showed much more attacking intent, their final pass was often ill-judged. Even when Mawson presented possession to Knockaert 25 yards out, the French winger could not decide whether to shoot or pass and allowed the defender to recover the ball.

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They paid for it two minutes before the interval as Fulham showed how it was done. Seri toe-ended the ball over the defence and Schurrle swept the ball past Ryan.

Brighton were profligate again ten minutes into the restart when Davy Propper’s through pass sent March clear but with only Bettinelli to beat he went for power and shot well over the bar.

And yet again, Brighton paid. Dunk’s attempt at a backpass was a perfect through ball to Mitrovic. Ryan blocked his first shot but had no chance with the follow-up.

That felt like that but Brighton halved the arrears six minutes later. Schurrle’s poor pass was picked off by Knockaert who charged forward and seemed intent on shooting. But instead he passed diagonally to Murray, who clipped the ball home.

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And there was further drama seven minutes from time as Mitrovic, attempting to control a drooping ball in his own penalty area, handled needlessly. Murray stepped up this time and buried it.

Fulham substitute Ryan Sessegnon might have restored their lead when he wriggled through late on but He shot too close to Ryan and the Australia goalkeeper fell on the ball.

Brighton & Hove Albion (4-4-1-1): Ryan 7; Montoya 7, Duffy 6, Dunk 5, Bong 7; Knockaert 6 (Jahanbakhsh 73), Propper 6 (Locadia 73), Stephens 6, March 6; Gross 5 (Bissouma 59); Murray 5.

Fulham (4-2-3-1): Bettinelli 8; Fosu-Mensah 5, Odoi 6, Mawson 6, Le Marchand 6; Seri 8, McDonald 7, Anguissa 6 (Johansen 73); Vietto 5 (Sessegnon 73), Mitrovic 5, Schurrle 6 (Chambers 86).