Mbeumo at the double as Brentford see off 10-man Brighton in six-goal thriller

If both Brentford and Brighton currently appear part of the Premier League furniture, being established in the top tier is a contract written in disappearing ink. Their owners, Matthew Benham and Tony Bloom, estranged former associates, have cracked the alchemy of the transfer market, and are much admired for doing so. Taking the next step forward is a yet more difficult discipline, proving much harder for both.

In the battle between teams kicking off in 10th and 11th, Brentford were more progressive, dangerous and calm, only to weather a late storm from an opponent down to 10 men to win 4-2. Christian Nørgaard’s injury-time header from Mathias Jensen’s cross completed victory in a chaotic game, closed out with over 20 minutes of added time after a late collision between Yunus Konak and Jan Paul van Hecke. Brighton’s Dutch defender was carried off while being treated with oxygen and in a neck brace.

Beating Brighton for only the second time in their Premier League rivalry was highly welcome for Brentford. Their distant challenge for Europe is revived via the partnership of Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa, the Cameroon forward scoring twice, the Congolese once though the three goals saw the partnership acting in tandem.

In Brighton’s case, having spent £200m last summer, a Conference League position would have been at the lower end of hopes but is now unlikely. Too many Brighton players have lost form at a vital juncture, too few of last summer’s arrivals have shone. Fabian Hürzeler, in his first top-flight season, might learn plenty from the wiles of Thomas Frank.

Brighton cannot say they were not warned. As is customary, though having already watched Matt O’Riley drift a free-kick over Mark Flekken’s bar, Brentford quickly threw themselves at the task in hand. Wissa forced an early save from the foot of Bart Verbruggen. Keane Lewis-Potter has won admirers for his repurposing as an attacking left-back, and from his right-foot pass, Mbeumo surged beyond Brighton’s sleepy defence to score.

Brighton might have quickly levelled had Yankuba Minteh got his angles correct. The opposition were not lacking in vulnerability. Each of Brentford’s past five Premier League wins had come away, and they were winless in eight at a ground previously a fortress in early season. Dallying from Nathan Collins in his back-pass to Flekken almost let in Danny Welbeck, only for the veteran’s touch to fail him.

Brighton were dominating possession and territory but their forward line was a blunt object, both Welbeck and João Pedro active without much danger. Brighton were visiting west London’s fringes on the back of a winless, four-game run, having last won away at Southampton in February.

Christian Nørgaard heads Brentford’s fourth goal in stoppage time. Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Action Images/Reuters

Brentford seemed likelier, and Mbeumo, sure to be a talking horse in the summer’s transfer business, chose to pass when he might have shot. Instead, Welbeck, surely Brighton’s player of the season, scored the equaliser on the stroke of half-time. Minteh’s ball back to Mats Wieffer gave the Dutchman time and space to find his man ahead of a toiling Collins.

Brighton again failed to cope with their forewarning of Brentford starting halves with intention. Within three minutes, they fell behind. Mikkel Damsgaard’s pass found Wissa, who instinctively laid the ball into Mbeumo, the shot deflecting off Lewis Dunk’s chest beyond Verbruggen. Frank’s determination that his team do not sit on leads saw his team – and not Brighton – pushing harder for the next. A sweeping move soon cut Brighton to ribbons, Damgsaard fading his pass out to Mbeumo and he returned the favour to Wissa whose shot deflected again off the unfortunate Dunk.

Following that, the lack of discipline that cost Brighton their chance of revival. Moments before his tangle with Collins, João Pedro had fluffed a chance. He took out his frustrations with a flailing petulant swipe. Hürzeler, who has suffered his own disciplinary issues this season, kept his own counsel, staying on the bench once Tim Robinson, the referee, had waved red.

When Welbeck was subbed off for Yasin Ayari, Brighton fans loudly questioned whether their manager knew what he was doing, why their team had no striker. Kaoru Mitoma’s poked finish from Jack Hinshelwood’s pass briefly revived spirits and faith, as did eight added minutes, only for them to be extinguished by Nørgaard, embodying Frank’s belief there can always be more goals.