At a glance
- Roy Keane accused Brighton of underestimating Leeds
- Brighton dominated with 19 shots and eight on target
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored dramatic late winner
Roy Keane did not hold back after Brighton & Hove Albion suffered a crushing late defeat at Leeds United on Saturday afternoon.
But while Keane questioned Brighton’s mentality and accused Fabian Hurzeler’s side of failing to cope with Elland Road, many Albion supporters will feel the pundit’s assessment completely overlooked what actually unfolded on the pitch.
Brighton dominated huge stretches of the contest, finishing with 19 shots and eight on target, while repeatedly pinning Leeds back inside their own half. The only thing missing was the finishing touch.
Instead, it was Dominic Calvert-Lewin who delivered the decisive moment, scoring deep into stoppage time to snatch a dramatic 1-0 win for Leeds against the run of play.
Brighton left stunned after late sucker punch
For long periods it felt like a matter of when, not if, Brighton would score.
Albion controlled possession, created the better openings and forced Leeds goalkeeper Karl Darlow into several important saves throughout the afternoon.
Even Peter Schmeichel was left stunned by one first half stop from Darlow as Leeds somehow survived wave after wave of Brighton pressure.
Leeds defended bravely and remained dangerous on the counter attack, but Brighton were unquestionably the side asking most of the questions.
That only made the ending even more painful.
With the match drifting towards a draw, Calvert-Lewin struck in injury time to send Elland Road into celebration and leave Brighton players collapsed on the turf in disbelief.
Read more: Brighton suffer late Leeds defeat in blow to Europe hopes
Roy Keane’s comments spark frustration
Speaking on Sky Sports after the match, Keane claimed Brighton failed to show enough initiative and suggested they underestimated the challenge of playing Leeds away from home.
Introducing his verdict, Keane argued that Brighton needed to “mix it up” more despite their dominance in territory and chances created.
“Obviously, Leeds are the home team, they have had an eventful season, and they want to finish on a high,” Keane said on Sky Sports.
“But Brighton needed to take the initiative, you look at the options off the bench.”
“If they want to try to get in the Champions League, with Manchester United at home next week, they have to go for it.”
Keane then delivered the line that is certain to frustrate Brighton supporters.
“When you go to Leeds, the idea that you can just turn up and outplay Leeds and be nice and tidy? Leeds were always going to make it hard for them.”
“They had to mix it up better, they had to show more quality in the final third, and really go for it.”
“But huge credit to Leeds, they made it very hard for them.”
Brighton fans may feel Roy Keane ignored the bigger picture
There is no doubt Brighton lacked ruthlessness in front of goal and ultimately paid the price for not converting their pressure into a lead.
That much is fair.
But the suggestion they simply tried to “turn up and outplay Leeds” feels harsh considering the relentless pressure Hurzeler’s side applied throughout much of the game.
Brighton registered 19 shots with eight on target and spent long periods camped around the Leeds penalty area. On another day, Albion could easily have scored three or four.
Instead, they were punished by football’s harshest lesson. Dominate the chances, fail to take them and risk losing everything with one late moment at the other end.
Also read: Leeds vs Brighton: The last five meetings
European hopes take a painful hit
The defeat leaves Brighton facing huge pressure heading into the final game of the season as they continue fighting for European qualification.
A win at Elland Road would have strengthened their position significantly, making the manner of defeat even more frustrating.
For Leeds, the victory keeps alive hopes of a top half finish in an impressive first season back in the Premier League.
For Brighton, though, this will feel like an opportunity painfully thrown away rather than a team that simply failed to cope with Elland Road.
Follow all the latest Brighton & Hove Albion news through Read Brighton.
