Danny Welbeck made an instant impact off the bench by scoring the wining goal for his side’s 2-1 home victory over Bournemouth in the Premier League on Tuesday as both sides chase European football for next season.
Welbeck had only been on the field two minutes when he ran onto Georginio Rutter’s through ball and placed his shot beyond goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and in off the post in the 75th.
Joao Pedro gave Brighton a 12th-minute lead with a penalty after being brought down by Arrizabalaga but Bournemouth, who could have gone into the top four with a win, levelled just past the hour with a superb curling effort from Justin Kluivert.
Brighton’s fourth win in a row in all competitions lifted them to eighth with 43 points from 27 games and firmly in the hunt for a European place.
Bournemouth’s third defeat in four league games left them in seventh place, above Brighton on goal difference.
The 34-year-old Welbeck enjoyed a hot scoring streak in October but had not registered in his last 13 appearances for Brighton. But he chose the perfect time to end that drought.
Bournemouth had begun the game strongly with Ryan Christie forcing a fine save by Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, although Christie went off injured in the first half.
But Kaoru Mitoma went close for the hosts before Arrizabalaga clipped the onrushing Joao Pedro, who got up and tucked away his penalty.
Dangerman Kluivert produced a moment of brilliance to come in from the left and smash a right-footed shot past Verbruggen for his 12th league goal of the season.
Bournemouth sensed a win with substitute Alex Scott denied from close range by Verbruggen but it was Welbeck who stole the show with a calm and assured finish.