Brighton & Hove Albion ended a run of eight Premier League matches without a win by beating Ipswich Town 2-0 at Portman Road.
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Second-half goals from Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter were enough to seal victory for the Seagulls, boosting their hopes of European qualification.
Ipswich did threaten in the first half as Liam Delap and Omari Hutchinson forced Bart Verbruggen into decent stops.
But Mitoma smuggled in an effort just short of the hour mark before Rutter's clever flick made the points safe nine minutes from time, taking Brighton up to ninth in the table.
They are just four points adrift of sixth-placed Manchester City, while Ipswich drop back into the relegation zone on goals scored, with Wolverhampton Wanderers moving back up to 17th despite Wednesday's 3-0 loss at Newcastle United.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 |
Chelsea
CHE
|
21 | +15 | 37 |
| 6 |
Man City
MCI
|
21 | +9 | 35 |
| 7 |
Aston Villa
AVL
|
21 | -1 | 35 |
| 8 |
Bournemouth
BOU
|
21 | +7 | 34 |
| 9 |
Brighton
BHA
|
21 | +3 | 31 |
How the match unfolded
The visitors started a quiet first half on the front foot but only had a long-range Mitoma shot to show for it. Christian Walton kept that one out comfortably, but his counterpart Verbruggen was busier at the other end of the pitch.
Ipswich grew in confidence as the half wore on, with Nathan Broadhead, Delap and Hutchinson all making the Brighton stopper work from distance but failing to find the breakthrough.
The Tractor Boys created the first clear chance of the second half, too, when Wes Burns' snapshot from a corner rolled wide.
But they were undone a couple of minutes later as Brighton took the lead. Yasin Ayari and Matt O'Riley combined to tee up Mitoma inside the box, and the winger's shot squeezed under Walton and into the net.
Fabian Hurzeler's side were in control from there, Joao Pedro forcing a good save from Walton before Rutter put the result beyond doubt, spinning to flick home from close range, with the on-field decision to award the goal confirmed after a VAR review for offside.
Tough lesson for Walton
Ipswich had taken four points from their previous two league matches against Chelsea and Fulham, matching their tally from their seven previous outings, and they showed glimpses of why in this match, particularly in the first half.
The Tractor Boys had avoided conceding a goal from open play in either of those matches, which coincided with the return of goalkeeper Walton to the starting XI.
Walton was generally in solid form again on Thursday, making three saves, but he will reflect that he could have done better with Mitoma's goal, the shot squeezing underneath his outstretched arm and into the net.
The 29-year-old has been a calming influence since replacing Arijanet Muric, who was between the sticks for a run of eight goals shipped in four matches prior to losing his place.
But the second half of Thursday's game demonstrated just how cruel the Premier League can be for a goalkeeper, and Walton must pick himself up quickly ahead of a daunting run of fixtures.
Man City and Liverpool are Ipswich's next two opponents, ahead of a huge six-pointer against Southampton on February 1.
Brighton find a way
Brighton have drawn far too many matches in their quest for European football, so a return to winning ways will come as a relief to Hurzeler.
The Seagulls had already finished all square against each of the league's bottom four clubs this season, drawing at home to Ipswich, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Southampton, as well as on the road at Leicester City last month.
And this was the type of match in which they could have been frustrated once more, with Ipswich putting plenty of pressure on in the first half.
But they finally proved that they have a side capable of beating teams towards the bottom of the table when a nicely worked move ended with Mitoma giving them the lead.
Rutter emerged from the bench to make it two, with Lewis Dunk, Yankuba Minteh and Danny Welbeck also producing impressive cameos to showcase Brighton's strength in depth.
Their dominant second-half display was a reminder of the class they possess, and they will head to Old Trafford to face United on Sunday in high spirits.
Club reports
Ipswich report | Brighton report
What the managers said:
Kieran McKenna: "It was a really even game until the first goal. In the first 60 minutes we were the more threatening side, we had the better opportunities and got into the better areas but it was a poor first goal and then the game went away from us.
"We lost belief in ourselves on the pitch, they brought on better subs and pushed on and they were the better side in the last 30 minutes."
Fabian Hurzeler: "It wasn't the best performance from us, but in the end, we controlled the game and were stable out of possession.
"We created more chances in the second half, so we deserved to win.
"I am happy about it. We have suffered in this period and this win should give us the belief and self confidence. Now we have to prepare for the next challenge."
Next PL fixtures
Key facts
Brighton have recorded their first Premier League win since a 2-1 victory over Bournemouth in November, ending an eight-game winless run in the competition.
Ipswich have lost four of their last five league matches at Portman Road (W1), while only Southampton (8) and Wolves (7) have lost more home Premier League matches this season than the Tractor Boys (6).
Only Liverpool (1) and Arsenal (2) have lost fewer Premier League matches this season than Brighton (4), while the Seagulls have recorded 31 points from their 21 matches so far this season, the third successive campaign they’ve had 30+ points, after failing to do so in any of their first five Premier League seasons.
Rutter’s goal for Brighton was their sixth via a substitute in the Premier League this season, with only Bournemouth (11) and Fulham (8) scoring more in the competition this campaign.
