Bournemouth 0-2 Brighton & Hove Albion: Evan Ferguson flick boosts Seagulls' top-four hopes
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Evan Ferguson opened the scoring having missed the weekend's game with injury
Brighton are "dreaming of playing in Europe" after a 2-0 victory against Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium boosted their Champions League hopes.
Evan Ferguson opened the scoring with his left heel, before Julio Enciso scored in second-half stoppage time
Brighton are four points off fourth-placed Tottenham with two games in hand - and face Spurs away this Saturday.
Manager Roberto de Zerbi said: "We have to keep mentality and humility, but we want to dream and to achieve Europe."
De Zerbi's side have lost just one of their past 11 Premier League matches and are unbeaten away from home since October.
Another victory on the road at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium could be huge in their pursuit of Champions League football.
"We all know how important Saturday's game is, so we will try our best to win it. We are dreaming of playing in Europe," Enciso said after the game.
They had a worrying moment when midfielder Moises Caicedo was forced off injured in the second half after landing awkwardly on his ankle, although the club tweeted, external that the Ecuadorian will be available to take on Spurs
Bournemouth meanwhile fall back into the bottom three. The Cherries are one of four sides on 27 points in the Premier League, but sit 18th below West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Everton on goal difference.
Manager Gary O'Neil told Match of the Day: "The consequences are if you don't take your chances, you have to push hard and you can get caught. Their boy takes a really difficult chance, we had some good chances we didn't take."
Ferguson's fabulous flick
If there was buzz around 18-year-old Ferguson before, it will become more of a roar now after the Irish striker's latest demonstration that he is the real deal.
After 28 minutes, Ferguson was found by a low cross from Kaoru Mitoma after Pervis Estupinan's initial ball was blocked.
The Brighton number 28, finding space 12 yards out, superbly flicked the ball just inside the far post with his left heel, beating Bournemouth goalkeeper Neto with guile and placement.
Having missed the 3-3 draw at home to Brentford on Saturday with an unspecified injury, Brighton manager De Zerbi can only hope to have Ferguson fully fit for the remainder of the season as the Seagulls continue their unlikely tilt at a Champions League spot.
Brighton want to 'dream' of Europe - De Zerbi
"Evan is an amazing player," Brighton midfielder Alexis Mac Allister said. "He was not having his best evening, but he showed his quality. We are really happy for him, we know how important he is."
Brighton cannot afford to do without Mitoma either - his assist means the Japanese winger has now been directly involved in 11 goals in his last 15 league appearances, scoring seven and creating four.
Were it not for a fine series of second-half saves from Neto, Brighton would have won this game more comfortably before Enciso collected Pascal Gross' fine pass, turned Bournemouth debutant Ilya Zabarnyi and slotted home from six yards.
With now just one defeat in 15 games across all competitions in 2023, Brighton simply cannot be counted out of the top-four race.
O'Neil has 'every faith' Bournemouth will stay up
Wasteful Bournemouth fall to defeat
Bournemouth have conceded 57 goals in the Premier League this season - the most of any side.
While their issues in defence are well documented, it was wastefulness in front of goal that let Gary O'Neil's side down.
They responded well to going behind, with Dominic Solanke twice denied by Jason Steele before the half-time break before coming close twice shortly after the interval.
Hamad Traore - who alongside teammate Dango Ouattara broke his Ramadan fast in a pause three minutes into this game - poked wide from 15 yards having been played through one-on-one by Jefferson Lerma.
Lerma then had a crisp 25-yard half-volley tipped over the bar by former Middlesbrough keeper Steele on 52 minutes.
Ultimately Bournemouth fell short, fell back into the bottom three, and like Brighton have a potentially season-defining game at the weekend when they travel to fellow strugglers Leicester, who lost 2-1 at home to Midlands rivals Aston Villa.
Neto told Premier League Productions that he believes Bournemouth can stay up.
"If we keep this level, 100%," he said. "Not all teams play like Brighton, and we created chances against a very good team. The situation is not the best but we have a big game Saturday [vs Leicester] and have to play like we did today."
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