Stoke City 2-4 Brighton & Hove Albion: Joao Pedro double seals win for Seagulls

Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi didn’t know who Joao Pedro was when the club spent a record £30m on the Brazilian in the summer.

Of Premier League players, only Erling Haaland (19) and Mo Salah (18) have scored more this season. He is level with Glenn Murray’s club tally from 2018-19, with only Michael Robinson ahead of him in a Brighton season as a top-flight club with his 22 goals in 1980-81.

“The credit for Joao Pedro goes to the club,” said De Zerbi. “The recruitment department told me the name of Joao. I didn’t know him before he came with us.

“He is improving but I would like him to start the game in the beginning not in the second half.”

Stoke had not beaten a Premier League team in the FA Cup since they reached the final in 2011 but were on track to do exactly that for half an hour after Jan Paul van Hecke turned Bae Junho’s low cross into his own net.

But another spectacular effort from Pervis Estupinan and a close range header from skipper Lewis Dunk in a seven minute spell either side of the interval turned the contest on its head.

Lewis Baker did level from the penalty spot following a Dunk handball but by that point, Brighton were dominating possession and Joao Pedro did the rest, nodding home Pascal Gross’ precise cross before sliding in send the ball past Stoke debutant Daniel Iversen after Van Hecke had delivered the low square ball 10 minutes from time.

Semi-finalists last season, Brighton remain alive in three competitions, having already reached the last-16 of the Europa League.

It was Stoke’s first defeat since Steve Schumacher took over as manager on 19 December, although staying in the second tier was always their major target.

Brighton stars catch the eye

De Zerbi knows it is a fact of life at Brighton that their players get courted by the biggest clubs each summer.

Estupinan and Joao Pedro are certain to be targeted in 2024.

The former cost the Seagulls £15m when he joined them from Villarreal 18 months ago. It is fair to assume the fee would be significantly higher if anyone can persuade Brighton to sell a player who still has three-and-a-half years left on his contract.

Against Tottenham on 28 December, the 25-year-old arguably scored the Premier League goal of the Christmas period with his spectacular dipping effort against Tottenham.

His latest strike was not quite in that category but it was still sensational.

Controlling a nod down from Billy Gilmour, Estupinan read the bounce before delivering a ferocious shot into the corner from 25 yards. It was a goal to grace any game and underlined what Brighton have been missing during his three month absence with knee and hamstring problems.

As for Joao Pedro, Brighton paid a club record £30m to Watford for him in May.

De Zerbi refused to push him too quickly and limited the 22-year-old to just a couple of Premier League starts in the opening months of the season.

But as injuries started to bite into the Italian’s squad, so his big-money forward has taken responsibility.

While De Zerbi’s decision to replace Joao Pedro with Adam Lallana seven minutes from time denied him the possibility of a hat-trick, his second double in three indicates a man in form as Brighton begin a January break that extends to an unprecedented 16 days before they entertain Wolves on 22 January.

“I love Joao Pedro and I know his potential,” said the Italian. “I know how he can improve and become important for us. For us this level of performance is enough but I think he can reach a higher level and to reach that level he can play better.”