Maupay saves the day late on for Brighton against Southampton

Graham Potter had to make four changes to his team that drew to West Ham United on Wednesday night due to injury.

Jeremy Sarmiento, Adam Lallana, Adam Webster and captain Lewis Dunk all missed out on the game against the Saints.

Shane Duffy, Dan Burn, Tariq Lamptey and Enock Mwepu all came into the team to replace the injured players.

The hosts started the better side and put Albion under some early pressure.

Broja and Burn challenge for the ball

Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was the hero as he pulled off a double save to deny Armando Broja and Che Adams to keep the scores level.

Albion did build themselves back into the game and almost took the lead as Leandro Trossard and Enock Mwepu had efforts well saved by Alex McCarthy in the Saints goal.

Broja was proving to be a real thorn in the side of the Seagulls as he looked dangerous every time he got on the ball.

In the 27th minute, he gave Southampton the lead. After a poor ball out from Sanchez, the Saints came straight back at Albion’s penalty box.

Broja beat Duffy and Sanchez to the ball as they both hesitated through some poor communication.

The striker then cut the ball back onto his left foot with a really good bit of skill, taking Duffy out of the game, and then slotted into the bottom corner.

• READ MORE: Brighton’s Jeremy Sarmiento’s father praises club for quick response

Albion did try to get back into the game but struggled to break down a resilient Saints defence.

Trossard had another effort saved by McCarthy and Neal Maupay had an effort blocked by Mohamed Salisu.

Ralph Hasenhüttl side almost doubled their lead, but was let down by their own accuracy with efforts, Nathan Tella and Nathan Redmond.

In the 44th minute, Shane Duffy was the first man into Anthony Taylor’s book after a late challenge on Broja.

After the break, the Saints still looked the more dangerous and in the 49th minute almost doubled their lead.

Tino Livramento burst forward and pulled the ball back to Adams who could not find the target and the ball bounces just wide of Sanchez's left post.

A minute later the home side went close again as James Ward-Prowse fired a free kick towards the Albion goal from a tight angle on the left-hand side of the pitch.

The effort went just over the crossbar, and Sanchez might not have had it covered had it been on target.

Potter made his first change of the match in the 54th minute as he hauled off Pascal Gross and gave Aaron Connolly a chance to impress.

Albion then had one of their better chances of the match in the 55th minute as Yves Bissouma won the ball with his chest and beat two Saints players. The midfielder played the ball to Maupay who was allowed to turn and shoot. The striker's effort went about a yard wide of the Saints right post.

In the 62nd minute, Potter continued to show the club’s mentality of protecting Tariq Lamptey as he was replaced by Solly March.

Tella was the first Saints man into the book in the 68th minute after he caught Joel Veltman with an elbow during a jostle for the ball.

In the 75th minute the home side started to look dangerous again as Redmond almost played in Kyle Walker-Peters, however, March was there to cut out the pass and clear the ball via Sanchez.

Albion should have levelled the game in the 76th minute as a brilliant attacking move saw Connolly clear through on goal, instead of shooting he squared the ball to Maupay who could not get clear power on his shot and it was saved by McCarthy.

In the 78th minute Hassenhutl made his first change as he brought off the goalscorer Broja for summer signing Adam Armstrong.

There was a stoppage in play as birthday boy Leandro Trossard was forced off the pitch on a stretcher. Potter had used all of his subs so Albion would have to finish with ten men again.

Just as hope appeared to be dashed Albion were given one last chance to get something from the game.

Southampton gave away a free kick on the edge of the penalty area in the 98th minute.

Jakub Moder stood up to take it but could only fire against the wall. The ball came back to the midfielder who had another pop at goal.

The effort was stopped by his teammate Maupay, who controlled the ball and half-volleyed past McCarthy, to give Albion another point on the road.

Neal Maupay scores for Albion

Albion are back in action next weekend when they host Tottenham Hotspur at the Amex Stadium.