Brighton's stunning start: Gomez halfway-line goal and 23-goal tally fuel optimism
Diego Gomez's 51-metre strike against Crystal Palace capped a remarkable scoring run for Brighton, whose 23 league goals trail only Barcelona among Europe's top five leagues.
Brighton's emphatic 5-0 win over rivals Crystal Palace featured a goal that has already overshadowed Lewis Dunk's September goal-of-the-month effort. Paraguay midfielder Diego Gomez, 23, spotted goalkeeper Walter Benitez off his line and struck from 51 metres in the seventh minute, putting the Seagulls 2-0 up at the Amex. Benitez raced back and dived but could not prevent the ball going in just under the crossbar, a goal described as the furthest long-range Premier League strike since Wayne Rooney's 58m effort for Everton in November 2017.
Dunk, whose 35-yard stunner against Coventry had won the September award, joked that Gomez had taken the club goal-of-the-season honour from him. Former Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given, a Match of the Day pundit, compared the goal to David Beckham's famous effort against Wimbledon in 1996 and defended Benitez's positioning, saying the goalkeeper's high line was fine and credit belonged to Gomez. Gomez admitted he did not know where to run after scoring but was delighted with the strike.
Brighton's attacking output has drawn wider attention. Their 23 top-flight goals are four more than league leaders Manchester City and more than double the 11 of reigning champions Arsenal, and among Europe's top five leagues only Barcelona, with 39, have scored more domestic league goals. Ten different players have found the net for Fabian Hurzeler's side, who sit third with 16 points from seven matches and have also impressed in the Carabao Cup and Conference League.
Hurzeler, however, is refusing to entertain title talk. He stressed the need to stay humble, noting the season is long and his team must understand why they are succeeding in order to keep pushing. He also sought to keep Gomez grounded, saying he does not train 50-metre shots and that the most important thing is improving small, easy passes the team missed. The context is striking: when Palace won 1-0 at the Amex in February, Brighton were 14th and home fans chanted for the manager's dismissal.
Supporters' hopes are rising, though the upcoming schedule offers a stern test. Brighton's next five matches are all away, including league trips to Liverpool and Manchester City, a return to the Etihad in the Carabao Cup last 16, and Conference League fixtures against Jablonec and Getafe. Given noted that European competition will take its toll and cited Leicester in 2016 and Blackburn in 1995 as rare examples, while pointing to Brighton's set-piece record. Their credentials will be clearer when they host Brentford on 8 November.
Image: Getty Images / BBC Sport
