As the table below shows, Brighton have been the most clinical team in theAlthough it’s a small sample size, that’s a big improvement on the overall xG performance of -2.3 last season, even though De Zerbi’s adventurous approach was rewarded with a goals total that was comfortably the highest in Brighton’s six completed seasons in the Premier League.. Again for context, the sample size is small, but the figure of 16.1 for Brighton is a substantial rise on last season’s average of 11.75.
It’s a fresh alliance, which needs honing. A focal point was lacking without Welbeck or Ferguson; instead, Fati and Joao Pedro operated as split strikers, the former left of centre, the latter right of centre. He did have a shot in the first half, an angled drive inside the area with his right foot, pushed for a corner by keeper Cican Stankovic. But the scoring was left to Joao Pedro, who converted two penalties he earned, awarded after VAR reviews.