Brighton 2-0 Brentford: Gómez and Groß on target as the Seagulls move up to second

Brighton beat 10-man Brentford 2-0 at the Amex Stadium to climb to second place in the Premier League.

Diego Gómez once again played a key role in his side's success with a superb strike from outside the box. Brentford's hopes of getting anything from the game were then badly damaged midway through the first half when Igor Thiago was shown a straight red card for violent conduct.

Pascal Groß then doubled the lead from the penalty spot, effectively settling the contest before half-time, and Brentford had no answer to those goals.

Brighton started the game on the front foot. Maxim De Cuyper headed just over the crossbar.

It was not long before Gómez took centre stage. The Paraguayan, who has produced a string of highlight-reel goals this season, unleashed a stunning left-footed strike into the corner, leaving goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher helpless.

Things fell apart completely for Brentford when Thiago was sent off following a VAR review that found he had struck Chema Andrés hard in the face.

The visitors, playing their 200th Premier League match, saw their troubles mount when Keane Lewis-Potter brought down Luka Vušković at a corner and a penalty was awarded against them. Groß stepped up in the 42nd minute and calmly doubled the lead with a neat finish to send his side in at the break comfortably ahead.

The hosts remained in control after the interval. De Cuyper came close to a third goal, first with an acrobatic effort and then with a header. Yasin Ayari was also unable to convert his chances, and the match ended 2-0.

Fabian Hürzeler's side, playing a fifth successive away game across three different competitions, showed they had lost none of their intensity despite the congested schedule. Brighton kept up their pressing high up the pitch throughout and, having scored in 9 of their 10 Premier League matches this season, remain the league's top scorers with 26 goals.

Hürzeler's side, who did not allow their opponents a single shot on target and kept a clean sheet, also maintained their record of winning every league match this season in which they have not conceded.