Danny Welbeck delivered the decisive winner late on as Brighton snatched a crucial 2-1 win over fellow European hopefuls Bournemouth on Tuesday.
Veteran forward Welbeck scored within four minutes of his introduction, calmly finishing with his left foot to grasp Brighton's third straight Premier League win and boost their European charge.
Kepa Arrizabalaga had earlier clumsily felled Joao Pedro, who opened the scoring with a 12th-minute penalty at the Amex Stadium, to offer Fabian Hurzeler's in-form side a great start.
However, Justin Kluivert levelled with a stunning effort just past the hour, becoming the first Bournemouth player to score 10 Premier League away goals in a single campaign.
Brighton were reeling but then delivered their counter-attacking blow with 15 minutes remaining, Georginio Rutter teeing up Welbeck to fire past Kepa via the inside of the post.
It could have been a different story, though, if not for Bart Verbruggen producing a decisive stop from close range against Dango Outtara with the scores level at 1-1.
Yet Verbruggen's heroics, coupled with Welbeck's vital impact from the bench, saw Brighton move into eighth, level on points with seventh-placed Bournemouth as the European race hots up in the top flight.
Brighton win 3 matches in a row #BHABOU pic.twitter.com/7nX7lP4GBt
— Premier League (@premierleague) February 25, 2025
Data Debrief: Brighton toast Welbeck's record-equalling success
Brighton will feel this victory was a deserved reward for their first-half showing, having accumulated 2.33 expected goals to Bournemouth's 1.48 across the entire match.
Hurzeler's side were indebted to Welbeck, however, as the veteran striker scored his 30th goal in the Premier League for Brighton, the joint-most for the club in the competition's history along with Pascal Gross.
Indeed, only in 2011-12 and 2013-14 (both nine) has Welbeck scored more goals in a top-flight campaign than his seven this season.
The defeat will have felt unjust for Kluivert, whose 10 goals away from home this term can only be bettered by Mohamed Salah (16) among Premier League players.
It also marked an unwanted first for Bournemouth as they lost back-to-back league games for the first time since November, and their three defeats in the last four are as many as they had suffered in their previous 18.