Highlights: Brighton beat Sunderland despite controversial Struijk red card

Emma Smith
BBC Sport journalist

Brighton maintained their strong pre-international break form with victory at Sunderland, despite playing half an hour with 10 men in controversial circumstances.

Goals from Maxim de Cuyper and Jaouen Hadjam meant the Seagulls stay third in the table - two points behind joint-leaders Manchester City and Arsenal.

Pascal Gross yet again was the provider for the 53rd-minute opener, a slide-rule pass out to the left to find de Cuyper who slid a low finish past home keeper Robin Roefs.

The game was almost turned on its head just four minutes later after Wilson Isidor went down under pressure from Brighton defender Pascal Struijk, who was the last man as the Sunderland forward tried to run on to a through-ball.

Neither referee Thomas Bramall nor his assistant gave a foul initially, but video assistant referee (VAR) Neil Davies intervened and called the match official to the screen. After watching the replay multiple times, Bramall gave Struijk a straight red card to disbelief from the visitors.

Brighton fended off the 11 men, however, and added a second in stoppage time when left-back Hadjam finished a counter-attack with a low strike across Roefs for his first goal for the club.

Struijk had earlier come close to an opener with the final touch of the first half. Sunderland's defence went to sleep from a Brighton free-kick, allowing the ex-Leeds centre-back a free header which bounced off the far post.

Despite the debatable red card, Fabian Hurzeler's men earned their third straight league success, while Sunderland suffered a fourth loss in six league games and third in succession. They are 16th in the table, but could end the weekend in the relegation zone.

Brighton analysis: Gross matches Giggs mark

Fabian Hurzeler praises Brighton's defensive mindset

Brighton came into this match as the league's top scorers and the form side in the division before the international break.

And after scoring 10 goals without reply, they have earned three successive league victories for the first time in eight years.

The fact they battled through, following a tight first half and Struijk's red card, will make this one particularly sweet.

Only Joao Pedro has been involved in more top-flight goals than Gross this season - and while Sunderland successfully nullified the veteran German creator for 45 minutes, he would not be denied after the break.

He now has seven goal involvements in six league matches and became the oldest player to provide an assist in three successive Premier League games since Manchester United's Ryan Giggs, aged 38 years and 68 days, in February 2012.

The fitness of the 35-year-old will be crucial in a busy period for Brighton, with this the first of seven matches in 21 days.

Sunderland analysis: Brobbey-less Black Cats blunted

Regis le Bris reflects on Sunderland's defeat

Few Premier League managers will feel more antagonistic towards the extended international window than Sunderland boss Regis le Bris.

Star striker Brian Brobbey, who scored a hat-trick at Manchester City in the final league match before the break, suffered a minor hamstring injury playing in the Netherlands' draw with Germany.

The Dutch forward, along with starting centre-back Dan Ballard and key midfielder Habib Diarra, was ruled out of this match as Le Bris' squad was left thin just before a busy period including Europa League commitments.

Without Brobbey, Sunderland struggled to create many clear chances - even while playing against 10 men for more than 30 minutes.

Their injury worries deepened here with veteran wide man Thomas Meunier forced off in the first half with a knock.

Black Cats supporters have been clamouring for Malick Fofana to start matches, but even when the Belgian winger came off the bench he was unable to sharpen a worryingly blunt frontline.

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