Brighton 2-2 Leicester: Seagulls pegged back twice by relegation-doomed Foxes in major blow to their European hopes

Leicester goals are like London buses. Having not scored for eight games, Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s beleaguered Foxes twice came from behind to claim an unlikely point at Brighton.

The next stop is still certain to be a one-way ticket to the Championship but finally, Van Nistelrooy at least saw this players show heart.

The ramifications of this result are far more significant for Brighton, whose chances of a place in Europe next season have become more remote, winless as they are in the last four games.

‘I wouldn’t say that it’s over but we shouldn’t talk about Europe if we play like this,’ said a frustrated Fabian Hurzeler.

‘We were Too naïve, not mature enough and don’t react well during setbacks in the game, therefore we didn’t deserve to win.’

Both of their goals were penalties. Awarded thanks to VAR and expertly dispatched by Joao Pedro but it was Leicester’s Stehpy Mavididi who was the game’s best player, a constant torment to Brighton’s defence down the left.

Stephy Mavididi ended Leicester’s run of 885 minutes without a goal in the Premier League

Fabian Hurzeler’s side failed to gain ground on teams ahead who have games in hand to play

Van Nistelrooy said: ‘He was excellent. He showed that he wants to play for this club, that he wants to fight for the club. Consistency is the challenge for him. Him, Casey McAteer, they are the kind of players you want to build things around for the future.

‘It was an excellent performance where two cycles have been broken – thank God – on the goals and on the results.’

It was all Brighton from the outset. Last week, Danny Welbeck became Albion’s all-time Premier League top scorer after scoring against Crystal Palace and he saw an early shot deflected into the grateful arms of Mads Hermansen in an otherwise quiet game.

Just as the Foxes seemed to be getting a bit of a foothold in the game, they conceded the penalty when Conor Coady blatantly handled Simon Adingra’s goal-bound shot after Previs Estupinan got down the left and pulled the ball back.

The most remarkable thing was that VAR was needed to intervene after Darren Bond had not spotted it initially, so obvious was Coady’s guilt. Joao Pedro coolly converted into the bottom left corner.

Straight after another Brighton attack, Leicester did the unthinkable and scored. Lewis Dunk made the initial mistake, losing the ball on the halfway line from where the ball was worked out to Mavididi. Dunk had recovered to block his first shot but the Leicester winger scored from the rebound, driving the ball low under Bart Verbruggen.

On the stroke of half time Matt O’Riley smacked a shot against the base of the post as Brighton were left frustrated.

The pattern continued into the second half and O’Riley was soon denied again, this time by the heel of Hermansen after being put through by Yankuba Minteh.

Further first-half symmetry played out when VAR again awarded Brighton a penalty, this time for Luke Thomas pulling O’Riley’s shirt as he tried to get on the end of Adingra’s cross. Once again, Joao Pedro was unerring and the Seagulls led.

Leicester equalised from a free-quick, beautifully swung in from El Khannouss and firmly met by the head of Caleb Okoli.

They had all the momentum and came agonisingly close to winning it when El Khannouss deftly curled his shot against the far post, with boos ringing out from the home stands at full time.