Brighton & Hove Albion striker Danny Welbeck made an instant impact off the bench by scoring the winner in his side's 2-1 home victory over Bournemouth in the Premier League on Tuesday as both sides chase European football for next season.
Welbeck had only been on the field two minutes when he ran onto Georginio Rutter's through ball and placed his shot beyond goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and in off the post in the 75th.
Joao Pedro gave Brighton a 12th-minute lead with a penalty after being brought down by Arrizabalaga but Bournemouth, who could have gone into the top four with a win, levelled just past the hour with a superb curling effort from Justin Kluivert.
Brighton's fourth win in a row in all competitions lifted them to eighth with 43 points from 27 games and firmly in the hunt for a European place.
It's four consecutive wins in all competitions for the Seagulls ✅✅✅✅
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) February 25, 2025
They go level on points with Bournemouth on the Premier League table 📈#SSPL | #BHABOU pic.twitter.com/YzFDyYOd1a
Bournemouth's third defeat in four league games left them in seventh place, above Brighton on goal difference.
In a congested upper half of the table, only five points separate Aston Villa in 10th from Nottingham Forest in third.
The 34-year-old Welbeck enjoyed a hot scoring streak in October but had not registered in his last 13 appearances for Brighton. But he chose the perfect time to end that drought.
"You always have to believe you can make an impact," the former Manchester United and Arsenal forward told TNT Sports.
"Watching the game I was analysing where I could make a difference and when Georginio picked the ball up in midfield I knew he had the ability to slip it through."
Bournemouth had begun the game strongly with Ryan Christie forcing a fine save by Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, although Christie went off injured in the first half.
But Kaoru Mitoma went close for the hosts before Arrizabalaga clipped the onrushing Joao Pedro, who got up and tucked away his penalty.
Mitoma volleyed against the post from another flowing Brighton move but Bournemouth responded well after the break.
Dangerman Kluivert produced a moment of brilliance to come in from the left and smash a right-footed shot past Verbruggen for his 12th league goal of the season.
Bournemouth sensed a win with substitute Alex Scott denied from close range by Verbruggen but it was Welbeck who stole the show with a calm and assured finish.
"We worked our socks off and that's what's required in this league," he said. "We have a nice run going now and every week we have to just focus on the next game."
It proved a frustrating night for Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola as for the second successive game his side squandered the chance to move into the Champions League qualifying places.
"We were as good if not better than Brighton but it's about scoring and in that they were better than us," he said.
Both clubs switch their focus to the FA Cup fifth round at the weekend with Bournemouth hosting Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brighton away to Newcastle United.