A confident Brighton side began the contest on the front foot, but it was the hosts who drew first blood thanks to Son Heung-min’s sensational 10th-minute strike.
The South Korea international cut inside from the left flank before unleashing an unstoppable curling effort into the top corner. While Son celebrated becoming the first Asian player to score 100 PL goals, the visitors quickly set about finding an equaliser.
Kaoru Mitoma looked to have levelled the contest, but he was penalised for controlling the ball with his arm and his strike was chalked off.
The undeterred visitors continued to surge forward with real purpose and tested Hugo Lloris in Spurs’ goal. First, Alexis Mac Allister forced the Frenchman into a smart save with a powerful effort from distance, and the Tottenham goalkeeper was required again just seconds later to push Moisés Caicedo’s driven strike onto the post.
The Brighton pressure finally told just after the half-hour mark though when Solly March’s deep corner found the unmarked Lewis Dunk, who produced a thumping header to restore parity.
Within 10 minutes of the restart, Danny Welbeck thought he had completed the Brighton turnaround, but his left-footed strike went in off Mac Allister’s right hand, ensuring Brighton had a goal disallowed for the second time of the afternoon.
With the match on a knife edge, the heightened tensions were reflected in the respective dugouts as a melee broke out on the touchline between the coaching staff, resulting in red cards for Cristian Stellini and Roberto De Zerbi for failing to control their technical areas.
Not long after Mitoma had strong appeals for a penalty waved away, Tottenham carved out a winning goal through their talisman, Kane.
Pierre-Emile Højbjerg’s neat cut-back found the run of the England captain, and he duly swept home his 23rd league goal of the season to earn a priceless victory.
Fifth-placed Spurs sit three points adrift of the top-four, albeit having played a game more than their rivals, while the Seagulls drop down to seventh position after a first PL defeat since February.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
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