**Tottenham Squanders Lead in 3-2 Defeat at Brighton: Player Ratings**

Tottenham Hotspur suffered a damaging 3-2 defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on Sunday. Despite an early lead, Spurs couldn't hold on as they succumbed to mounting pressure from the hosts.

The match saw Tottenham come in with high confidence, riding on a five-game winning streak across all competitions. Just days after their Europa League victory over Ferencvaros, manager Ange Postecoglou fielded the same starting XI that recently secured a 3-0 win at Manchester United.

Tottenham struck first within 24 minutes when James Maddison intercepted a ball high up the field and passed it to Dominic Solanke. Solanke then fed Brennan Johnson, who clinically finished to continue his scoring streak, making it six goals in six games.

The visitors doubled their lead before halftime. Timo Werner created space on the left and set up Maddison, whose shot managed to slip through the hands of Brighton's goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen. Spurs looked in control but were soon found wanting during the second half.

Brighton pulled a goal back shortly after the break, capitalizing on defensive errors. Micky van de Ven fluffed an interception, and Destiny Udogie's misjudged clearance allowed Yankuba Minteh to slot the ball into the net.

Brighton then equalized, courtesy of Kaouru Mitoma, who bypassed weak defending to find Georginio Rutter. Rutter weaved past half-hearted challenges and buried his shot into the bottom corner. Five minutes later, Danny Welbeck headed in expertly after Udogie and Rodrigo Bentancur failed to thwart Rutter’s run.

Here's how the Spurs players fared:
- **Goalkeeper**: Made a couple of saves but was beaten by all three of Brighton's goals. Rating: 5
- **Defenders**: Varied performances, with one notably poor showing from Udogie. Rating: 3-5
- **Midfielders**: Maddison impressed in the first half but struggled in the second. Rating: 4-7
- **Forwards**: Brennan Johnson’s early goal was a standout, but he, like others, faded. Rating: 6

In the end, Tottenham's initial vigor was countered by Brighton's resolve and tactical changes, highlighting the need for Spurs to maintain focus and consistency throughout the full 90 minutes.