Leandro Trossard's strike in the second half proved the difference as Brighton & Hove Albion returned to winning ways with a crucial victory at Southampton.

Lewis Dunk’s header had put the Seagulls ahead in the first half, only for Che Adams to draw the Saints level before half time.

And Trossard finished a superb move for Brighton after the break for his third goal of the campaign to move the Seagulls clear of the bottom three.

Southampton made five changes from their midweek defeat at Manchester City, including the return of Kyle Walker-Peters at full back and Ibahima Diallo in midfield.

Brighton, meanwhile, started the game playing 4-4-2 with Danny Welbeck and Neal Maupay leading the front line for the Seagulls, who had Adam Lallana complete 90 minutes on his return to St. Mary's.

The first real opportunity fell to the hosts, as Walker-Peters drove forwards and found Adams on the right. His pass inside was deflected into the path of Stuart Armstrong, but his low effort was straight at Robert Sanchez.

But it was the Seagulls who perhaps shaded the opening fifteen or so minutes. Maupay saw his strike turned wide of the goal by Fraser Forster and the visitors went ahead from the resulting corner.

Dunk heads Albion ahead

Pascal Gross whipped the ball in from the right and picked out Dunk, who got in front of his marker and met the ball with a thumping header that found its way past Forster – who was perhaps slow to react – and into the bottom corner.

Adams volleys level

However, Southampton responded well to the setback and drew themselves level prior to the half hour mark. Armstrong crossed in from the right and Ryan Bertrand headed the ball back across. Dunk tried to head clear but only helped the ball on to Adams, who unmarked inside six yards volleyed past Sanchez.

Brighton have often been criticised for not being clinical in front of goal, and that was the case three minutes before half time when Dan Burn and Welbeck linked up to play in Gross, who with just Forster to beat saw his effort saved by the foot of the diving keeper.

Albion changed their shape to 3-4-1-2 at half time, with Andi Zeqiri coming on for Burn and Gross moving to right wing-back, and they went back in front ten minutes into the second half through a superb strike.

Trossard clinical

Lallana found Welbeck from midfield, and he played a neat first time pass into Trossard in space who took a touch into the area before firing past Forster and into the top corner.

Southampton went in search for the equaliser, and they went close to finding it when Nathan Tella and Adams linked up well on the edge of the box. The ball eventually broke to the latter, who saw his effort kept out by Sanchez.

Albion sat back, allowing the Saints more possession in a bid to defend their lead. But for all their time on the ball, Southampton couldn’t break down a determined Brighton back line and it was in fact the visitors who almost extended their lead when Zeqiri was given too much space inside the area, but his effort from a tight angle was turned around the near post by Forster.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side kept pushing, with James Ward-Prowse unlucky not to get on the end of Walker-Peters’ searching ball forwards before the full back went down inside the penalty area, but no penalty was the call from referee Stuart Attwell.

Three big points for Brighton, who move away from the relegation zone after victory at St. Marys and move within four points of the Saints.