---
title: "Unsung Hero: Brighton’s Mat Ryan atoned for Man City disaster with one “world class” moment against Southampton"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/unsung-hero-brighton-mat-ryan-save-vestergaard-southampton/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Liam Togher"
section: "Brighton & Hove Albion"
published: "2020-07-17T11:00:16Z"
modified: "2020-07-17T11:00:16Z"
---

# Unsung Hero: Brighton’s Mat Ryan atoned for Man City disaster with one “world class” moment against Southampton

**Brighton are [not officially confirmed](https://www.skysports.com/premier-league-table) as a 2020/21 Premier League club yet but last night’s draw at Southampton has as good as banished even the most pessimistic supporters’ fears of relegation.**

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Unsung-heros.png)

[Six points clear of the drop zone](https://www.skysports.com/premier-league-table) with only two games to play and needing to avoid [at least a nine-goal swing](https://www.skysports.com/premier-league-table) in results in those couple of games, Graham Potter’s team can realistically relax for the remaining two fixtures and look ahead to a fourth successive top-flight season.

They were on course to mathematically clinch survival when Neal Maupay gave them a first half lead at St Mary’s but the home side’s pressure after the interval eventually told when Danny Ings found the net for his 20th league goal of the season. \[via [Sky Sports](https://www.skysports.com/football/soton-vs-brighton/report/408339)\]

Even though they dropped two points from a winning position, the Seagulls can feel pleased to come away with one given that they [faced 21 shots](https://www.sofascore.com/southampton-brighton-and-hove-albion/FV) and mustered only [10 of their own](https://www.sofascore.com/southampton-brighton-and-hove-albion/FV), as well as having just [33% possession](https://www.sofascore.com/southampton-brighton-and-hove-albion/FV) against the Saints.

One man they can thank for earning a draw is goalkeeper Mat Ryan, who delivered the perfect riposte to an iffy performance in last weekend’s thumping by Manchester City (when he was [at fault for two of their five goals](https://www.thenational.ae/sport/football/raheem-sterling-9-kevin-de-bruyne-8-mat-ryan-4-aaron-mooy-4-brighton-v-manchester-city-player-ratings-1.1047808)) with an excellent display against Southampton.

The Australia international made [four saves](https://www.sofascore.com/southampton-brighton-and-hove-albion/FV) on the night, including one miraculous stop in the closing stages of the match when he [somehow got a fingertip to a long-range Jannik Vestergaard strike](https://www.skysports.com/football/soton-vs-brighton/report/408339) to preserve a point for Albion. Aside from his goalkeeping heroics, the 28-year-old also ended the match with [11 accurate long balls](https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1376181/LiveStatistics/England-Premier-League-2019-2020-Southampton-Brighton) to his name, [by far the most of any Brighton player.](https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1376181/LiveStatistics/England-Premier-League-2019-2020-Southampton-Brighton)

https://twitter.com/btsportfootball/status/1283881739987947520

Ryan’s confidence-boosting performance was rightly hailed by several reporters after the game. Derren Howard of [Brighton & Hove Independent](https://www.brightonandhoveindependent.co.uk/sport/football/brighton-and-hove-albion/player-ratings-who-struggled-and-who-shone-brighton-southampton-2916128?page=1) gave him an eight in his player ratings and told readers in relation to his save from Vestergaard: “If you didn’t see it make sure you do.”

[Sussex Live](https://www.sussexlive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/brighton-player-ratings-adam-webster-4335376)‘s Tom Coleman noted how the Australian “put his Man City jitter behind him” and “made some very assured saves when called upon”, hailing a “world class save” to thwart the Southampton centre-back. [The Argus](https://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/18588772.albion-player-ratings-southampton/) writer Brian Owen gave him a rating of nine, saying that he “bounced back in style with the highlight-reel touch on to the bar from Vestergaard but also offered good handling and a generally very solid display from the moment he denied Hojbjerg early on”.

\[freshpress-poll id=”309911″\]

Ryan may not have been able to add to his [eight league clean sheets](https://www.premierleague.com/stats/top/players/clean_sheet) last night but, with that save from Vestergaard alone, never mind his otherwise solid performance throughout the match at St Mary’s, he more than made up for an uncharacteristic off-day against Manchester City last weekend.

***Brighton fans, was Ryan’s save from Vestergaard the best that you’ve seen in the Premier League all season? Comment below with your views!***