Alex Iwobi's strike was Fulham's earliest Premier League goal since August 2023 against Arsenal (first minute) and their earliest at home since August 2022 against Brentford (also first minute)
Brighton suffered only their third Premier League defeat of the seas
on as two goals from Alex Iwobi, along with an own goal from the unfortunate Matt O'Riley, helped Fulham to victory at a wet and windy Craven Cottage.
The game was played in horrendous conditions of heavy rain and strong winds, but there were no excuses for Bart Verbruggen's early mistake to gift the hosts the lead.
After only three minutes, Brighton's Dutch keeper, looking to play a short pass to team-mate Carlos Baleba inside the penalty area, saw Alex Iwobi intercept and slide the ball into an unguarded net for his fourth league goal of the season.
Fulham had a chance to quickly double their lead when Iwobi looked to be through on goal, only for Igor Julio to come across and cover well.
Brighton grabbed a deserved equaliser 11 minutes into the second half.
Jan Paul van Hecke played a lofted pass and Joao Pedro, nominated for November's Premier League Player of the Month award, produced a clever touch to set up Baleba to fire low past Bernd Leno from 20 yards out.
It was a lovely goal, followed by a special celebration as Baleba showed his gymnastics skills with an acrobatic somersault, although this was not the springboard for Brighton to get what would have been their seventh win of the season.
Fulham retook the lead in fortunate circumstances as Andreas Pereira's 79th-minute corner from the left struck O'Riley and bounced into his own net.
Iwobi then sealed victory with a powerful 87th-minute strike for his second goal of the match to ensure Fulham claimed the three points and moved up to sixth spot - a point behind their fifth-placed visitors.
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Brighton blow chance to go fourth
Fulham 3-1 Brighton: Fabian Hurzeler upset by blocking on Lewis Dunk
Brighton knew a two-goal victory would have taken them fourth in the Premier League table and back above Manchester City.
The Seagulls had manager Fabian Hurzeler sitting in the media seats at the back of the main stand as he served a one-game suspension following his third yellow card of the season in the 1-1 draw against Southampton last Friday.
Although horrified by his side's start, he would have been happier with how they performed in the rest of the first half.
Baleba fired over with a shot on the turn and Joao Pedro twice had opportunities, only to see Bernd Leno save the Brazil forward's first effort and then for Calvin Bassey to make a vital block.
With six-goal top scorer Danny Welbeck missing because of a minor injury, Simon Adingra was one of four changes for the Brighton side and he should have levelled with a couple of opportunities.
He curled one strike over the crossbar and was then found eight yards out by Kaoru Mitoma's pull-back, only to see Leno make an excellent reaction stop.
Once they did equalise, Brighton looked to gain their first win over Fulham in the Premier League era, only to be denied by two more goals for the hosts in the final 11 minutes.
It was a welcome lift for Marco Silva's men before a tough run against the top three, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea, in their next four matches.
They may have to do without on-loan Reiss Nelson after he pulled up with a left hamstring injury and was immediately substituted, although he would have missed Sunday's game against his parent club Arsenal anyway.
Fulham 3-1 Brighton: 'Big victory' for Cottagers says Marco Silva
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