Brighton curse continues for Jose Mourinho as Gareth Bale fails to fill Harry Kane void in Tottenham defeat

Jose Mourinho has still never beaten Brighton away in the Premier League as Tottenham went down 1-0 to the Seagulls on Sunday.

Leandro Trossard’s first-half strike was enough to beat a Spurs side who sorely missed top scorer and talisman Harry Kane.

Gareth Bale got a rare start – but the Welshman failed to fill the void as Mourinho’s men slumped to a second-consecutive defeat and lost ground on the top four.

It means Mourinho has still never won a Premier League match away at Brighton – and it’s the first time the Spurs boss has lost three straight away games to an opponent in his entire managerial career.

Ironically, it was Brighton’s first home win of the season and their first in seven months, helping them to move seven points clear of the drop zone.

Mourinho’s men remain six points adrift of the Champions League places on the back of an alarming two league wins from nine matches.

They were thoroughly outplayed by the hosts and their defeat would have been heavier had Brighton forward Aaron Connolly not wasted a golden chance to put the result beyond doubt six minutes from time.

It was a particularly bad performance by Bale, who had no shots or take-ons before he was substituted in the 61st minute.

That perfectly epitomised the Welshman’s second spell at the north London club, with footage recently emerging of Mourinho threatening to send Bale back to parent club Real Madrid.

However, Mourinho was in no mood to criticise Bale, saying Spurs win and lose as a team.

He said: “We lost a match and when we lose a match, we lose a match, we lose all together. We don’t lose because of one player, or one bad performance. We lose together,” said the Portuguese, who is not anticipating any transfer dealings on deadline day.

“So I don’t think it’s fair, especially for myself, in representation of my team, I don’t think it’s fair to answer to you to that question, especially now.

“If that question comes in a great moment for the team, and after a victory, and when Gareth like the team plays a good game, it’s easier for me to answer to you. I don’t want to do that. We lost, and we all lost.”