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Pedro scored 24 goals in 109 appearances for WatfordLuton's first match back in the top flight for 31 years ended in heavy defeat as Joao Pedro and Simon Adingra marked their debuts with a goal each in a comfortable Brighton win.
Solly March headed in after 35 minutes before Pedro, signed for a club-record fee around £30m from Watford, scored a second-half penalty following a foul by Luton captain Tom Lockyer.
The Hatters pulled a goal back with nine minutes remaining when last season's top scorer Carlton Morris converted another penalty - awarded for handball against Lewis Dunk - but 21-year-old Ivorian Adingra sealed the Seagulls' win by slotting home after a bad mistake from Luton's Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu.
Eighteen-year-old Ireland international Evan Ferguson then tapped in Pervis Estupinan's cross in stoppage time to cap an impressive start to the campaign for the home side.
The Hatters had acquitted themselves well in their first Premier League outing - their last match in the top flight came in 1992 before Premier League rebrand - but Brighton were worthy winners.
Pedro, 21, should have opened the scoring after five minutes but scuffed a gilt-edged chance wide from eight yards.
The Seagulls, who left midfielder Moises Caicedo out of their squad amid interest from Chelsea and Liverpool, also hit the post three times.
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Seagulls not deterred by disruption
Brighton's summer has been dominated by outgoings, with midfielder Alexis Mac Allister having left for Liverpool, goalkeeper Robert Sanchez departed to Chelsea, and Ecuador international Caicedo seemingly also on his way to either Anfield or Stamford Bridge.
Although this may only be one win, and against newly-promoted opposition, the start made by Roberto De Zerbi's side suggested that they can cope with significant losses again, as they have done in recent seasons.
Brighton have built their success since earning promotion in 2017 on superb recruitment, allowing them to seamlessly replace those they sell, and the contributions made by Pedro and Adingra indicated the club may have struck gold again.
Pedro made a wasteful start but threatened regularly in the second half before deservedly getting his goal when he scored a soft penalty that was awarded to him after Lockyer put his arm across the Brazilian in the box.
Winger Adingra was signed in the summer of 2022 and after an impressive loan spell at Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise, also part-owned by Brighton chairman Tony Bloom, caught the eye in pre-season and was lively after replacing March in the 74th minute.
Despite the outgoings, Brighton still have a dependable core, only added to by the arrival of the experienced and versatile James Milner who made a solid debut at right-back.
March, who came through the academy and has now played 276 times for the Seagulls, was a threat throughout while Ferguson's goal gives him the perfect start as he attempts to build on a debut season that included finding the net six times.
Tougher tests will come but this was an impressive start.
More to follow.
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Brighton & Hove Albion
Squad number23Player nameSteele
Squad number6Player nameMilner
Squad number29Player namevan Hecke
Squad number5Player nameDunk
Squad number30Player nameEstupiñán
Squad number13Player nameGroß
Squad number8Player nameDahoud
Squad number7Player nameMarch
Squad number9Player nameJoão Pedro
Squad number22Player nameMitoma
Squad number18Player nameWelbeck
Squad number10Player nameEnciso
Squad number11Player nameGilmour
Squad number24Player nameAdingra
Squad number28Player nameFerguson
Squad number34Player nameVeltman
Luton Town
Squad number24Player nameKaminski
Squad number5Player nameAndersen
Squad number4Player nameLockyer
Squad number29Player nameBell
Squad number12Player nameKaboré
Squad number17Player nameMpanzu
Squad number13Player nameNakamba
Squad number14Player nameChong
Squad number26Player nameGiles
Squad number9Player nameMorris
Squad number11Player nameAdebayo
Squad number7Player nameOgbene
Squad number8Player nameBerry
Squad number10Player nameWoodrow
Squad number19Player nameBrown
Squad number45Player nameDoughty
Line-ups
Brighton
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 23Steele
- 6MilnerSubstituted forVeltmanat 79'minutes
- 29van Hecke
- 5Dunk
- 30EstupiñánBooked at 7mins
- 13Groß
- 8DahoudSubstituted forGilmourat 74'minutes
- 7MarchSubstituted forAdingraat 74'minutes
- 9João PedroSubstituted forEncisoat 88'minutes
- 22MitomaBooked at 43mins
- 18WelbeckSubstituted forFergusonat 78'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Verbruggen
- 3dos Santos de Paulo
- 10Enciso
- 11Gilmour
- 17Alzate
- 24Adingra
- 28Ferguson
- 34Veltman
- 40Buonanotte
Luton
Formation 3-5-2
- 24Kaminski
- 5AndersenBooked at 51minsSubstituted forOgbeneat 76'minutes
- 4Lockyer
- 29Bell
- 12KaboréBooked at 59minsSubstituted forDoughtyat 64'minutes
- 17MpanzuSubstituted forWoodrowat 88'minutes
- 13Nakamba
- 14ChongSubstituted forBerryat 88'minutes
- 26Giles
- 9Morris
- 11AdebayoSubstituted forBrownat 64'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Shea
- 7Ogbene
- 8Berry
- 10Woodrow
- 19Brown
- 21McAtee
- 22Campbell
- 40Francis-Clarke
- 45Doughty
Referee:David Coote
Attendance:31,872
Live Text
Match ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 4, Luton Town 1.
Second Half ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 4, Luton Town 1.
Goal! Brighton and Hove Albion 4, Luton Town 1. Evan Ferguson (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Pervis Estupiñán.
Attempt missed. Carlton Morris (Luton Town) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Cauley Woodrow following a corner.
Corner, Luton Town. Conceded by Jason Steele.
Attempt saved. Jacob Brown (Luton Town) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Cauley Woodrow with a headed pass.
Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Jacob Brown (Luton Town).
Offside, Luton Town. Tom Lockyer tries a through ball, but Jacob Brown is caught offside.
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Jacob Brown.
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Thomas Kaminski.
Attempt saved. Pascal Groß (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Pervis Estupiñán.
Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion. Julio Enciso replaces João Pedro.
Substitution, Luton Town. Cauley Woodrow replaces Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu.
Substitution, Luton Town. Luke Berry replaces Tahith Chong.
Foul by Evan Ferguson (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Tom Lockyer (Luton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt saved. João Pedro (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Pascal Groß.
Evan Ferguson (Brighton and Hove Albion) hits the right post with a right footed shot from the centre of the box. Assisted by Pervis Estupiñán.
Goal! Brighton and Hove Albion 3, Luton Town 1. Simon Adingra (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box to the bottom right corner.
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