Brighton vs Watford player ratings: Shane Duffy rises above and Yves Bissouma, Adam Webster sublime

Brighton started at breakneck speed and bludgeoned an early 1-0 lead thanks to Shane Duffy’s thumping header.

Duffy thundered the ball home off the underside of the bar, leaving Watford stunned after 10 minutes.

It's been a remarkable turnaround in fortunes for the 29-year-old who had a tough time on loan at Celtic last season.

Neal Maupay drilled Brighton into a 2-0 lead just ahead of half-time.

Yves Bissouma punished Watford’s sloppy play out from the back, snatching possession and laying the ball straight into Maupay’s path.

The Seagulls’ number nine then did the rest, bagging his second of the season after netting in last weekend’s win at Burnley.

Brighton have six points from their opening two matches and are second in the fledgling Premier League table.

Jacob Panons was at the Amex Stadium - Albion's first with a capacity crowd since February 2020 - and here's how he rated the Albion players out of 10.

Sanchez: 6: There isn’t much to say about the Spanish shot-stopper’s performance as he had very little to do, thanks to a solid performance from his defense. The goalkeeper did spring to action in the second half as he got down low to save a Tom Cleverly shot while also collecting a couple of crosses.

Webster: 7: The defender looked strong throughout the first and second half. Webster benefited the team but driving the ball up the pitch and creating a headache for the Watford attackers.

Dunk: 7: Webster and Duffy arguably stood out slightly more alongside the Brighton captain but, like Sanchez, he was helped by his colleagues. A stand-out moment for Dunk came in the second half when he superbly guided the ball down with his chest to diffuse a dangerous cross.

Duffy: 8 The Irish defender showed why he deserved to be back in the starting lineup with his performance tonight. Along with his brilliantly guided headed goal, Duffy was also solid at the back for the Seagulls.

March: 7 Despite a majority of Brighton’s attacks in the first-half coming down the right, March took the chances he did have to create a problem for the Watford defense. His deliveries often left the Watford defense being forced to clear the ball for a corner.

Bissouma: 8 There were rumours surrounding the midfielder’s future this summer and this performance is likely to entice potential suitors. The Mali international dictated the game from the centre of the pitch and set up the second goal with his high press on the Watford defense.

Mac Allister: 6 At moments in the game it looked like the playmaker was going to break the game wide-open but he wasn’t quite quick enough to hit Watford on the back foot. With that being said, he did get in the right positions and played some fantastic passes.

Trossard: 7 Like Mac Allister, Trossard also played some great passes and got in the right areas. The Belgian playmaker looked like he could split open the Watford defense if they relaxed for even for a moment before he was substituted.

Gross: 7 The German pleased the crowd with a number of Cruyff turns that left the Watford full-backs dizzy. Gross’ key moment came in the first-half when he assisted Duffy’s goal via a corner.

Lallana: 7 Similarly to the other midfielders, Lallana had moments of brilliance but did fall out of the game slightly in the second half. The former Liverpool man was eventually substituted for Jakub Moder as Brighton looked to solidify their lead.

Maupay: 8 Unfortunately, Maupay’s performance finished on a sour note as he was taken off injured at half-time but the striker left his mark on the game by grabbing the second goal. Apart from the well-finished goal the striker was relatively quiet, despite making a number of darting runs.

Connolly: 6 The Irishman came on for Maupay at half-time and looked like he had been gifted a goal when the ball fell to him in the box, but to the surprise of the crowd, and himself, he missed the target. Credit has to be given to the nimble attacker for holding his own against a strong centre back pairing.

Mwepu: 6 By coming on for Trossard, Mwepu allowed the midfield to play with a bit more freedom. The midfielder did what he was supposed to do, he helped secure the defense and further restricted Watford’s attack.

Moder: 6 The Polish international only had 10 minutes to impress after coming on for Lallana but did his job and saw out the victory on Brighton’s return to the Amex.