Brighton set a new club record of nine consecutive top-flight matches without defeat as they condemned visitors Leeds to a first loss of the season.
Pascal Gross’ winner – a powerful right-footed strike into the far corner from a Leandro Trossard pass – came after Brighton had spurned several golden opportunities to take the lead.
Adam Webster headed wide from an excellent position in the first half, and Solly March twice shot straight at Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier after cutting onto his left foot from the right flank.
An exquisite through ball from Gross sent March – whose last league goal came in November 2020 – racing clear in the early stages of the second half, but he was again denied by Meslier.
Leeds’ best opportunity fell to second-half substitute Luis Sinisterra, who failed to hit the target after Brighton’s Pervis Estupinan inadvertently sent his clearance towards the far post while attempting to dispossess Brenden Aaronson.
The victory lifts Brighton up to second in the Premier League after four games, while Leeds drops to fifth.
Brighton’s nine-match unbeaten run surpasses an eight-game sequence without defeat set during the 1981-82 season.
And while boss Graham Potter will surely be thrilled with his team’s start to the campaign, the Seagulls’ profligacy in front of goal remains an area of concern.
They had failed to score in six of their previous nine home league matches before this game, and for a long while it looked as though their wastefulness would cost them victory against Jesse Marsch’s side.
The lively March went closest to giving his team a first-half lead, but Webster and Trossard were both guilty of failing to hit the target from excellent positions.
Trossard repeatedly found himself in space on the left-hand side but often chose the wrong option, twice turning back into traffic when he should have got his shot away.
Gross turned an Estupinan delivery wide of the target at the near post not long after half-time, but the German redeemed himself with an excellent finish midway through the second half to earn his side a richly deserved three points.
Leeds were poor in the first half but Gross’ strike came during their best spell of the game, with Sinisterra and the in-form Rodrigo both shooting narrowly wide.
Diego Llorente also directed a header off target from close range as the visitors were unable to build on last weekend’s magnificent victory at home to Chelsea.
