Premier League star has controversial red card overturned following successful claim
The defender was dismissed at the Stadium of Light after a VAR intervention by Neil Davies, even though neither match referee Thomas Bramall nor his assistant initially penalised the challenge on Sunderland striker Wilson Isidor. Bramall was directed to review the incident on the pitchside monitor before producing a straight red for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.
The decision left Brighton's players visibly stunned as they went down to 10 men. The successful appeal means Struijk is now free to feature against Crystal Palace this weekend.
Despite the sending-off, Brighton secured a comfortable 2-0 victory to maintain their impressive early-season form. The Seagulls sit third in the Premier League table, five points behind leaders Manchester City.
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler believes his side can still improve despite picking up all three points at the Stadium of Light. When asked if he spends much time looking at the league table, he said: "No.
I never did it and I will never do it because results create judgment, positive or negative results always create judgment. I think that's the main focus for us, we still want to improve, we still want to keep going and we always need to understand it's about doing the basic things right.
It's about starting from point zero, I mentioned before the game there's no momentum because every team has something special in this league. Every team has a different approach.
From point zero we have to start again and do the same things again. I think that's crucial and trying to focus on performances, focus on the process and not too much let us (be) affected by the results.
The German praised the way his side responded to going down to 10 men, he said: I was very pleased because we won the 30 minutes and it was very important for us. We defended as a team, everyone understood now we have to defend, we have to be brilliant at the basics, we have to defend the goals, defend crosses, defend the box well.
The Seagulls play their first Europa Conference League game mid-week against FK Kauno Zalgiris of Lithuania. The M23 derby follows on Sunday at 2pm, against rivals Crystal Palace, who won the Conference League last season."