DANNY WELBECK sent another clear pick-me message to Tomas Tuchel after scoring his sixth goal in five games.
The 34-year-old fired Brighton’s opener after 11 minutes and surely the England boss will include him for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania.
His latest strike was his sixth in the last five Premier League games before Diego Gomez struck twice in the second half to wrap up a relatively easy three points at the Amex.
Welbeck — who has not played for the Three Lions since 2018 against Switzerland — has a decent record at international level, having scored 16 times from his 42 caps.
But the ex-Manchester United striker’s goals tally this season is only being beaten by Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford out of the current England squad.
His goal here was a typical striker’s instinct of being in the right place at the right time to convert Mats Wieffer’s pass.
Brighton bossed this game from start to finish but missed a glut of chances before Gomez’ quickfire double in the 64th and 70 minutes.
Leeds were no match for Brighton.
Carlos Baleba had an early sighter of goal in the opening stages but he curled a 25-yarder wide
Yankuba Minteh whipped in a dangerous cross towards the six-yard box from the right but Yasin Ayari was unable to get there in time to convert.
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Ayari had Leeds back-peddling with a powerful charge forward but his eventual shot was too tame to trouble Lucas Perri.
But Brighton deservedly moved in front as they cut open the visitors with a fantastic move.
Minteh’s pass into the path of Wieffer was sublime.
And the Albion man, drawing out keeper Perri, squared a pass for Welbeck to slot home.
Brighton were playing some great stuff and giving Leeds the runaround.
Welbeck cushioned a nice header to Ayari — but his shot on the turn flashed inches over.
Leeds boss Daniel Farke waved his arms in frustration when Jayden Bogle sent in a cross that Dominic Calvin-Lewin could not get on the end of.
The visitors were struggling to lay a glove on Brighton.
When Brenden Aaronson won a free-kick 25 yards out, Sean Longstaff stepped up and blasted his shot over the bar.
Welbeck had a great chance to double the lead but fired wide after taking a touch, looking for a give-and-go with Jan Paul van Hecke, rather than hitting it first time.
Gomez was guilty of being selfish when he had a chance to play in Minteh but instead opted to shoot and it was charged down by Longstaff.
Minteh then powerfully charged forward and drove an effort wide.
Leeds finally created something meaningful before the break but Longtstaff, teed up by Aaronson, saw his effort deflected over.
Brighton had their visitors on the back foot after the restart.
Georginio Rutter had a chance to score against his former club but fired into the arms of Perri.
And he then shot wide after beating the challenge of Ao Tanaka.
Fredi Kadiogulu got forward to tee up Gomez 12 yards out but he fired straight at Perri.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin went close to pulling Leeds level after a fantastic turn and low drive that whistled barely an inch wide.
Farke opted to make a double change to give his side more attacking impetus.
Dan James and Anton Stach came on for Tanaka and Longstaff.
But it was the Seagulls who kept attacking and they finally got the second.
Minteh got down the right to the byline beating Gabriel Gudmundsson before cutting it back for Costa to slot home.
Rutter then cashed in on an awful mistake from Bogle to drive forward and lay a pass for Gomez to add a third.
Perri then made a spectacular stop to keep out a Ayari blast from just inside the area.
Yet Brighton keeper Bart Verbruggen made two late saves to keep out Nmecha and Stach.
