Wolves vs Brighton

With a chance to secure a European spot still within reach, Brighton & Hove Albion head to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday for their second-to-last away match of the Premier League season.

Under Fabian Hurzeler’s guidance, Brighton earned a commendable 1-1 draw against Newcastle United last weekend. Meanwhile, Wolves, led by Vitor Pereira, saw their impressive six-game winning streak halted by a 1-0 defeat to Manchester City.

Before their trip to the Etihad, Wolves had triumphed over Southampton, West Ham United, Ipswich Town, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, and Leicester City, showcasing the Premier League’s most in-form side. However, facing Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City proved too challenging, with Jeremy Doku and Kevin De Bruyne linking up for the game’s only goal, ending Wolves’ remarkable run.

Currently 13th, Wolves are 11 points behind 10th-placed Brighton and cannot break into the top half, though they risk dropping to 17th in the final three weeks. Still, Pereira’s squad has a shot at history: with 51 goals scored this season, one more would surpass their Premier League club record for a single campaign, a feat not achieved since their 58-goal haul in the 1979-80 top-flight season. Having won their last three home games while scoring eight times, Wolves are poised to make their mark at Molineux.

Brighton’s recent defensive struggles offer Wolves further encouragement, as the Seagulls have gone six games without a clean sheet. In their draw with Newcastle, Yankuba Minteh, a former Magpie, scored against his old club, but a late handball by Yasin Ayari led to Alexander Isak’s 89th-minute penalty, his 23rd goal of the season, costing Brighton two points.

After snatching a late win against West Ham the previous week, Brighton felt the sting of conceding late this time. With only one win in their last eight matches across all competitions, they remain in contention for a Conference League spot, sitting just one point behind eighth-placed Bournemouth. However, their away form—earning just one point from their last nine available on the road—leaves much to be desired for European aspirations.

Brighton can take confidence from their recent record against Wolves, remaining unbeaten in their last six Premier League encounters, including an entertaining 2-2 draw in October. They also edged out Wolves 3-2 in the EFL Cup earlier this season, adding intrigue to Saturday’s clash.