Brighton kept pace with Brentford and Bournemouth in the race for what could be the Premier League’s final European place with a 2-0 victory away to Wolves on Saturday.
WATCH — Wolves v Brighton full match replay
Danny Welbeck converted from the penalty spot in the 29th minute after Matheus Cunha both gave the ball away 20 yards from his own goal and cut down Mats Wieffer before he could get a shot away. From a record for most Premier League goals (more on that in a minute), to a very first PL goal, Brajan Gruda opened his account for Brighton after signing from Mainz for $34 million last summer. Simon Adingra found Gruda on the left side of the penalty area and the 20-year-old winger coolly lifted the ball over Jose Sa and tucked it away inside the far post.
With two games left to play, Brighton (55 points) sit 9th in the PL table — behind 8th-place Brentford on goal difference (+10 to +3). Bournemouth (53 points) are 10th and haven’t yet played this weekend. If Manchester City win the FA Cup next weekend, 8th place in the PL will become a Europa Conference League place next season. If Crystal Palace triumph at Wembley, it will go to the Eagles, who currently sit 12th. Wolves (41 points) fall one place to 14th after Everton beat Fulham on Saturday.
Congrats to longtime Premier League good guy, Danny Welbeck
Welbeck’s winner was his 10th league goal of the season, thus ending a bit of dubious history as a result. With 77 PL goals heading into the weekend, he held the record for most career goals without a 10-goal season. Welbeck hit nine goals twice for Manchester United, in 2011-12 and 2013-14, but had never put up more than six in any other season. Lee Bowyer, who played for Leeds, West Ham, Newcastle and Birmingham City between 1996 and 2011, now reclaims the honor.
Player ratings - Wolves vs Brighton
What’s next?
- Brighton vs Liverpool — Monday, May 19, 3 pm ET
- Crystal Palace vs Wolves — Tuesday, May 20, 3 pm ET
Wolves vs Brighton live updates - by Andy Edwards
Wolves vs Brighton final score: 0-2
Goalscorers: Danny Welbeck (28' - PK), Brajan Gruda (85')
GOAL! Wolves 0-2 Brighton: Gruda lifts one over Sa to put the game away (85')
GOAL! Wolves 0-1 Brighton: Welbeck converts from the spot to reach double digits (28')
Wolves starting lineup
Sa - Doherty, Agbadou, T. Gomes - Semedo, J. Gomes, Andre, Ait-Nouri - Munetsi, Guedes, Cunha
Brighton starting lineup
Verbruggen - Lamptey, Van Hecke, Webster, Estupinan - Wieffer, Baleba, O’Riley - Minteh, Ayari, Welbeck
How to watch Wolves vs Brighton live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 10am ET Saturday
Venue: Molineux Stadium — Wolverhampton
TV Channel: Peacock
Streaming: Stream live on Peacock
Wolves lost time out to Man City, ending a six-match Premier League winning streak under Vitor Pereira, propelling the one-time relegation candidate into a comfortable 13th-place position on the Premier League table.
Brighton can still reach Europe with a good finish to the season, but Fabian Hurzeler’s team have slipped a bit down the stretch. The Seagulls’ 52 points are one behind eighth on the table, a spot which would likely be good enough for a berth in the Conference League, but they’ve won just once since March 15 and need to get points from remaining matches against Wolves, Liverpool, and Tottenham Hotspur.
Wolves team news, focus
OUT: Sam Johnstone (muscular), Yerson Mosquera (knee), Enso Medina (knee), Sasa Kalajdzic (knee), Leon Chiwone (knee - out for season) | QUESTIONABLE: Jorgen Strand Larsen (groin)
Brighton team news, focus
OUT: Joao Pedro (suspension), Ferdi Kadioglu (toe), Georginio Rutter (ankle), James Milner (thigh), Solly March (knee)
Wolves vs Brighton prediction
This could go in any direction, as both teams can produce scintillating passages of play. Look for both to score, and for the Molineux to stop Brighton from ending on the right foot. Wolves 1-1 Brighton.
