Wolves eager to end season-long winless run in Brighton clash.
Wolverhampton Wanderers and the Seagulls meet at the Molineux, with both sides needing points for very different reasons. Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Brighton kicks off at 14:00 [GMT+1] on Sunday, October 5.
Bottom-placed Wolves [LLLLD] are desperate to end a season-long winless run and come into this clash with mounting pressure. The late heartbreak against Tottenham, where a 94th-minute João Palhinha strike denied them their first win of the season, summed up their current troubles while leaving them with a 1-1 draw. Wolves have lost their first three Premier League home games of the campaign and risk becoming the first team in English top-flight history to lose their opening four at home in consecutive seasons. They are now winless in their last 10 league matches (D2 L8), with confidence clearly fragile. Nevertheless, they make preparations to face Brighton, hoping to find that elusive maiden season victory. However, Wolves have won just two of their 14 Premier League games against Brighton (D6 L6) and are winless in their last seven meetings with the Seagulls (D2 L5). Their last success came in December 2021 under Bruno Lage. Tolu Arokodare is expected at the attacking end of Wolves’ 3—4—2—1 formation.
Brighton are 10th following last weekend’s 3-1 win over ten-man Chelsea in what was their first victory in three games. Having picked up eight points [2W, 2D, 2L], the Seagulls are hoping a victory over Wolves would see them close in on the top four, where they remain just three points adrift. They make preparations to face the Wanderers, having dominated recent encounters by winning each of their last four league visits to the Molineux. The Seagulls have only ever managed five or more consecutive away wins against two opponents in their entire league history: Grimsby Town (five between 1985 and 1992) and Wolves themselves (six between 1979 and 1991). Fabian Hurzeler’s side now have a chance to equal that historic run. Brighton’s attacking efficiency against Wolves is another key storyline. Only against West Ham (31) have they scored more Premier League goals than the 27 they have managed against Wolves. Their average of 1.9 goals per game in this fixture is their joint-best against any opponent faced more than twice in the competition. Luckily, Wolves’ defensive struggles this season mean that record could easily be extended. Last weekend’s hero Danny Welbeck, who scored a brace, is expected at the attacking end of Brighton’s 4—2—3—1 formation. As many as three players, including Adam Webster and Solly March, are ruled out due to injury.