Brighton & Hove Albion will be looking to strengthen their hopes of securing European football for next season when they welcome already-relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers to the Amex Stadium for a Premier League clash.
Unbeaten Run Ends for Brighton
Boasting a five-game unbeaten league run, Brighton were in high spirits heading into last weekend’s clash against a struggling Newcastle United side. However, it was the Magpies who celebrated a 3-1 victory at St James’ Park.
Jack Hinshelwood’s superb second-half strike set up a nervy finish for the hosts, but the Seagulls ultimately fell to their first defeat since March 4 and have slipped to eighth in the table. However, they remain well-placed for a European spot, as they sit just two points behind Bournemouth in sixth with three matches remaining.
Hurzeler’s Revival and Contract
Earlier this year, a dismal run of one win in 13 matches led to some Brighton fans calling for Fabian Hurzeler’s dismissal. However, the 33-year-old has since masterminded an admirable revival at the Amex (W6 D1 L2) and has since penned a new long-term contract at the club, who he hopes can “challenge the establishment” in the years to come.
Wolves Playing for Pride
Wolves are merely playing for pride at this stage of the campaign, with one eye on preparations for next season in the Championship, but the motivation of avoiding a dead-last finish remains a tangible goal for Edwards’s side.
The Old Gold ended a three-game losing run without scoring with a 1-1 draw against mid-table Sunderland at Molineux last weekend. However, the hosts were booed off at full time after they failed to take advantage of playing for more than an hour with 10 men, converting just one of their 17 shots.
Previous Meeting
The spoils were shared in the reverse fixture at Molineux. An own goal from Bart Verbruggen was cancelled out by an 86th-minute equaliser from Seagulls defender Jan Paul van Hecke.
Brighton’s Home Form
The Seagulls have won their last two home games against Liverpool and Chelsea by an aggregate score of 5-1, while they have only lost one of their last 16 top-flight matches against teams starting the day in the relegation zone (W5 D10), though that was a 4-0 defeat against current Wolves head coach Rob Edwards when he was in charge of Luton Town in January 2024.
A sixth-placed finish could be enough for Champions League qualification if Aston Villa win the Europa League and finish fifth, so Brighton will be keen to make the most of this weekend’s favourable fixture at home to basement club Wolves, who they have not lost against in their last eight meetings (W5 D3).