Wolves 0 Brighton 3 - Report

With everything to play for against an opposition with nothing left to achieve this season, the roles were reversed as Wolves looked like the team floundering in mid-table obscurity.

Wolves struggled to get on the ball out wide and create any meaningful chances as Brighton squeezed the space.

The hosts hardly had to get out of first gear before they were handed a controversial penalty, which Alexis Mac Allister struck against the post.

Moments later, however, a clumsy challenge from Willy Boly brought down Danny Welbeck and Brighton once again had a spot kick, which Mac Allister this time converted.

Wolves made attacking changes at half-time in an effort to get back into the game but flattered to decieve.

A simple counter-attack then opened them up as Leandro Trossard finished from inside the box. That was the final straw for supporters as the boos rang around Molineux and many left early.

But the visitors were not finished as Yves Bissouma added one final, devastating blow to make it 3-0 in front of a furious home crowd.

Bruno Lage made two changes from the side that lost to Burnley and changed to a 3-5-2 formation.

Ruben Neves came straight into the side after recovering from his medial collateral ligament injury in his right knee, despite only returning to training this week after five weeks off.

He replaced Raul Jimenez, while Rayan Ait-Nouri also came in for his first start in four games as Jonny Castro Otto dropped to the bench.

Neves’ return meant Ki-Jana Hoever missed out on the squad altogether.

Graham Potter also made two changes to his Brighton side as Bissouma and Solly March came in.

The first openings of the game fell to the visitors as they pushed to break the deadlock. First, a coming together left Conor Coady on the floor and Trossard broke forward, but his poor pass was collected by Jose Sa with options available in the box.

Then, Enock Mwepu charged forward and had a strong effort from 20 yards pushed behind the post by Sa.

After 15 minutes Wolves were noticeably struggling to get the ball down in forward areas. The formation relies heavily on wing-backs Nelson Semedo and Ait-Nouri finding space out wide but their team-mates could not find them. March was sticking to Ait-Nouri like glue and not allowing him to get forward, while Trossard was not tracking back as much meaning Semedo had more space – but Wolves could not find him.

Wolves’ first chance came from a well worked move that saw Fabio Silva release Hwang Hee-chan down the left. He cut back for Joao Moutinho on the edge of the box and his effort was deflected wide.

The hosts earned back-to-back corners following that chance but could not make it count. As Brighton were only playing one natural centre-back in Lewis Dunk, with full-backs Marc Cucurella and Joel Veltman either side of him in a back three, Wolves should have made more of their set piece chances – particularly with Boly and Leander Dendoncker in the team.

Brighton were awarded a penalty when a VAR check alerted referee Simon Hooper to check the monitor for a handball by Romain Saiss. A cross struck the defender on the hand, despite his arm being by his side, and the spot kick was awarded.

However, Mac Allister stepped up to take the penalty and struck the post as Wolves were handed a lifeline.

Moments later, Brighton pushed forward and Trossard forced Sa into a big save with his feet.

With the game approaching half-time Brighton were awarded a second penalty when Boly brought down Welbeck in the box. This time Mac Allister stepped up and finished beyond Sa, going the same side as his first penalty but lofting it high into the net.

Wolves entered half-time losing 1-0 and deservedly so. Brighton did not have to get out of first gear to take the lead as the hosts struggled for any sustained possession or a foothold in the game.

In an effort to get back into the game, Lage made a double substitution at half-time as Pedro Neto and Jimenez came on for Neves and Silva. The change meant Wolves moved to a 3-4-3 formation.

Despite that, Brighton had the first chance of the half and it was all of Wolves’ own doing. A dreadful pass from Dendoncker had the visitors racing forward and the ball was eventually worked to Mwepu. His shot was deflected wide from 10 yards after Coady threw himself in the way of it.

Just eight minutes into the half Wolves were forced into their third and final change as Semedo went down holding his hamstring – the same injury he suffered in February. Jonny came on to replace him.

Wolves were struggling for any momentum and as Moutinho lost the ball sloppily in his own half, Brighton broke again. This time Welbeck shot from 20 yards but Sa got down well to claim it.

Frankly, Wolves were dreadful leading up to Brighton’s second goal. Jimenez gave the ball away in the Brighton half and the visitors broke forward. Trossard picked the ball up on the right of the box, cut inside Saiss and finished into the far bottom corner. Boos rang around Molineux as Lage stood motionless on the touchline.

The Wolves fans were furious. Many left early while those left were livid with what they saw as Wolves failed to string simple passes together or create any opportunities.

The visitors were even pushing for a third as Wolves looked lost in and out of possession.

Wolves did finally create a chance when a Neto shot was deflected into the air and Boly headed straight at Robert Sanchez – which was met by ironic cheers from the South Bank.

But disappointment then turned to embarrassment as Brighton added a third. Bissouma picked the ball up on the edge of the box and smashed it into the bottom corner unchallenged.

Wolves fans left in droves in shock at their team’s dismal display as the hosts continued to struggle with the most simple of passes.

A smart Brighton move released Welbeck down the left and his near post effort was saved by Sa as Wolves worked to avoid further embarrassment.

Neto hit the post late on, in a brief moment of respite for the hosts, but with the clash finishing 3-0, Wolves fell to their seventh loss in 10 games and killed off their slim hopes of European football.

Wolves: Sa, Boly, Coady, Saiss, Semedo (Jonny, 53), Neves (Neto, 45), Dendoncker, Moutinho, Ait-Nouri, Hwang, Silva (Jimenez, 45).

Subs not used: Ruddy, Gomes, Marcal, Jonny, Cundle, Chiquinho, Trincao.

Brighton: Sanchez, Veltman, Dunk, Cucurella, March (Lamptey, 87), Bissouma, Caicedo, Mwepu (Webster, 63), Mac Allister, Trossard (Gross, 89), Welbeck.

Subs not used: Steele, Duffy, Alzate, Lallana, Maupay, Ferguson.