Wolves 2 Brighton 3 - Report

In a frantic first half, Adam Lallana curled home an opener for the visitors to put them ahead after 10 minutes.

Goncalo Guedes responded just two minutes later with his first goal in Wolves colours, before VAR handed Wolves a penalty and Ruben Neves dispatched it to give them the lead – marking the first time Wolves have scored two goals in a Premier League game since May.

However, as the game neared half-time Nelson Semedo fell asleep at the back post to allow Kaoru Mitoma to head home an equaliser.

Then, just minutes before the break, Semedo dragged Mitoma to the ground as last man and was handed a straight red card.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, Wolves did well to battle in the second half and create some chances of their own, until a late Brighton winner. Gross capitalised on some chaotic Wolves defending to finish from inside the box.

Interim head coach Steve Davis made three changes from the team that drew with Brentford, and stuck with the 4-3-3 formation.

Boubacar Traore came in for Matheus Nunes, who was injured and did not make the squad, while Adama Traore dropped to the bench and was replaced by Guedes and the suspended Diego Costa was replaced by Hwang Hee-chan.

Chem Campbell was also not involved in the squad, meaning Davis named a youthful bench with 19-year-old midfielder Harvey Griffiths and 17-year-old striker Nathan Fraser, who made their first appearances in a Premier League squad.

Roberto De Zerbi named an unchanged side following their win over Chelsea.

The Seagulls also welcomed back Danny Welbeck, after a spell of illness, and the striker made the bench.

Wolves’ first foray into the box came when a lovely Daniel Podence touch and turn saw him racing down the left flank. His low cross was aimed at Hwang but Brighton cleared.

The visitors then looked for a way through when Leandro Trossard was found in the box and he went down looking for a penalty, which was rightly not given.

After eight minutes Brighton should have scored when Lallana found Solly March in the box, but his shot from close range was blocked at the last second by Nathan Collins.

However, just moments later, the Seagulls did take the lead. In what was such a poor defensive display, one touch from Trossard set Lallana up and he curled the ball into the bottom corner.

After suffering that early blow, Wolves rallied and responded almost immediately. Traore played a brilliant pass down the right channel to feed Guedes, who charged into the box, shrugged off a challenge and finished low beyond Robert Sanchez.

The South Bank were unhappy when Nelson Semedo stood off an opportunity to intercept a loose ball and allowed Brighton to attack. Mitoma picked the ball up and fed Trossard, who shot wide.

Wolves were still creating some chances and had a good shot from Joao Moutinho blocked.

Then, Wolves were handed a penalty as Lewis Dunk handled a Podence cross. VAR took several minutes to check it and also looked to see if Podence was offside, before referee Graham Scott checked his pitchside monitor and gave the spot-kick.

Goalkeeper Sanchez tried to rough up the penalty spot, causing Moutinho to react and push him away, but Neves kept his nerve to smash the ball into the roof of the net.

As the game approached half-time, Wolves threw away their lead with some more poor defending. A Lallana cross was aimed at Mitoma at the back post, who too easily climbed above Semedo to head home.

Just before the break, it went from bad to worse for Semedo. He was caught napping and a long ball put Mitoma through, but Semedo rugby tackled him to the floor. As the last defender, he was rightly given a straight red card. Brighton’s free-kick on the edge of the box then came to nothing.

The teams entered half-time drawing 2-2, but Wolves were facing a difficult second 45 after being reduced to 10 men.

Jonny Castro Otto came on for Podence as Wolves switched to a 4-3-2 formation at the start of the second half.

Only two minutes into the half, Jonny lost Pervis Estupinan at the far post and Wolves were fortunate that Collins was able to make a clearance.

Moments later, Max Kilman lost out to March and a strong save was required from Jose Sa to deny the Brighton man.

Despite that, Wolves created one brilliant flowing move. Traore fed Guedes who then flicked it around the corner for Jonny, who darted into the box. He reached the byline and aimed a low cross while off balance, forcing Sanchez into a save with his feet.

VAR was involved again when it checked a potential penalty as Jonny took out Estupinan, but nothing was given.

But Wolves still posed a threat. Hugo Bueno did well down the left to swing in a cross and Guedes’ headed needed tipping over. The resulting corner came to nothing.

Brighton looked to use their aerial threat from set pieces when Adam Webster got on the end of a free-kick, but headed wide from a good position.

Sa was then forced into a good diving save to deny Alexis Mac Allister, who curled a free-kick towards the far post after Collins brought down substitute Welbeck.

Adama had a huge chance for Wolves when he was found by a sly Neves free-kick, but his powerful shot inside the box was saved by Sanchez.

The sucker punch finally came in the 83rd minute when Gross pounced on a loose ball in the box and finally fired Brighton ahead.

Wolves were battling for a way back into the game. As five minutes of injury time began, Connor Ronan was thrown on for his Premier League debut.

The hosts fought until the end, but Brighton’s quality prevailed and Wolves’ defensive fragility was laid bare.

Wolves: Sa, Semedo, Collins, Kilman, Bueno, Neves, Traore (Ronan, 90), Moutinho, Podence (Jonny, 45), Hwang (Adama, 68), Guedes (Ait-Nouri, 74).

Subs not used: Sarkic, Mosquera, Hodge, Griffiths, Fraser.

Brighton: Sanchez, Webster, Dunk, Estupinan (Gilmour, 82), March, Caicedo, Gross, Mac Allister, Mitoma (Veltman, 90), Lallana (Welbeck, 64), Trossard (Undav, 82).

Subs not used: Steele, Lamptey, Colwill, Sarmiento, Enciso.