Wolverhamptons Wanderers Sunshine Break To Provide Just The Tonic They Need To Get Their Season Back On Track And Plunge Bungling Brighton Deeper Into Despair! Team News. Manager Comments. Prediction, And Stats.
By: Marc Gingell
After Wolves lost at Southampton last week boss Nuno Espírito Santo, who felt so annoyed with questions during his post-match press conference that he walked out, took his team to Marbella for some warm weather training and a bit of fun. After training, this included golf and go-karting and Wolves players deserve this after the season they’ve had.
Only a late charge from Watford kept them from an FA Cup final date with Manchester City and they look sure to finish in the Premier League Top 10. They’ve beaten Liverpool, Manchester United twice in Ole Gunnar Solskjær time, Chelsea and Tottenham. They’ve also drawn with Manchester City and Arsenal. Wolves could be about to gatecrash the top six!
Match Details
| 20-04 | Molineux Stadium | Wolves (8) | v | Brighton (17) |
| KO:15:00 | REF: C Pawson | |||
Diogo Jota
Born in Massarelos, Porto, Portugal, Wolves 22 year old left-sided attacking midfielder Diogo Jota could have a big impact on the game against Brighton. Jota has seven Premier League goals and seven assists this season and, if Brighton’s defence is wide open like a barn door again this week, he could make hay whilst the Easter sun shines!
Glenn Murray
For Brighton it’s difficult to see anyone making an impact apart from the obvious name which is Glenn Murray. He has 11 Premier League goals but only three in the last 11 games. Two of those were against Fulham when Brighton, leading 2-0 after 20 minutes, self-destructed and lost 4-2. Murray will be 36 in September and he’s desperate for some support up front.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Team News
- No Injuries or Suspensions.
Brighton and Hove Albion Team News
- Suspended Until 27 Apr: Anthony Knockaert.
Chris Houghton Comments
“We are not going to go through the season and have an easy, comfortable game, that’s the level that we are. We are very aware of what we are and what the challenges are.
If I look at our season, it’s probably our most difficult time, more Saturday than Tuesday, because that’s not like us. But the level of club that we are, we are not going to go through a season without difficult times and challenges. It’s the level of club that we are and expectations rise, but the reality is this is still only our second season in the Premier League.
There have been some areas that have been difficult for us, players we’ve missed, but these are the challenges that you have to look forward to. I’m definitely viewing it as an opportunity because we have to in every game that we play.” The next game and the next game after that, Tottenham, we will look at no different. If you’re able to improve the performance then it gives you a better chance of getting some kind of result.”
Opta Stats
- Wolverhampton Wanderers have only recorded two wins in 14 games against Brighton at Molineux (W2 D5 L7), with a current winless run of four (D3 L1).
- Brighton have won each of their last three league fixtures against Wolves, keeping clean sheets in each encounter – they had won just three of their previous 17 meetings beforehand (W3 D10 L4).
- Each of the last five meetings between Wolves and Brighton have failed to see both teams score; Brighton winning three, drawing one and losing one.
- Wolves have lost two of their last three Premier League games, more than they had in their previous eight in the competition (W4 D3 L1).
- All five of Brighton’s away wins in the Premier League have come against sides starting the day 13th or lower in the table. Against sides starting in the top half, the Seagulls have earned just two points from their 39 available (P13 W0 D2 L11).
- Brighton have won just one of their last eight Premier League away games (D1 L6), and haven’t kept a clean sheet in any of their last 11 on the road.
- Wolves have a better points-per-game ratio against the current top six in the Premier League this season (1.3) than they do against the sides currently in the bottom six (1.1).
- Wolves’ Raúl Jiménez has been directly involved in six goals in his last five Premier League games at Molineux (3 goals, 3 assists).
- Diogo Jota has had a hand in nine goals in his last seven home Premier League games for Wolves (6 goals, 3 assists). The Portuguese forward has only failed to score or assist a goal in one of those seven matches (1-1 draw with Newcastle in February).
- Brighton’s Glenn Murray has scored 27% of Brighton’s away league goals this season (4/15), with three of those four goals coming in his last four appearances on the road.
Prediction
Diogo Jota could be the difference between these two sides.
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 Brighton and Hove Albion 0
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