[Albion] Brighton & Hove Albion vs Wolverhampton Wanderers *** Official Match Thread ***

[Dick Head]

Albion v Wolves

PREMIER LEAGUE

Venue: The American Express Community Stadium
Date: Saturday 29th April 2023
Kick-off: 15:00 BST
Referee: David Coote
Assistants: Simon Bennett, Timothy Wood
Fourth Official: Thomas Bramall
VAR: Tony Harrington
Additional VAR: Simon Long
​

TEAM NEWS

Brighton forward Evan Ferguson is still doubtful after missing their past two games with an ankle issue.

Defender Joel Veltman, who has been nursing a muscle problem, could return to the starting line-up but Adam Lallana, Jakub Moder, Jeremy Sarmiento and Tariq Lamptey remain sidelined.

Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui has reported no new fitness concerns.

Sasa Kalajdzic and Chinquinho are long-term absentees, while Boubacar Traore lacks match fitness.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Brighton's 3-2 victory at Molineux in November means they are vying to complete their first top-flight double against Wolves since 1981-82.
• Wolves won 1-0 at the Amex Stadium last season but have never won back-to-back league games away to Brighton.

Albion

• This will be the Seagulls' first home match since drawing 3-3 with Brentford on 1 April. They have since played four Premier League away fixtures and an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.
• Albion are vying for a club record 15th top-flight win of the season. It would give them 52 points, equalling their best tally in the highest division.
• The Sussex club are winless in all nine of their Premier League home games in the month of April (D7, L2), drawing each of the past five.
• Brighton have lost two of their three most recent league matches, as many defeats as in their previous 13 games.
• Facundo Buonanotte, 18, who scored in Wednesday's defeat by Nottingham Forest, can become the youngest player to score in each of his first two Premier League starts, breaking the record set by Ritchie Humphreys for Sheffield Wednesday in 1996.
• Kaoru Mitoma has netted in six of Brighton's past nine home matches in all competitions.

Wolves

• Wolves have won three of their past four Premier League games, as many victories as they recorded in their previous 10 attempts (D2, L5).
• Their only two victories in 16 away league fixtures this season were both by a 2-1 scoreline against Everton and Southampton (D5, L9).
• This will be Julen Lopetegui's 200th top-flight match as a manager, encompassing spells in Portugal, Spain and England.
• Ruben Neves has scored all eight of his Premier League penalties - the only players with perfect records to have converted more are Yaya Toure (11 of 11) and Dimitar Berbatov (nine of nine).

Roberto De Zerbi's Wolves Press Conference

 

[Mortdecai]

 

[Beach Hut]

So excited (to be not going)

 

[HastingsSeagull]

Need to bounce back after Forrest. Going 2-0 good guys

 

[BBassic]

Blimey, our first home match since start of April?! That's mad.

 

[jcdenton08]

Through to the next round here lads, no excuses.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

These last 8 games could be season defining

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

The Dendoncker Family Derby

 

[Guinness Boy]

The Dendoncker Family Derby

Sorry to be "that guy" but we let Lars go a year ago.

 

[dstanman]

Time to get back to winning ways

 

[chickens]

Mental resilience required here. The FA Cup/Forest matches have understandably poured a bit of cold water over an atmosphere that was in danger of becoming positive, if not euphoric.

This is not a Brighton fan’s natural state of being. It had to end.

Now we’ve been returned to reality, we’re still in with a shout of Europe, and we’re still playing good football.

Our squad depth (or lack of) has been highlighted, but we have a lot of players out on loan who’ll be a year older and more experienced come the summer. Even if we lose this match, I’m still going to feel positive about this season.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Sorry to be "that guy" but we let Lars go a year ago.

I know, but I’m not willing to accept it just yet

 

[oldboyroy]

Flying visit from birmingham for weekend to see family and managed to get 2 tickets in the North for this 1! Come on lads need to get back to winning ways

 

[Perfidious Albion]

Of course we need this win. It’s a pity we have so many injuries but still we carry on . We can do this . I am sure that the Forest display was a hangover from last Sunday. We have had more time now so….. Up and at ‘em Seagulls

 

[Dick Head]

So excited (to be not going)

were loose

 

[Mackenzie]

We always beat Wolves.

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

I Fully expect a complete & utter meltdown on here after 5pm today, of some description.

 

[OzMike]

I will be asleep for this one, and expect to wake to find at least 1 point in the bag

 

[Flex Your Head]

Not sure where to post this, but here you go.

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

Not sure where to post this, but here you go.

Interesting, it’s what we all know, but it’s refreshing to hear, he admits he may have made a mistake.
He just keeps going up a notch, on my respect ladder, I fully expect him to manage Italy at some point in the future.
Possibly the best manager we will or have ever had.