Follow live coverage as Wolverhampton Wanderers face Brighton & Hove Albion today in the Premier League. Another top-flight season will be covered in full right here with The Independent, as reigning champions Manchester City look to make it an unprecedented five titles in a row come the end of 2024/25.
The likes of Arsenal and Liverpool will be chasing Pep Guardiola's side, but just as fascinating will be the race for Champions League places, with more teams than ever before having designs on top-four finishes. Chelsea remain big-spending, Manchester United's latest rebuild continues and both Tottenham and Newcastle will expect improvements this year - yet it was Aston Villa who snared fourth last term.
Meanwhile, it's Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town who made it back to the elite after promotion last year and each will have hope they can make it more than a one-year stay. Follow the latest live action from the Premier League below:
Wolverhampton Wanderers FC 0 - 2 Brighton & Hove Albion FC
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
17:08It’s game over at Molineux, and Brighton take all three points in a 2-0 victory thanks to Welbeck and Gruda. They strengthen their bid to get into a potential European spot and also put the pressure on the teams around them who are yet to play in this gameweek. The game started in a bright way, which was foreshadowing for how the entirety of the match would play out. Brighton turned it on from the 20th minute, and had a goal disallowed in the 26th. Minteh was judged to have been interfering with play in an offside position, so Welbeck’s finish was disallowed. Moments later, Wieffer was taken down inside the box to allow Welbeck to get his goal from the spot. He took the chance and made it 1-0 to Brighton, as he sent Sa the wrong way and slotted his penalty into the bottom right corner. The majority of the second half was all Wolves, however, chances arose for both teams frequently. Wolves failed to make any of theirs count, but Brighton did, and in the 85th minute, Adingra slid the ball through to Gruda, who delicately chipped a finish over Sa and into the back of the net. That was his first goal in English football, and it ensured three points went back to the South coast. Wolves ended the game with an xG of 0.92, whereas Brighton clocked up a higher figure at 1.51 xG. Thank you for joining this live text commentary, goodbye!
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:59FULL-TIME: WOLVES 0-2 BRIGHTON
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:56Substitution Yasin Abbas Ayari Jack Luca Hinshelwood
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:55Assist Simon Kofi Adingra
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:53There will be five added minutes!
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:51Substitution André Trindade da Costa Neto Mateus Bula Dami Mané
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:51One of the multitude of subs that happened on the hour mark has made a difference! Gruda has given the three points to Brighton, and he will be happy to have made an impact off the bench where he has spent a long time this season.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:48GOOOOAL! THAT SEALS IT! Gruda scores his first goal in the Premier League to make it 2-0, and he is in tears as he collapses to the ground. The finish was delicate, and he chipped the ball over Sa before wheeling away in celebration. It’s 2-0, and that is game over now!
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:45Bellegarde has a good opportunity on the edge of the box, and he tries to slide the finish into the corner of the goal, but he gets under it and sends the ball over the bar from a good spot.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:44Less than 10 minutes of regular time remain, and Wolves are still searching for that equaliser that they have probably deserved for the majority of this game.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:41Substitution Yankuba Minteh Moat Kaoru Mitoma
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:41Substitution Carlos Noom Quomah Baleba Diego Alexander Gómez Amarilla
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:38For the first time in this half, the pace of the game has chilled out. Brighton are readying more changes, so that may liven things up again.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:35There are now under 20 minutes left to play, and despite Brighton leading on the scoreline, it’s hard to call how this game will end! You would expect at least one more goal before full time.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:33Gruda tried to thread Welbeck in behind, but his clipped ball was slightly too powerful, and it ran through to Sa, who collected with ease.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:30It’s a bold call by Vitor Pereira to make four changes at once, but judging by the state of play at the moment, he believes they can make the difference. We’ll see, there are still over 20 minutes left!
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:29Wolves continue to pile forward, despite Brighton’s willingness to get forward as well. This game is completely open, and it’s impossible to call who will score next!
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:28Moments after those four changes, one of them nearly made an instant impact. Strand Larsen was waiting at the back post for Ait-Nouri’s cross, but Verbruggen got there just in time to take the ball away.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:23Substitution Tariq Kwame Nii-Lante Lamptey Simon Kofi Adingra
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:22Substitution Gonçalo Manuel Ganchinho Guedes Pablo Sarabia García
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:22Substitution Matthew Sean O'Riley Brajan Gruda
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:22Substitution Matheus Santos Carneiro da Cunha Jørgen Strand Larsen
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:22Wolves make a number of changes now, with the first player leaving the field being Doherty. It’s an attacking change, with Rodrigo Gomes coming on to replace him.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:21Substitution Matthew James Doherty Pablo Sarabia García
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:20SAVED! Michael Oliver waves play on, despite Lamptey and Toti being down on the ground, and Cunha struck a right-footed shot from outside the box towards the Brighton goal. Verbruggen got down quickly to palm the effort behind for a corner.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:18Semedo was involved again on the right, and managed to dig out a cross the the back post where, you guessed it, Munetsi was waiting. Van Hecke did enough to put him off, and Verbruggen claimed the cross.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:16Wolves looked to break through the backline of Brighton again, and it was Semedo who went down the right side. He thought he had beaten Estupinan, but a foul was given against him.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:14Guedes and Cunha have been seeing a lot of the ball in the early part of this half. Wolves will need them to play well for the remainder of the game in order to get something from it.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:11Wolves have started as they mean to go on. They have already earned themselves a corner early on in this half. Estupinan cleared it out for another corner kick.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:08KICK-OFF! The second half has begun. Let’s see what this period of football has in store.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:00Looking to the second half, Wolves need to be a bit more clinical in the box, as they are making enough chances. Brighton’s clean sheet was hanging on by a thread at times, so Wolves will definitely see a way back into this game. For Brighton, they need to remain resolute at the back, whilst also trying to get a second goal. If they manage to score again, they can start thinking about three points, but for now, they are very much protecting their lead.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:57It’s the halfway point of this game, and Brighton are leading thanks to a Danny Welbeck penalty in the 28th minute. The game started off with a period of Brighton pressure, but the ball quickly exchanged hands to Wolves, who had a few chances of their own. As we reached the 20-minute mark, Brighton turned up the heat and had a goal disallowed in the 26th minute. Minteh was judged to have been interfering with play in an offside position, so Welbeck’s tidy finish was chalked off. Moments later, Cunha brought down Wieffer in the box, to give Welbeck a chance from the spot. He took it well, slotting into the bottom right corner to make it 1-0. That’s how the score remains at the break, but Wolves have had a multitude of chances to level things up. Guedes, Cunha and Munetsi all with opportunities, but Brighton’s clean sheet is still intact. Wolves have created 0.68 xG, whereas Brighton eclipse them with 0.85 xG - largely due to their penalty. The Opta win probability scale shows an 8.8% chance of a Wolves win, a 21.7% chance of a draw, and a 69.5% chance of a Brighton win.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:53HALF-TIME: WOLVES 1-1 BRIGHTON
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:51It has to be said that Brighton have managed the closing period of this half excellently. They have defended to the hilt, and they have managed to relieve periods of pressure by quickly passing out from the back.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:50Another yellow card has been handed out, this time it’s for a Brighton player. Wieffer goes into the book for a few attempts at bringing Ait-Nouri down.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:48Wolves continue to heap pressure onto the Brighton backline, and astonishingly, they don’t score again. Van Hecke has been superb in the backline in the last 10 minutes, he’s not let anything past.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:46There will be SEVEN added minutes!
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:45Munetsi gets a shot on target away, through another header at the back post. This one was better than his last effort, but it wasn’t troubling Verbruggen at all.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:44The Brighton defenders are doing all they can to keep this lead until half-time at least. They are pushing and pulling the Wolves players, sometimes even when they don’t have the ball!
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:41We are nearly at half-time, and the score still reads 1-0 to the away team, despite Wolves’ best efforts to get the ball into the goal. They are still well in this game, however.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:40The Wolves fans voice some of their frustration as Sa takes an age over a kick. He claimed he had no one further up the pitch that he saw as an option.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:37Wolves have another half-chance after Munetsi’s header flew over the bar. It was good build-up play from Joao Gomes, but the finish didn’t match that.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:35Cunha tries a shot from a long way out, and with his goal catalogue, you can’t really blame him. The effort was high over the bar, however, and Brighton regain possession.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:34The game is back in its flow now after that goal, and we have just passed the half-hour mark with plenty of action left. It has been a great game so far.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:32Ait-Nouri ventured into the box, and instead of passing the ball off to one of his open teammates, he chose to keep running and found himself amongst three Brighton defenders.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:29Penalty Goal Daniel Nii Tackie Mensah Welbeck
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:28PENALTY! Moments later, Brighton have a penalty! Cunha takes Wieffer down right in front of the goal, and Michael Oliver has no choice but to point to the spot.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:28Yellow Card Matheus Santos Carneiro da Cunha
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:27NO GOAL! Welbeck’s finish is cancelled out by the refereeing team, and then confirmed by the VAR. It was judged that Minteh was impacting on play, and he was in an offside position.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:25GOOOOO-NO! Welbeck has the ball in the back of the net for Brighton but after a long pause, the official has put their flag up! It was a tidy finish inside the box, but the VAR is checking the goal to see whether Minteh was interfering with play!
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:23Wolves’ left back is into the action, and the game is back up and running again.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:21Ait-Nouri is down inside the Wolves box, and he is currently receiving treatment.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:19The pace of the game has cooled slightly now, which is understandable after the rapid start to the game. Brighton are enjoying most of the possession at the moment.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:18This game is like viewing a Tennis match so far, with the action swinging from one end to the other extremely quickly. It is quite a surprise that there hasn’t been a goal yet!
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:15CHANCE! Sa produces a moment of woe as he miscues a clearance. The ball fell to O’Riley, where the shot was on, but he opted for a pass into Minteh, who took too long to get his shot away. The Wolves goalkeeper will be mopping his brow after that.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:14Wolves apply more pressure to the Brighton box, as Toti got up well at the back post to win a header, but it went behind for another Wolves corner following a touch by the away side.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:13Cunha tried to bring down a long ball that was sent forward, but his touch was cancelled out by a Brighton defender’s tackle, meaning Wolves have their first corner.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:10This has been a very open start to the game! Both sides could be ahead already, but the scoreline reads 0-0 for now.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:08HUGE CHANCE! Cunha clipped in a wide free-kick, and Guedes broke through the offside line and tried to hook a difficult finish towards the goal, but it was on the turn and the ball was dropping, so he could only fire over!
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:06CLOSE! Minteh sends in a cross from the left-hand side, and O’Riley was stretching to get there but couldn’t quite stretch enough. Any touch there and it would’ve probably ended up in the net.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:05Wolves have started by playing it around their defence very deep into their own half. It’s risky, but so far there hasn’t been any danger.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:04Gomes seems okay now, and he has returned to the pitch to the relief of Vitor Pereira.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:03Gomes is already down after a minute or so, due to an untidy tackle by Estupinan. He has stayed down, and he looks to be struggling a bit.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:01KICK-OFF! Michael Oliver blows his whistle for the first time here, and the game is up and running!
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
14:59The teams are out on the pitch, and we’re nearly ready for kick-off here in the Midlands!
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
14:56Ait-Nouri has been directly involved in more goals than any other defender in the Premier League this season, and he will be looking to add more here against the side he scored late against last time they met. Guedes replaces Bellegarde in the supporting duo in attack, and Semedo captains the home side. For Brighton, they are without their top goalscorer, Joao Pedro, in this game, so Welbeck starts up front. He has nine goals this season, just one behind Pedro, so he is the ‘next best thing’ to replace the Brazilian. Webster replaces club captain Lewis Dunk, so it’s Welbeck who picks up the responsibility of the armband for this game.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
14:51BRIGHTON SUBS: Igor Julio, Brajan Gruda, Simon Adingra, Eiran Cashin, Kaoru Mitoma, Jason Steele, Diego Gomez, Jack Hinshelwood, Harry Howell.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
14:51BRIGHTON (4-2-3-1): Bart Verbruggen; Pervis Estupinan, Adam Webster, Jan Paul van Hecke, Tariq Lamptey; Carlos Baleba, Mats Wieffer; Yasin Ayari, Matt O'Riley, Yankuba Minteh; Danny Welbeck.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
14:46WOLVES SUBS: Santiago Bueno, Boubacar Traore, Jorgen Strand Larsen, Rodrigo Gomes, Pablo Sarabia, Dan Bentley, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, Nasser Djiga, Mateus Mane.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
14:46WOLVES (3-4-2-1): Jose Sa; Toti Gomes, Emmanuel Agbadou, Matt Doherty; Rayan Ait-Nouri, Andre, João Gomes, Nelson Semedo; Goncalo Guedes, Marshall Munetsi; Matheus Cunha.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
14:40Brighton have a lot more to play for in this game, as they remain locked in the battle for the potential extra European spot. Their recent form has been patchy, with a win, a draw, and a loss in their last three games. The 4-2 loss to Brentford was a low point, but they responded in the game after, with a wonderful winner from Carlos Baleba to snatch all three points from West Ham in a 3-2 win. That goal earned him the Premier League Goal of the Month award for April, so there are monthly awards on both sides of the pitch here in Wolverhampton.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
14:40Wolves come into this game on a terrific run of form, with a run of six straight wins being halted by a 1-0 loss against Manchester City. Still, Vitor Pereira has endeared himself very well to the fans both on and off the pitch, and he has steered Wolves away from their relegation threat that was present under Gary O’Neil. For his efforts, he was awarded the Premier League Manager of the Month award for April, showing just how well he has done recently. Wolves don’t have much to play for here besides league position, so they will try to push themselves further up the table.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
14:40The end of another Premier League season is nearly upon us, and here we have a fixture that ended 2-2 when these two sides last met. It was a frantic end to the game as Wolves scored on either side of an Evan Ferguson ‘winner’ to salvage a draw. In the other head-to-head games, Brighton have won five of the last 10 meetings, with Wolves managing to win three of them. Wolves have less riding on this game, with Brighton gunning for that extra European spot, so expect a big effort from them here.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
14:30Hello and welcome to live text commentary on this Premier League match between Wolves and Brighton at Molineux!
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
13:00Follow all the goals and latest action from the Premier League here with The Independent. Team news and line-ups coming up shortly…
