In his latest rescue mission, Gary O’Neil has taken charge at Wolverhampton Wanderers and his side will welcome Roberto De Zerbi’s Brighton & Hove Albion to Molineux on Saturday.
Key Takeaways
- Wolves came close to finding a point at Old Trafford in their first match of the season against Manchester United on Monday
- Brighton got off to a good start by defeating newly-promoted Luton Town 4-1
- The Seagulls took Wolves apart the last time they met as they recorded a 6-0 triumph
O’Neil will look to add some stability to Wolves in a time of uncertainty for the club due to issues with Financial Fair Play and the worry of relegation. Brighton have Europa League football to consider soon after their superb sixth-placed finish last term.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Form
Despite many tipping Wolves for the drop this term, they put in a very encouraging performance away to Man United on Monday as they narrowly lost 1-0. They were denied a penalty late on in the match, even though officials later on agreed with O’Neil that the spot kick should have been awarded. Subsequently, the match officials at Old Trafford have been dropped ahead of this weekend’s fixtures.
Julen Lopetegui departed the club less than a week before their opener due to disagreements about spending. O’Neil impressed in his last job at Bournemouth last season and his team’s display on Monday showed some positive signs.
Brighton & Hove Albion Form
Brighton looked to get back down to business last week as they secured a 4-1 victory over Premier League new boys Luton. They dominated the match, recording 71% possession and a mammoth 27 attempts.
Goals from Solly March, new signing Joao Pedro, Simon Adingra and Evan Ferguson helped the Seagulls to the emphatic win, whilst Carlton Morris scored a consolation from the spot. Tougher tasks lie ahead for Brighton but they will be confident of making it two wins from two against Wolves here.
Head-to-Head
De Zerbi-ball was fully on show when the two sides last met at the Amex Stadium back in April. Brighton put Wolves to the sword with a vehement 6-0 victory, with Deniz Undav, Pascal Gross and Danny Welbeck all starring. The Seagulls have won their last three consecutive matches against Wolves, also recording a 3-2 triumph at Molineux last term.
Team News
Matheus Cunha was considered a doubt for the game on Monday but was able to feature for the majority of the game so should be good to go. O’Neil is not expected to have any selection issues ahead of the match here.
Moises Caicedo has finally departed Brighton after a seemingly never-ending transfer saga. He has now joined Chelsea in a £115 million deal. Brighton have a few injury concerns ahead of Saturday’s match, nonetheless.
Adam Webster missed the opening game of the season but he should recover in time for this one. However, the chances of Adam Lallana and Jakub Moder being available look slim. Lallana remains in doubt, whilst Moder has been dealing with a serious knee issue.
Key Players
In spite of losing a number of key players over the summer, including Ruben Neves, there have been some promising signs from Wolves. Cunha put in a decent display at Old Trafford, despite a poor miss, whilst Matheus Nunes was influential in the middle of the park.
The visitors have a host of talented players across their team and their attacking options look dangerous. Joao Pedro managed to score on his debut for the club, whilst the talented Ferguson and Julio Enciso were left on the bench. They will be raring to go here.
How to watch on TV or Online
UK fans will not be able to watch the clash between Wolves and Brighton live on TV or online.
Final Thoughts
It would be a huge lift if Wolves were able to find three points here and that isn’t out of the question now that O’Neil is in charge. However, Brighton are an extremely dangerous side and are favoured to take home all three points.