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Brighton host a very confident Wolves side following a midweek win over Crystal Palace which all but ensured their Premier League status.
Date, time of the KO and TV coverage
Premier League, Saturday 29 April, kick off 3pm
Expected score
Brighton 2-1 Wolves
Suggested bets
Brighton win Over 2.5 goals Both teams to score
Key stats
Brighton have picked up 40 of their 49 points against sides currently in the bottom half of the Premier League. Brighton’s defeat to Nottingham Forest was their first against a bottom half side. They have won six and drawn against those sides at home. Wolves have scored in eight of their 10 away games under Julen Lopetegui. Wolves have won four of their last five games to all but secure their Premier League survival.
Team news
Evan Ferguson (ankle), Tariq Lamptey (knee), Jeremy Sarmiento (foot), Adam Lallana (hamstring) and Jakub Moder (ACL) are all unavailable. Brighton’s recent wasteful finishing in the penalty area would suggest that Ferguson’s presence in particular is lacking. Sasa Kalajdzic (ACL) and Chiquinho (ACL) both picked up season-ending injuries in 2022 and remain sidelines. Boubacar Traore (muscle) is a doubt and will be evaluated closer. Wolves are healthier than they have been in a while and so Julen Lopetegui has options to freshen things up. Nonetheless, any wholesale changes from the 2-0 win over Crystal Palace are unlikely.
Verdict
Brighton were extremely sloppy in their 3-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest on Wednesday. Roberto De Zerbi’s men conceded two penalties, one of which was missed, and failed to finish a game they shouldn’t have lost. Most of Forest’s xGs came from penalties, with unusually slow defense from Oscar Estupinan and Lewis Dunk seeing the referee point to the spot. Wolves fared much better in their midweek outing, beating Crystal Palace 2-0. An early own goal from Joachim Andersen and some added-time brilliance from Ruben Neves capped off a routine win. The win was Wolves’ fourth in five games and lifts them to 37 points in the table, almost certainly securing Premier League status. Lopetegui’s men will therefore be able to play with more freedom at the AMEX. Prior to the defeat at the City Ground, Brighton had been near perfect against bottom half sides. They were unbeaten in 16, winning 12, picking up 40 of their 49 points from those teams. They remain unbeaten at home against these sides with six wins and a draw to their name, then hope to get back on track against Wolves. Gulls have been below par on their travels but usually respond well at home. Wolves’ away form improved briefly under Lopetegui, but they have failed to win in their last five. One improvement that has stuck is their goalscoring form, with the Midlands side scoring in eight of their 10 away games under him. A defense that has been quite flawless at Molineux has conceded in each of Wolves’ last 13 away games. Their only away clean sheet came in a 1–0 win at Bournemouth. Both teams finding the net is a constant feature of the visitors’ away games. Brighton were more reliable on their home turf, but still conceded in half of their home games. The hosts will want to show their teeth early and deliver a good midweek setback, while Wolves probably have nothing to play for. Despite this, the away team should be able to express themselves and contribute to the goal.
The article Brighton vs Wolves Verdict, Expected Score, Key Stats and Suggested Bets first appeared on Planetsport.com.
