BRIGHTON BR-EASY!
Seagulls’ landmark win
BRIGHTON created their own piece of Premier League history as Wolves’ ambitions of European football took a big hit.
The Seagulls overhauled their best ever return with this deserved victory, which now makes it 44 record-breaking points and the chance of a top-10 finish.
Manager Graham Potter said: “I am very proud of the players and there are still nine points to play for.
“The Premier League is not easy and at times you have to suffer. We have stayed strong and now we want to finish as high as we can.
“We’ve had some good away days this season, winning at Arsenal and Spurs and drawing at Liverpool. This one was up there.”
They had to smash their penalty jinx to confirm a maximum at Molinuex, Alexis Mac Allister squandering the first opportunity from 12 yards – the club’s third successive miss – before atoning from the second one awarded eight minutes later by referee Simon Hooper.
The Argentinian had to fend off a clutch of team-mates anxious to take their chance from the spot and his confidence was rewarded with the 40th-minute opener.
Potter added: “There was a lot of pressure on him but he stood up to it.”
Wolves boss Bruno Lage made changes at half-time with Raul Jimenez and Pedro Neto being introduced for Fabio Silva – who still hasn’t scored this season – and Ruben Neves.
Lage said: “It’s hard to talk about this game. We watched Brighton for 90 minutes. I don’t understand why because we have a lot of things to conquer (European football) and we come up with a performance like that. It’s our worst performance of the season.”
Brighton continued to dominate after the break and they were rewarded with a coolly taken goal from the impressive Leandro Trossard and a clinical finish from Yves Bissouma, which condemned Lage’s side to their heaviest defeat of the season.
It was also the lacklustre home side’s third successive defeat as the promise of continental football next season appears to be waning.
The urge to chase history had seen the Seagulls out of the traps with gusto while Wolves struggled to get out of first gear.
Referee Hooper pointed to the corner flag when Solly March’s cross cannoned into Romain Saiss. Closer inspection back in Stockley Park by Michael Salisbury cast doubt on the legality of the block. That was confirmed by a walk to the monitor.
Potter’s side had missed their last two penalties and Mac Allister made it an unwanted hat-trick, sending the latest one thudding against the post and to safety.
But he made amends later as the visitors made it a day to remember.