Brighton check Nuno’s Euro drive

FOR Brighton, another point in the fight to avoid the drop. For Wolves, another point in this seven-way tussle for Europe.

And yet, at the end of a match that teetered this way and that, a sense that perhaps two more had slipped through the grasp of both sides.

After another display of promise that yielded little in front of goal, Brighton’s destiny is in their hands. If they play with this authority in possession and solidity in defence, their Premier League future should be secured. But they have to find a way to score.

Brighton remain the only team in England’s top four divisions without a win in this calendar year.

Here, at least, they could toast a second clean sheet in 19 games. But Nuno Espirito Santo’s Wolves have set themselves such high standards that this will feel like a chance wasted.

They could have gone fourth — for a day at least — with a two-goal win and, in their push for Champions League football, they won’t welcome many teams so woefully short of momentum.

Nuno refused to blame tired legs after more

Europa League exploits, but admitted: ‘We didn’t perform so well, like we wanted and we expected.’

So Brighton’s peculiar superiority in this fixture continues, as they have not lost any of 10 top-flight meetings with Wolves.

‘We hope that point will be valuable,’ said manager Graham Potter. ‘It was a positive clean sheet and performance — we would have liked three points, of course.

‘It is not so easy to create chances against them. Better teams than us struggle to do that.’

This is the start of a horrific run of games that will go a long way to determining Brighton’s future.

After some early Wolves pressure, Brighton found their passing rhythm. But their inability to turn promise into goals has them looking over their shoulder and, here, a long-range effort from Davy Propper aside, Brighton had little to show for their possession.

At the other end, more success. A rare Wolves firsthalf chance came after Adam Webster misread Willy Boly’s long ball. He headed towards his own goal and Raul Jimenez volleyed the dipping ball wide of Mat Ryan’s lefthand post.

Shortly after, Wolves pushed forward once more. With Brighton stretched, the home side worked the ball to Ruben Neves on the edge of the box but, with time and space to shoot, he blazed over. Brighton really should have punished their hosts immediately after the break. After more neat passing, Aaron Mooy slid the ball through for Leandro Trossard.

He fired a dangerous ball across Rui Patricio’s goal. Unfortunately for the visitors, no one in white and blue was there to meet it.

Soon the game grew ragged and conditions were ripe for Adama Traore and his troublesome shoulder. Roars greeted both the winger’s introduction and a first ground-eating run.

But Brighton were still dangerous and, for the second week running, a glorious chance fell to Solly March.

As against Palace, though, the winger failed to capitalise, miscuing his effort over the bar after a neat pass from Trossard.

Eventually, with 15 minutes to play, a save of note. From a low cross, substitute Daniel Podence’s blocked shot eventually reached Jimenez, but he fired straight at Ryan from inside the area.

Both sides continued to press and, as the clock ticked towards 90, from another low cross, Leander Dendoncker fired over.

With that went Wolves’ hopes of a winner. Only time will tell how valuable this point is — to them and their visitors.