Wolves players celebrate scoring against BrightonImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

This was only Wolves' second point of the season

Wolves staged a dramatic late fightback to snatch a point and lift themselves off the bottom of the Premier League in a thrilling game at Brighton.

The home side looked to be coasting to three points and a place in the top four after substitute Evan Ferguson made it 2-0 in the 85th minute after in-form Danny Welbeck had opened the scoring at the end of the first half.

It left Gary O'Neil's Wolves staring at a sixth successive league defeat.

But Rayan Ait-Nouri reduced the deficit in the 88th minute before Brazil forward Matheus Cunha capped an impressive performance with a deflected shot which went in off the underside of the bar in the 93rd minute.

The equaliser came moments after Brighton somehow messed up a four-on-one situation as they searched for a third goal.

It allowed Wolves to break up the other end through Tommy Doyle who produced the pass for Cunha's late finish.

The point was enough to lift Wolves off the bottom of the table after a horrible run of results left O'Neil under serious pressure.

Struggling Wolves show fight

Media caption,

O'Neil praises team spirit after 'incredible' late Wolves fightback

Will this result help turn Wolves' wretched season around?

Against defending champions Manchester City last week they produced a gritty performance before conceding a 95th-minute winner.

And Wolves showed plenty of fight again to stun the home fans who were getting ready to celebrate a win that would have left Brighton occupying a Champions League spot.

Cunha's goal sparked wild scenes in the away end but, despite rescuing a point, Wolves have one win from their past 19 Premier League games, a damning statistic that will keep the pressure on O'Neil.

The Wolves boss will hope his side can rediscover a winning formula when they host fellow strugglers Crystal Palace and Southampton in the next two games.

At 0-0, the visitors should have taken the lead but Doyle blazed over before Brighton went on to establish a 2-0 lead.

However, Cunha - who had proved a threat throughout - deserved his moment of celebration at the very end.

Welbeck continues sparkling form

Media caption,

We were not professional enough - Hurzeler

This felt like a missed opportunity for Brighton, who produced a dramatic fightback in their previous home game against Tottenham, when they came from 2-0 down to win 3-2.

Their day had started badly when captain Lewis Dunk injured his calf in the warm-up, denying him the opportunity to make a landmark 250th Premier League start for the club.

Welbeck wore the captain's armband in his absence and continued his sparkling scoring form by firing his side ahead in the 45th minute.

The former Manchester United and Arsenal forward was a doubt for this game after being carried off on a stretcher with a back injury after hitting the winner at Newcastle last week.

But Welbeck, who turns 34 next month, passed a late fitness test to score his sixth goal in nine top-flight matches and join Chelsea's Cole Palmer as the leading English scorer in the Premier League.

Player of the match

Number: 18 D. Welbeck
Average rating 7.52
Number: 18 D. Welbeck
Average Rating: 7.52
Number: 14 G. Rutter
Average Rating: 7.00
Number: 28 E. Ferguson
Average Rating: 6.96
Number: 20 C. Baleba
Average Rating: 6.80
Number: 29 J. van Hecke
Average Rating: 6.64
Number: 30 P. Estupiñán
Average Rating: 6.59
Number: 22 K. Mitoma
Average Rating: 6.46
Number: 1 B. Verbruggen
Average Rating: 6.34
Number: 26 Y. Ayari
Average Rating: 6.30
Number: 34 J. Veltman
Average Rating: 6.29
Number: 2 T. Lamptey
Average Rating: 6.27
Number: 3 Igor Julio
Average Rating: 6.26
Number: 24 F. Kadıoğlu
Average Rating: 5.65
Number: 8 B. Gruda
Average Rating: 5.41
Number: 10 J. Enciso
Average Rating: 5.28
Number: 27 M. Wieffer
Average Rating: 4.22

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