Wolverhampton Wanderers

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Wolves boss Gary O'Neil speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "Brighton are a really good side, the way they play, tough to get the ball back off.

"The lads were disciplined, we know that's how they play. They do take risks though, they do leave you with opportunities to counter attack and win the ball back and we did have probably equal amount of good opportunities as they did, just that they had a lot of the ball and the lads had to defend and be resolute.

"The crowd played a massive part in helping the boys later on in the game when you could see we were tiring. The noise from the stadium was incredible. A really good evening, tough side to beat and we're delighted to get through to the quarter-finals."

On his selection for the match: "Really pleased [with the players who came in], it was a really tough team to pick. Channy [Hwang Hee-Chan] felt his hamstring a little bit which for a squad as small as this, especially in that area, is a disaster but trying to pick the right ones to rest and which ones can play was a tough couple of days for us. Channy's doesn't look too serious, seems like a little one.

"But the lads who came in, I thought Doc [Matt Doherty] was excellent defensively, very, very good. Tommy Doyle was very good, [Jean-Ricner] Bellegarde started to tire, started to lose his quality a little bit towards the end but he caused them some problems.

"So delighted really, delighted that we were able to change it and still win the game, because winning the game was the most important thing but we're a small group and we can't afford to just keep injuring people so we needed to be clever and apart from Channy we got through it ok."

Here are the key facts and figures from Wednesday's FA Cup fifth-round game between Wolves and Brighton.

• Wolves have reached the FA Cup quarter-finals for the third time this century, previously doing so in 2002-03 and 2018-19.

• Wolves had just two shots on target in this match – Mario Lemina's goal after two minutes, and a Maximilian Kilman effort after 87 minutes.

• Brighton had 18 shots in this match, their most without scoring in an FA Cup game since January 2019 (24 vs West Bromwich Albion).

• Only Bruno Fernandes (102) has created more chances among Premier League players in all competitions this season than Brighton's Pascal Gross (95).

• Four of Mario Lemina's five goals for Wolves in all competitions this season have come at Molineux.

Mario Lemina scored the only goal of the game as Wolves beat Brighton to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals where they will host Championship side Coventry City.

Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele spilled a Jean-Ricner Bellegarde cross and Lemina slid in at the back post to finish at the second attempt after just two minutes.

Matt Doherty headed wide at the near post from Tommy Doyle's cross moments later as the home side began the game in the ascendency.

Danny Welbeck had a header off target in the closing stages but Brighton were unable to break the deadlock as they exited the competition.

Were you at the match or did you follow it from home?

Wolves fans - let us know your thoughts on the game here

How did you rate the side's performance, Brighton fans?

Follow all of the reaction here

Wolves host Brighton in the fifth round of the FA Cup and live coverage from Molineux is just getting going.

Watch the stream over here

The draw for the FA Cup quarter-finals has been made, with the ties set to be played on the weekend of Saturday, 16 March.

There are four games being played in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Wednesday and we will bring you every moment.

Follow all of the action and reaction here

All times are GMT

Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter

"When you face Brighton, they do ask you a lot of different questions," said Gary O’Neil on Tuesday, assessing a team that dismantled Wolves at Molineux in August – and on several other occasions in recent seasons.

Earning a draw in a duel of high-speed passing at the Amex in January was one of many markers of his team’s progress since then.

"They always ask you a question around how aggressive you want to be and how much risk you want to take in trying to get the ball back off them. Against some other teams you might be able to press with two or three and have a chance of getting the ball back.

"Against Brighton, if you leave a spare man, they're experts at finding him. So if you’re going to go against them, you need to fully commit to using a lot of bodies in the pressing phase, and you can leave yourself open to some big chances against."

O'Neil, as you'll have heard and read throughout the season, is far less shy than many managers of sharing his analysis of the opposition. And as we've all seen, he's obviously been able to share all this information, and more importantly what to do about it, to his players.

But where is the balance between tailoring your tactics to counter what you expect from the other side, set against playing in your own preferred style regardless?

"It's always both," said O'Neil. "If a team is as extreme as Brighton are in what they do, it takes a lot of consideration - from me especially, not really from the players, they always get a real clear message about what we're trying to do.

"Facing teams like Brighton or Manchester City - teams that are very good at the way they do things - there's maybe a little bit of extra focus from me on that. But the focus is still on us, what we can try to do with the ball, how we want to be solid without it.

"The messages don't really change, they’re just tweaked to fit what we think the game may look like for the players."

Watch Wolves v Brighton in the FA Cup fifth round live on BBC iPlayer at 19:45 GMT

Listen to BBC Radio WM match commentary of Wolves v Brighton (all frequencies and BBC Sounds)

Tune in to BBC Radio WM Football Phone-In, weeknights from 18:00

Dazzling Dave
Fan writer

In the world of football management, the rumour mill never stops spinning and currently speculation is rife about the future of Wolves manager Gary O'Neil. Will he stay or will he be poached by another club looking for a fresh face at the helm?

O'Neil's appointment as Wolves manager initially raised eyebrows, with many questioning whether he was the right fit for the job. However, the 40-year-old has quickly silenced his critics with his tactical acumen and ability to motivate his players.

Under his guidance, Wolves have shown promising signs of progress and a renewed sense of purpose on the pitch. It's no surprise envious eyes are looking in his direction.

While the prospect of managing a Premier League club with greater resources could be an enticing opportunity for O'Neil, he may just feel a loyalty to Wolves.

After being let go by Bournemouth, O'Neil didn't think he'd land another Premier League job. By his own admission, he thought he might have to move down a level.

Given how uncertain management roles can be in football, I reckon O'Neil will aim to firmly establish himself as an astute and reliable head coach - and this means more than one season in the job!

He is clearly loving his time with Wolves. You can see his connection with players, with fans and with the club. I strongly suspect that Gary will be offered a new, more lucrative contract with Wolves that will ensure his future with us.

Dazzling Dave can be found on Always Wolves fan TV, external

BBC Sport's football expert Chris Sutton has made his predictions for this week's FA Cup fifth-round ties. For all eight games, he is up against Kaiser Chiefs bassist and Leeds United fan Simon Rix.

Sutton's prediction: 0-1

Wolves were not too pretty against Sheffield United but they got the win anyway. Brighton, meanwhile, scored very late to stop me being right about Everton winning that game.

Both teams are in a situation in the league where you would hope they will go for it in the FA Cup, but I can see this game being quite cagey. I am backing Brighton, but it is going to be close.

Simon's prediction: 1-0

This is a very tough one to call. I haven't watched either of these teams very much this season, unsurprisingly, but I like the fact Wolves boss Gary O'Neil is sort of sticking it to Bournemouth for ditching him. I haven't gone for many home wins so far, so let's go for one here.

See the full list of predictions here

• Watch Wolves v Brighton live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website

• Find out how to watch all of the fifth-round ties here

Image source, Getty Images

Wolves boss Gary O'Neil says their busy fixture list doesn't have to impact their performance on the pitch, despite the short turnaround.

After their victory over Sheffield United on Sunday, O'Neil's squad have an FA Cup fifth-round tie against Brighton at Molineux on Wednesday followed by a trip to Newcastle United less than 72 hours later on Saturday.

"The schedule isn't great for us," O'Neil said. "A game on Sunday when we had an FA Cup game on Wednesday wasn't ideal. It means Brighton get an extra day's recovery on us.

"Going into Saturday's game against Newcastle, they get an extra day of recovery on us and the group is a small squad.

"It will be tested this week. I'm going to need to be really switched on and I've already had good conversations with the medical staff about how to use everyone.

"In a short turnaround, a day makes a big difference. Playing Saturday-Tuesday compared to Sunday-Wednesday, the lads would feel an awful lot better by the time Wednesday comes if they are playing Saturday.

"It doesn't mean it has to make a big difference on the game. We've played games where we've had less recovery and looked like the team with the most energy."

Pablo Sarabia, who scored Wolves' winner on Sunday, says he's taking the rest of the season "game by game" as the club try to progress in the FA Cup and push for European football.

"We can't think about that. We just think about continuing as a team," Sarabia added.

"It's been a very good season for the team. The targets were different at the beginning of the season, and now it's true, and it's amazing for us as we can continue to enjoy where we are in the table now."

Just how did golf-loving, Tiger Woods-admiring Gary O'Neil become one of the Premier League's success stories in recent seasons? It's surprised even some of his former team-mates, who didn't see his move into management coming.

Stewart Downing, who played alongside the Wolves boss at Middlesbrough, joins The Football News Show to reveal what O'Neil was like as a player and how far he believes he can go in the game.

Watch the full episode of The Football News Show on BBC iPlayer

Watch Wolves v Brighton in the FA Cup fifth round live on BBC iPlayer at 19:45 GMT on Wednesday

Wolverhampton Wanderers lie just a point off seventh spot in the Premier League with 12 games to play, and while manager Gary O'Neil and his players are tempering talk of European football, are the supporters dreaming?

The Times' Charlotte Duncker and Wolves fan Jason Guy tell The Football News Show that victories over Brighton and Newcastle United this week could give them a huge confidence boost for those European ambitions but pressure and expectation remains at a minimum.

Watch the full episode of The Football News Show on BBC iPlayer

Image source, Getty Images

The draw for the quarter finals of the FA Cup will take place on Wednesday at 19:00 GMT, before Chelsea's tie with Leeds United, which kicks off at 19:30.

It will be live on ITV4 and you can also follow the draw on the BBC Sport website and app.

Former England goalkeeper David Seaman, a four-time FA Cup winner with Arsenal, will conduct the draw.

The ball numbers will be:

1. Blackburn Rovers or Newcastle United

2. Chelsea or Leeds United

3. Bournemouth or Leicester City

4. Liverpool or Southampton

5. Nottingham Forest or Manchester United

6. Wolverhampton Wanderers or Brighton & Hove Albion

7. Coventry City

8. Luton Town or Manchester City

Here are the key facts and figures before Wednesday's FA Cup fifth-round tie between Wolves and Brighton:

• This is just the second FA Cup meeting between Wolves and Brighton, with Wolves winning a third round tie 3-2 in 1978-79.

• Brighton have won their past three away games against Wolves in all competitions, having won just one of their previous 11 visits to Molineux before this (D7 L3).

• Wolves are looking to reach the FA Cup quarter-final for the third time this century, previously doing so in 2002-03 and 2018-19.

• Since promotion to the Premier League in 2017, Brighton are looking to reach the FA Cup quarter-final for the fourth time (2017-18, 2018-19 and 2022-23). They had only done so twice in their history before this (1982-83 and 1985-86).

• Brighton's Joao Pedro has scored six goals in his past three FA Cup games. He is the joint-top scorer in this season's competition with five (first round onwards), netting a hat-trick in the fourth round against Sheffield United.

Henry Brownsey
BBC Sport journalist

Wolves head coach Gary O'Neil has been speaking to the media before Wednesday nights FA Cup tie against Brighton.

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Reacting to Sunday's victory against Sheffield United he described the first half as "very good" but in the second half "a lot of the lads had slight off spells with the ball, some strange decisions, and then it all got nervy".

• On positives from Sunday, he said fans and players "dug in" for the win, adding: "I did like the grit, the determination and the refusal to let something slip, we knew how big the result was going to be for us and Premier League games aren't easy to win."

• On Brighton, he described the coaching as "excellent" and that they were "unbelievably aggressive without the ball", referencing how he's watched their centre-backs pressing opposition goalkeepers.

• O'Neil said there are no fresh injury concerns. The only player missing is Matheus Cunha and he is "doing well" and "back on the grass".

• On the short turnaround between matches he said the game "would've been much better if it was on its own on a weekend, where you have the full weeks prep", stressing his squad will be tested in next two games with both Brighton and Saturday's opponents Newcastle having an extra day of recovery.

• Speaking about point deductions, O'Neil said: "It's a tricky situation for everybody, you don't actually know where you are in the league at any point, because there are so many possibilities."

• He stressed he hopes the table doesn't change due to deductions late in the season as it could completely change how teams approach games.

• On Everton's point deduction being reduced: "I'm pleased for Everton. Like I said when they got their 10-point deduction, you don't want to see teams losing points, you want the league to be done fairly and evenly and everybody be playing off zero."

Watch Wolves v Brighton live on the BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.

Matt Cooper
Fan writer

Wolves will have played a lot better in the past and come away with zero points.

Despite Sheffield United's best efforts, Wolves managed to scrap out a win at a nervy Molineux.

Fans were frustrated at constantly inviting pressure by playing out from the back in the latter stages of the game, which did nearly catch Wolves out a handful of times, but Gary O'Neil is right - Wolves will sometimes need to find other ways to win and I think fans need to have a tad more patience.

It is not just on Sunday where I have noticed it, but it is something I have been aware of for a while. As soon as Wolves regain possession, some fans want all-out attack and groan when sometimes the ball is played side-to-side. Now admittedly, Wolves lacked tempo against the Blades, but sometimes the ball has to go sideward to go forward. It can't always be swashbuckling football.

I am not going to suggest how fans should act, but have a bit of patience and get behind the team - they are going to need as much support as possible if they are to do something truly special.

Matt Cooper can be found at Talking Wolves, external

We asked you for your thoughts on whether Gary O'Neil could get snapped up by another team, with his recent success at Wolves putting him "in the shop window" according to Shay Given.

Here are some of your responses:

Dave: I think the big clubs no longer (since Lampard, I guess) take a punt on someone with only one full season of first team managerial experience and no trophies (unless we win the FA Cup). He himself knows he needs to build something that he can fall back on if and when the typical 'big club' sack him if he doesn’t deliver quickly.

Karl: Gary O’Neil needs to be given a pay rise and a new contract to stop anyone else going for him. He has done a sterling job since he's come to the club and the players are now liking him. The way he gets them going, long may it continue and stop the other clubs looking at him.

Casey: No. I can't see why one of the big six would be going for him yet and I can't see why he would leave Wolves for anyone else in the league.

Mike: Gary is doing an amazing job considering the financial problems at the club. He is getting the best out of the players, much better than expected. He is bound to attract attention from so-called 'bigger clubs'. I hope he stays and continues his great work.

Russell: Not a hope in hell that Gary would leave Wolves in the next 12 months, minimum. Wolves showed great faith in bringing him in after being let go by Bournemouth and having little Premier League experience. He seems an extremely loyal, down to earth guy, that's more likely to see out his contract than most managers. He knows he's got it good at Wolves.

The MOTD 2 team have heaped praise on Gary O'Neil given their recent form.

O'Neil has guided the team to 40 goals already, reaching the mark in 26 games, which is their fastest rate since winning promotion in 2018.

Worryingly for Wolves fans, Shay Given says O'Neil is "in the shop window".

Wolves fans, are you worried O'Neil could get snapped up by someone else? Tell us here

Watch MOTD2 here

We asked you for your thoughts on Sunday's Premier League match between Wolves and Sheffield United.

Here are some of your comments:

Wolves fans

Tim: I know a lot of fans are complaining about the performance, but we have struggled all season against teams who 'park the bus'. We did enough in the first half to win the game, and the result confirms we are fighting on two fronts - for European qualification and in the FA Cup.

Jase: A comfortable first half with lots of possession and a great goal, but better finishing by United could have dented that. Second half we were a shambles; lethargic and not running to create space. Sheffield were lucky not to take at least a point. Our changes came far too late. Hwang Hee-chan was off pace and Mario Lemina's legs were heavy.

Paul: Fortunate to pick up three points after a flat performance but up to eighth. Wolves remain under the radar, but Europe is now an outside possibility.

John: It’s been such a positive season but any criticisms I could have of the team came in that second half. Never woke up and were lucky to not be punished. Still, a win is a win, and I’d never have believed we’d have an outside chance of Europe at the start of the season!

Sheffield United fans

Peter: Terrible. Team-mates nearly fighting - get rid of them and get rid of Chris Wilder.

Andy: Thought we were great and I was disappointed not to at least get a draw. We just have to get our heads down and battle away.

Mike: Overall a better performance from the Blades but yet again a straightforward cross into our box wasn't dealt with and we conceded. We should have significantly strengthened the defence in January but missed the opportunity.

Green: Awful in the first half but created lots of chances in the second half. Not clinical enough - really need Ben Brereton-Diaz and Cameron Archer back.

Jason Mohammad introduces highlights and analysis from Sunday's Premier League match between Wolves and Sheffield United.

If you missed Match of the Day 2, you can catch up on the action on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to BBC Radio 5 Live's match commentary in full on BBC Sounds:

Wolves v Sheffield United