Wolverhampton Wanderers

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  1. Brighton 0-0 Wolves: Key statspublished at 07:41 23 January

    Brighton 0-0 WolvesImage source, Getty Images
    • Since the start of Brighton’s first Premier League season (2017-18), the Seagulls have played out 25 goalless draws in the competition - more than any other side.

    • Since 5 December only Liverpool (17) have picked up more Premier League points than Wolves (14 – P7 W4 D2 L1).

    • Brighton have won just three of their last 15 Premier League games (D8 L4), although they have kept back-to-back clean sheets in the competition for the first time since last April/May, with the first in that run also coming against Wolves.

    • Wolves have lost just one of their last 12 trips to the South Coast in the Premier League (W7 D4), with that loss coming at Brighton in this exact fixture last term (6-0).

    • Brighton midfielder James Milner became the outright second highest appearance maker in Premier League history (633), overtaking Ryan Giggs (632). He is now just 20 games short of record holder Gareth Barry (653).

    • Brighton captain Lewis Dunk has started all 225 of his Premier League games, with only four outfield players making more appearances in the competition while starting every one of them; Gareth Southgate (426), Paul Ince (306), Des Walker (264) and Gary Pallister (261).

  2. Brighton 0-0 Wolves: What O'Neil saidpublished at 07:37 23 January

    Wolves manager Gary O'Neil on the 0-0 draw at Brighton:" We always had that threat.

    "Pedro Neto was good, probably played a little bit longer than we would have liked ideally.

    "I just felt there was still a goal in him so tried to push him a little bit more than was ideal but pleased that he got through it.

    "Hopefully over the next few days we can do something in the window that can help us in that area.

    "Until then we work hard to try and maximise what we have in the room and I felt we did that well today.

    "The main thing was we looked like a team, we stuck together and when it got tough in certain situations we looked like we could cope and always had that threat."

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  3. Analysis: Brighton 0-0 Wolvespublished at 22:34 22 January

    Wolves players argue with the refereeImage source, Getty Images

    Joe Rindl, BBC Sport

    On Monday, a handful of missed chances meant Wolves could only leave the Amex Stadium with a point.

    They had been hoping to win four successive top-flight matches for the first time since January 1972, when they were managed by Bill McGarry.

    Still, the visitors stretched their unbeaten run to six matches across all competitions.

    Wolves are on the up, 11th in the Premier League table, and only outside of the top 10 on goal difference.

    After full-time, manager Gary O'Neil reminded TNT Sports "when I came in, I was tasked with keeping the team in the league."

    Such is Wolves' recent run that feels like a very long time ago.

    Attention now turns to the FA Cup. The big question is, can Wolves bring their form to Sunday's Black Country derby in the fourth round?

    The Molineux side will face West Brom for the first time in front of supporters since 2012 in their next match on 28 January (11:45 GMT kick-off).

    It'll be huge. The countdown starts now.

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  4. Full-time: Brighton 0-0 Wolvespublished at 21:43 22 January

    Have your say image

    Brighton and Wolves cancelled each other out in a goalless Premier League affair at Amex Stadium.

    The Seagulls' best chance came in the 11th minute when Facundo Buonanotte met a corner at the back post but his header was cleared off the line by Tommy Doyle.

    The hosts also struck the woodwork when Wolves captain Max Kilman deflected Jack Hinshelwood's cross on to his own post after 54 minutes.

    Wolves went closest just after the restart with Brighton keeper Jason Steele diving to keep out Matheus Cunha before the visiting forward fired over the bar on the rebound.

    A point helped Brighton move above Manchester United into seventh, while Wolves extended their unbeaten league run to four matches and are 11th.

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

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

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

    Follow all of the reaction here

  5. Follow Brighton v Wolves livepublished at 19:09 22 January

    Brighton v Wolves club badges graphic

    Brighton are hosting Wolves in the Premier League, with kick-off at Amex Stadium in about half an hour

    Team news followed by live text updates here

  6. Jonny in talks with PAOK Salonikapublished at 15:27 22 January

    JonnyImage source, Getty Images

    Simon Stone, BBC Sport

    Greek side PAOK Salonika are in talks with Wolves’ out-of-favour full-back Jonny.

    The 29-year-old has been training on his own following a training ground altercation with a younger player last month.

    On Friday, Wolves boss Gary O’Neil said he would look at the situation again if Jonny was unable to find a new club, although the likelihood remained of the defender moving on.

    PAOK are currently top of the Greek Super League on goal difference from Panathinaikos and are aiming to win their fourth title and only their second since 1985.

    They have also qualified for the last-16 of the Europa Conference League.

    It remains to be seen whether PAOK can match Jonny’s wages. He remains one of Wolves’ highest earners, having signed a four-year contract extension in 2021.

  7. Brighton v Wolves: Sutton's predictionspublished at 11:27 22 January

    Chris Sutton v JayO predictions graphicImage source, Getty Images

    Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches again this season, against a variety of guests.

    The winter break means the current set of fixtures are staggered over a two-week period. For part two of week 21, he takes on singer-songwriter and Arsenal fan JayO.

    Sutton's prediction: 2-1

    This is a very hard one to call because both teams are in decent form.

    As I've said previously, Brighton are yet to hit the heights of last season but they are still eighth and are still hard to beat. They have only lost one of their past six league games and, since the end of October, have suffered only two defeats in 16 games.

    Wolves got past Brentford in the FA Cup in midweek and have won three in a row in the league. They are organised, resilient and carry a goal threat too, which made it difficult to know what to go with here.

    The fact Brighton are at home swung it in their favour for me... but I would not be surprised if this ended up a draw.

    JayO's prediction: Brighton will be too good for Wolves, especially at home. 3-0

    See the full list of predictions

  8. Wolves players 'offended' by relegation write-offpublished at 08:59 22 January

    Simon Stone, BBC Sport

    When Julen Lopetegui walked out on Wolves days before their opening Premier League game at Manchester United, it merely fuelled a sense of panic within the Molineux faithful.

    A lack of new signings, with lots of experience leaving - including skipper Ruben Neves - triggered concern about the commitment of owners Fosun and a general feeling relegation was virtually inevitable.

    Instead, Wolves have so far delivered the most exciting half season since the successive seventh-placed finishes under Nuno Espirito Santo.

    Victory at Brighton will take them into the top half of the table and within a point of Manchester United, who occupy a European slot.

    "The players were probably offended by the initial pre-season judgement and where people expected them to be," said O'Neil.

    "That has probably fuelled them a little bit to try and prove a few people wrong. They will still feel like that now. They will still be desperate to prove people wrong and finish as high as possible."

    O'Neil had every right to be offended too given the reaction to his appointment as Lopetegui's successor.

    He says he wasn't.

    "I wasn’t offended," he said. "I was excited to get back in and come to a fantastic club. I was sat, out of work, not expecting a job of this level to come up, so I was delighted it did.

    "When you don’t know the group that well and the noise around is negative, with people talking about how tough it might be, I thought ‘is it going to be tough?’.

    "The first few games we didn’t pick up too many results so it looked like it might have been but all credit to the lads for buying into everything we asked for.

    "I don’t want to be led down the road where it feels like I am saying we have achieved something because we haven’t. Twenty-eight points from 20 games is a decent return but a lot can go right and wrong in the last 18 games.

    "Can we get another 28? Fifty-six would be an incredible season."

  9. Guedes completes Villarreal loanpublished at 17:17 19 January

    Goncalo Guedes in action for BenficaImage source, Getty Images

    Wolves winger Goncalo Guedes has completed a loan move to Villarreal for the remainder of the season.

    The 27-year-old had spent the past 12 months on loan at Benfica, but has started just two of his 14 appearances this season.

    The Portugal international joined Wolves for £27m in the summer of 2022 and scored two goals and provided one assist in 18 games for the side.

    He will spend the second half of the season in La Liga, having previously played for Valencia in the division.

  10. O'Neil on Fraser future, Lemina's return and a fully-fit grouppublished at 14:32 19 January

    Simon Stone, BBC Sport

    Wolves boss Gary O'Neil has spoken to the media before his side's trip to Brighton on Monday.

    Here are the main lines from his news conference:

    • On the short-term future of 18-year-old striker Nathan Fraser: "He has a part to play at some point in the future, the key is how we get him there. The decision if he goes on loan will be based purely on what we are able to do this month. At the moment he is the only number nine with any experience at the club so he won’t be going anywhere anytime soon."

    • On Mario Lemina's return after the death of his father: "It was a tough thing to go through, especially given the role he plays in his family. He spent a good spell of his time with them until he felt he was ready to come back and we are pleased to have him."

    • Wolves are enjoying a healthy spell in terms of fitness, with O'Neil stating: "There is not an injury at the club at the moment, which is good as we are not blessed with a load of numbers."

    • In facing Brighton, O'Neil was asked about Seagulls midfielder James Milner and said: "I was in quite a few England youth squads with him. He was the most professional player on the trip. He is still playing at an incredibly high level and a fantastic example for how to get the best out of yourself."

    • On Roberto De Zerbi's Brighton: "They had a similar way of playing before Roberto came in. He has improved it. He is one of the best managers around."

    • In more detail on Monday's opponents, O'Neil added: "When you come up against a top coach or side it's always good to see where we are and what we could achieve. They are very good at what they do. Us and them were also the two sides who made the most profit in the summer so it's impressive they've managed to keep it going."

  11. Brighton v Wolves: Pick of the stats published at 12:03 19 January

    • Brighton have won their past four league games against Wolves, as many as they had in their previous 19.

    • Wolves have won their past three Premier League games. They last won four in a row in the top flight in January 1972 under Bill McGarry.

    • Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi has won his Premier League meetings with Wolves by an aggregate scoreline of 13-3. Meanwhile, Wolves manager Gary O'Neil has lost his three Premier League encounters with Brighton, with his sides conceding seven goals and scoring one in reply

    • All eight of Brighton’s penalty goals this season have been scored by Joao Pedro, with 53% of his strikes coming from the spot (8/15). The forward has scored more penalties than any other Premier League player this season.

    • Matheus Cunha has been directly involved in eight goals in his past nine Premier League appearances for Wolves, having registered just five goal contributions in his first 28 games for the club in the competition.

  12. O'Neil 'has been a breath of fresh air'published at 11:32 18 January

    BBC Sport pundit Michael Brown

    Gary O’Neil has been a real breath of fresh air.

    Wolves have got resources, they play with confidence and they have also been able to sit in at times and withhold pressure.

    O'Neil would like to go into the transfer market to strengthen a couple of areas but he knows he is limited on funds. He might have to move a few out to do that, and that is what he’s looking to do.

    At the beginning of the season, people did not think Wolves had a chance and they could be the ones looking at relegation after his late arrival meant he did not get pre-season with them.

    But he has moved a few [players] around and got some results. His squad is looking stronger but I still think he needs a bit of help.

    He needs a couple of players who can play how he wants rather than him looking at the squad and having to adapt to them.

    Michael Brown was speaking to BBC Sport's Katie Stafford

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  13. 'If anyone pays £50m for him though, it's crazy'published at 11:25 18 January

    The Telegraph's Luke Edwards believes £50m-rated Armando Broja is not a "top-level striker" and has questioned Chelsea's valuation of the Albania international on the Transfer Gossip Daily podcast: "Lots of managers have had a look at him [at Chelsea] and thought that he's not good enough. I don't want to be brutal but how can they say with a straight face that they will take £60m for him?

    "It's being compared to Brighton valuing Evan Ferguson at £100m or Ivan Toney being valued at £100m. I think the Ferguson valuation was too much, but you're not going to get £50m or £60m for a 22-year-old who has scored six goals. That's a waste of money for anyone who does it.

    "The irony is Chelsea have tried to drive prices up in the Premier League market over the last two years. They paid £150m for [Moises] Caicedo and £105m for Enzo Fernandez, who both haven't lived up to expectations.

    "Maybe they just think that's the going rate so they went and bought some overpriced players and are now thinking, 'let's go and fleece someone like Fulham or Wolves.

    "Broja hasn't won anything and he's not done anything at Chelsea to suggest he is that sort of player. He's not particularly done anything at international level but, he's 22-years-old, he's still young. I think there will be some clubs interested in him, absolutely.

    "Now that Chelsea have said he can go, it shows you how much trouble they are in with profit and sustainability rules. They are having to offload players again this window. I suspect they will end up getting a loan deal with the obligation to buy at the end of the season. If anyone pays £50m for him though, it's crazy."

    Media caption,

    Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

  14. Wolves pondering loan move for Fraserpublished at 11:22 18 January

    Nathan FraserImage source, Getty Images

    Simon Stone, BBC Sport

    Wolves boss Gary O'Neil said on Tuesday night that he is still looking for a striker.

    West Ham's Danny Ings and Chelsea's Armando Broja have both been mentioned as possible options.

    With Fabio Silva and Sasa Kalajdzic leaving on loan and Hwang Hee-chan on Asian Cup duty with South Korea, O'Neil has limited options, which is why 18-year-old Nathan Fraser was needed to come on and score a crucial equaliser against Brentford.

    Fraser admits he doesn't know exactly what his short-term future holds.

    "Whatever I get told to do, I'll do. If I stay here, I'll give 100 per cent and if I go on loan I'll give 100 per cent," said Fraser.

    "Obviously you want to be around this and when you play in it, you realise how good it is to play in front of this many fans and play for Wolves, which I always wanted to do.

    "But at the end of the day, some things are out of my control. I have to keep working hard and see what happens."

  15. 'A record O'Neil will want to straighten out'published at 08:46 18 January

    Wolves fan's voice graphic

    Matt Cooper, Talking Wolves, external

    Wolves don’t make it easy do they?

    Over 120 minutes of football, in sub-zero temperatures, against an opposition they have faced three times in one month. Only this time, there was a big blue-and-white carrot dangled for the winner in the shape of West Bromwich Albion in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

    It has been some time since both clubs faced each other with fans in attendance but, more often than not, West Brom have had the better of Wolves in recent years. You have to stretch back to 1996 to find the last time Wolves left the Hawthorns with a win.

    It is a record Gary O’Neil will want to straighten out.

    Both teams are having a good season and, some would say, are exceeding expectations in their respective leagues but, as the old cliche goes, in derbies your form goes out the window.

    It is surreal that during my entire existence on this planet, I have never seen my club win at the Hawthorns. I have always said that we could win the quadruple and the Albion could be in the National League and they would still always beat us.

    Hopefully the 27-year wait comes to an end on Sunday, 28 January.

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  16. 'Big one' at Brighton before 'The Really Big One' against Baggiespublished at 08:44 18 January

    Expert view Wolves

    Mike Taylor, BBC Radio WM

    “We’re looking forward to it, but we have got a really big Premier League game at the weekend that I’m focused on now… You lot need to stop asking me about it until after Brighton!”

    Wolves had just finally seen off Brentford – until they face them yet again in the Premier League at Molineux in three weeks’ time, that is – and set up the FA Cup fourth-round tie against West Bromwich Albion that will be the talk of the region. Gary O’Neil had a big grin on his face when he spoke; he knows very well that the derby is the hottest ticket in town.

    But O’Neil is not being a killjoy when he points out that the Brighton game must be his team’s first priority this week. He is obviously right, and sometimes it is the manager’s job to say the grown-up things while everyone else gets a bit giddy. There will be time enough next week for all that hype.

    Anyway, the prospect of facing Brighton should be enough to keep Wolves’ full attention until Monday. Too much can be made of previous meetings between teams – the club badges and the fans may be the same, but the players usually are not – while Brighton have torn Wolves’ defences apart for four games in succession. It would therefore be another measure of their recent progress if they could answer back.

    Both clubs will be below full strength, and O’Neil was mindful even during the FA Cup replay against Brentford not to ask too much of the players he has available.

    “It’s the nature of having a small senior group, really," he said.

    "I have some real tough decisions when the game is going on – Pedro [Neto] and Mario [Lemina] playing a bit longer than we wanted, Nels [Semedo] looking exhausted, Matheus Cunha playing with cramp... I know how desperate the fans are for us to win this game that we are in at this moment, but know how desperate I am to have a squad that is available for the next one, and the one after that. Some tough decisions out there.”

    But it worked out. O’Neil’s players – clearly enjoying their work thoroughly – will rouse themselves for Monday. The next Premier League game is always the big one.

    After that, we will talk about the Really Big One.

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  17. Fraser's switch of allegiancepublished at 08:40 18 January

    Simon Stone banner

    Nathan Fraser delighted his Wolves-supporting mates by scoring a crucial goal in front of the South Bank.

    There was a time when Fraser himself wouldn't have been that bothered by a Wolves goal - even one that helped secure an FA Cup fourth round trip to West Brom.

    Although he was brought up barely a mile from Wolves' Compton training ground, his family were Aston Villa fans and he followed suit.

    However, given he has been part of the Wolves academy since he was eight, it is fair to say he has different allegiances now.

    "When you start playing for a team you lose being a fan," he said.

    "Now, I can't support Villa when I play for Wolves, it's impossible. All my mates are Wolves fans."

    Media caption,

    Wolverhampton 3-2 Brentford: Wolves edge Brentford after Extra-time winner