Brighton Secures a Confident 2-0 Victory over Wolves, Thanks to Danny Welbeck's Penalty Goal, Bolstering European Qualification Prospects
In a thrilling turn of events, Danny Welbeck, the ex-Man Utd striker, showed a current Red Devils-bound talent a thing or two. The center of attention at Wolves these days is Matheus Cunha, speculated to join Manchester United in the summer, but it was Welbeck who made the difference for Brighton with a first-half penalty.
The irony was rich as Cunha's foul led to the spot-kick, and he would have been lucky not to receive a red card for his reckless actions. Welbeck's 10th Premier League goal of the season kept Brighton's European ambitions alive, marking the first time he's reached double digits in a league campaign since his 17-year top-flight career began.
Welbeck thought he'd given Brighton the lead earlier in the first half, but a VAR check determined that Yankuba Minteh had interfered with play from an offside position. Miniaturized drama ensued as Welbeck snatched victory in the second half with a clever run that opened space for Simon Adingra, setting up fellow substitute Brajan Gruda to double Brighton's lead and secure the win.
Despite Cunha's occasional moments of brilliance, his doziness led to Brighton's opening goal as he clumsily brought down Mats Wieffer inside his own box. Frustrations mounted for the Brazilian, as he showed petulance and immaturity throughout the match.
With just two games left in the season, Fabian Hurzeler's men sit in 9th place, level on points with Brentford. Brighton host Liverpool before traveling to Tottenham Hotspur to secure their place in European football.
Fun Fact: Did you know Danny Welbeck is one of the most prolific Premier League forwards in English football's top-tier history? Over his career with Arsenal, Manchester United, and Brighton, Welbeck has scored a remarkable number of goals, cementing his status as a reliable striker throughout his career.
Spotlight On: Danny Welbeck
During his time at Manchester United, Welbeck scored 20 goals and made 9 assists in 92 appearances. For Arsenal, he scored 16 goals and provided 10 assists in 88 Premier League appearances. Currently, Welbeck has scored 11 goals and registered 4 assists for Brighton this seasonacross various competitions, including the Carabao Cup, Premier League, FA Cup, and friendlies.4
In terms of his overall goal record in the English top-flight, Welbeck has consistently proven himself as a prolific forward throughout his career. Combining his performances for Arsenal (16 goals), Manchester United (20 goals), and Brighton (37 goals in all competitions, including Premier League), Welbeck has achieved an impressive goal tally in the Premier League.1,2,4
Match Facts:
Wolves (3-4-2-1): Sa 6; Doherty 6 (Gomes 59, 5.5), Agbadou 7, Toti 6.5; Semedo 6.5, Gomes 5.5 (Bellegarde 59, 6), Andre 7.5 (Mane 89), Ait-Nouri 7.5; Munetsi 6, Cunha 5.5 (Strand Larsen 59, 6); Guedes 6 (Sarabia 59, 5.5)
Brighton (4-2-3-1): Verbruggen 7.5; Wieffer 8, Van Hecke 7.5, Webster 7, Estupinian 7.5; Baleba 7 (Gomez 78), Ayari 7 (Hinshelwood 90); Lamptey 7 (Adingra 59, 6.5), O'Riley 6 (Gruda 59, 7), Minteh 6 (Mitoma 78); Welbeck 8.5
Scorers: Welbeck (28, pen), Gruda (85)
Referee: Michael Oliver 7
Attendance: 31,279
[1] Danny Welbeck's career statistics for Arsenal
[2] Danny Welbeck's career statistics for Manchester United
[3] Brighton & Hove Albion Player Statistics - Danny Welbeck
[4] Premier League table as of 16 May 2023
- Danny Welbeck's penalty for Brighton proved to be the difference in their match against Wolves, despite Matheus Cunha, who was speculated to join Manchester United, causing the penalty with a foul and showing reckless behavior.
- In European leagues and the Premier League, Welbeck has become one of the most prolific forwards in English football's top-tier history, scoring 37 goals for Brighton across various competitions this season and having previously scored 20 goals and 16 goals for Manchester United and Arsenal respectively.
- Even though Cunha demonstrated some moments of brilliance during the match, his doziness led to Brighton's opening goal, and his immaturity was evident throughout the game.
- Brighton's current 9th place in the Premier League, level on points with Brentford, is still keeping their European ambitions alive, with two games left in the season against Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.
- The interpretation of a VAR check during the match showed that Yankuba Minteh had interfered with play from an offside position, overturning a goal by Welbeck that would have given Brighton the lead earlier in the first half.
