DANNY WELBECK recorded an astonishing first as Brighton continued their Europa Conference League push with a hard-fought win at Wolves.
The ex-Manchester United and England striker scored his 10th Premier League goal of the season – something he has NEVER done before in a professional career spanning 17 years.
And the only reason he scored Brighton’s crucial first half penalty at Molineux is because the Seagulls’ regular spot-kick taker Joao Pedro was serving the final game of a three-match ban.
Welbeck, now 34, twice scored nine goals in a single campaign when he was at Old Trafford. But the last time he did that was 11 years ago.
Ironically, Welbeck had a goal ruled out for offside just two minutes before he did find the net following Matheus Cunha’s foul on Mats Wieffer.
Brighton sealed the points nine minutes from time when sub Brajan Gruda scored from close range for his first goal since signing in August.
And it was a moment that appeared to reduce the German to tears as he pointed to the skies after finishing off fellow sub Simon Adringa’s cross.
But this win could yet prove lucrative for Fabian Hurzeler’s side as they moved up to eighth in the table, level on points with Brentford, who won at Ipswich.
Remember, eighth would be a European spot if Manchester City win next weekend’s FA Cup final and finish in the top five.
For Wolves though, this result was a bitter disappointment.
Boss Vitor Pereira found out what the Manager of the Month curse was as his side rarely looked like scoring.
Pereira collected the award for April after a maximum haul of 15 points to keep Wolves in the top flight.
He wanted a strong finish to the season, but that was not on show here against a well-drilled Brighton side.
Wolves set the tone in the 13th minute when Jose Sa cleared straight to Matt O’Riley – but instead of hitting the ball back over the keeper’s head, he controlled it and started a move which came to nothing.
But Brighton had a goal controversially ruled out for offside by VAR after 21 minutes.
Welbeck looked to have opened the scoring when his shot found the net after being left by Yankuba Minteh.
There then followed a VAR check of around four minutes, which brought a chant of ‘Boring, boring’ from Wolves fans.
But the final verdict was that Minteh was deemed to be in an offside position and interfering with play, despite not touching the ball.
Brighton’s response was to win a penalty when Cunha and Wieffer tangled outside the box and then the Brazilian carried it on inside the area.
Ref Michael Oliver showed Cunha a yellow card but Brighton clearly felt a red might have been shown.
Welbeck cooly dispatched the penalty to record his own personal milestone.
Cunha slipped after 56 minutes as he tried a shot from 20 yards – but it was on target and Brighton keeper Bart Verbruggen got down well to save.
Pereira made wholesale subs just before the hour mark and Wolves began to push for an equaliser as the game went end-to-end.
Verbruggen was called into action again to get a crucial touch with sub Jorgen Strand Larsen ready to convert from Rayan Ait-Nouri’s cross.
But Gruda’s late goal ended any faint hope Wolves had of continuing their five game unbeaten run at home.
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