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Premier League - Wolves extend Brighton's winless run as Crystal Palace and Southampton share entertaining draw

Harry Latham Coyle

Published 15/12/2021 at 22:27 GMT

Graham Potter's side continued to tumble down the table, now eleven league games without a win after such a bright start to the season. Romain Saiss scored the winner in first half stoppage time. In South London, Jordan Ayew's equaliser midway through the second half allowed Crystal Palace to secure a share of the spoils in a back-and-forth clash of evenly-matched sides.

Romain Saiss, Conor Coady and Max Kilman of Wolverhamton Wanderers interact following the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers at American Express Community Stadium on December 15, 2021 in Brighton, England.

Image credit: Getty Images

Brighton's winless run in the Premier League was extended to an eleventh game as Graham Potter's side slipped to a home defeat to Wolves.
Romain Saiss' goal in first-half stoppage time proved the only goal of a tight encounter with both sides short of a number of key players.
Saiss produced a volleyed finish after a clever dinked pass from Ruben Neves beyond the Brighton defence.
Already without suspended striker Raul Jimenez, Bruno Lage lost defender Rayan Ait-Nouri in the warm-up and then Jimenez's deputy Hwang Hee-chan little more than ten minutes in.
Yet his side had the better of things, both Saiss and Fernando Marcal striking the woodwork and Robert Sanchez making a number of saves from the visitors.
Potter's team, however, appear in real strife all of a sudden, now down in 13th after a dramatic slide towards the lower reaches of the Premier League table after such a prosperous beginning to the season.
The Brighton boss was unable to call upon a key trio of central defenders in Lewis Dunk, Adam Webster and Shane Duffy, while Neal Maupay and Pascal Gross were also unavailable.
But Potter might still have expected more from his side, who failed to force clear openings throughout.
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Crystal Palace and Southampton shared the spoils as an entertaining affair ended 2-2 at Selhurst Park.
Wilfried Zaha had fired home less than two minutes in to the contest to provide Crystal Palace the perfect start, but Southampton hit back and went in front through a long-range effort from the increasingly impressive Armando Broja.
However Jordan Ayew, ending a 43-game league goal-scoring drought, turned home Odsonne Edouard's misdirected effort just after the hour-mark after the visitors had failed to clear, securing Patrick Vieira's side a home point.
It leaves them 11th in the Premier League, three points ahead of their opponents.
Ralph Hasenhuttl was left frustrated at full-time, feeling his side deserved more than a point to take back with them to the South Coast.
"We know that it is tough for us but I must say that our players try everything and fight until the end," Hasenhuttl said. "It's always tough."
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