LAST UPDATE | 26 Dec 2022
JOE HODGE MADE his full Premier League debut for Wolves as they snatched a dramatic 2-1 win away to Everton courtesy of Rayan Aït-Nouri’s strike in the 95th minute.
The Ireland U-21 international, who has impressed new manager Julen Lopetegui since replacing Bruno Lage before the World Cup break, was replaced just before the hour mark with the scores level at 1-1.
Hodge made three appearances off the bench prior to this afternoon’s start and he was watching from the sidelines by the time his teammates ramped up the pressure on Everton boss Frank Lampard, who had earlier introduced Irish U-19 striker Tom Cannon to try and find a winner.
A match low on quality appeared to be drifting towards a draw which would have been little use to either struggling side only for substitute Ait-Nouri to score on the counter-attack.
It secured only Wolves’ third league victory of the season but it succeeded in lifting his side off the bottom of the table and within just a point of 17th-placed Everton.
Lampard’s side have now lost six of the last eight and a lack of firepower – Yerry Mina’s seventh-minute goal was only their 12th in 16 games – cost them once again as Daniel Podence scored a well-worked set-piece equaliser in the 22nd minute.
His side departed at half-time to sporadic boos but the dissent was much louder at the final whistle.
The club are staring at another relegation battle unless significant moves are made in the transfer window to rectify their shortcomings and they could be in the bottom three by the time they travel to Manchester City at the weekend.
There was also frustration for Southampton goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu has his 14th-minute error gifted Adam Lallana an opener for Brighton. The Saints were unable to recover from the setback, when the former England international’s glancing header from a Solly March cross somehow slipped through the hands of the Dubliner.
Romain Perraud’s calamitous own goal doubled Brighton’s half-time advantage before March thumped home a thunderous third to cap a dismal first home game in top-flight management for new Southampton boss Nathan Jones.
James Ward-Prowse pulled a goal back by heading in on the rebound after his 73rd-minute penalty was saved by Robert Sanchez but a Southampton fightback never looked likely.
Defeat for the error-strewn hosts means they remain languishing in the relegation zone and leaves Jones, who launched his coaching career with Brighton, in no doubt about the magnitude of the job facing him.
The Seagulls, who were able to introduce Evan Ferguson as a second-half substitute, tightened their grip on a top-half spot following a deserved third league win from four games.
