Brighton boosted their hopes of European qualification after a 3-0 home win over already-relegated Wolves.
Headers from Jack Hinshelwood and Lewis Dunk inside the opening five minutes quickly blew the Premier League’s bottom side away, as Yankuba Minteh added a late third to move Brighton up to seventh.
But Bournemouth’s win at Fulham means the Seagulls remain two points behind the sixth-placed Cherries with two games left, with sixth potentially enough to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
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The difference in motivation and hunger between Brighton and Wolves on the south coast was evident after just 35 seconds as Hinshelwood headed home from Maxim De Cuyper’s cross to score for a third consecutive game.
It was a historic goal too, with Hinshelwood’s opener Brighton’s earliest-ever Premier League goal, overtaking Alexis Mac Allister’s 49-second effort against Aston Villa in November 2022.
Brighton captain Dunk then doubled the lead in the fifth minute to mark his return to the starting XI as he headed in from De Cuyper’s corner at the back post.
Lewis Dunk celebrates scoring Brighton’s second goal
A limp Wolves failed to have a shot in a first-half display which Soccer Saturday’s Michael Dawson labelled “pathetic”.
But Rob Edwards’ side offered more threat in the second half as they hit the woodwork twice and managed to have a shot on target.
A second-half hamstring injury to Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma, which saw the winger substituted in the 58th minute, was the only sour note for the home side on a comfortable afternoon.
But smiles were back on faces at the Amex Stadium in the 86th minute as Minteh slammed home from inside the box to give Seagulls boss Fabian Hurzeler the perfect celebration after signing a new three-year contract in midweek.
Analysis: Seagulls soaring towards European qualification
Jack Hinshelwood celebrates scoring their side’s first goal
Brighton are dreaming of European football for just the second time in the club’s history.
The Seagull’s lightning start showed their focus and determination to take advantage of a wide-open European qualification race.
Key in the surge towards Europe has been Hinshelwood. A third goal in as many matches saw him maintain his strong form from the number 10 position.
Another shining light in the win was De Cuyper, whom Soccer Saturday’s Michael Dawson labelled a “breath of fresh air” for Brighton on his first start since February.
Given a start at right-back in place of the injured Mats Wieffer, the Belgium international took the opportunity with both hands.
De Cuyper became just the third player to assist two goals in the opening five minutes of a Premier League match after Andrey Arshavin (for Arsenal in February 2011) and Islam Slimani (for Leicester in December 2016).
The 25-year-old’s Champions League experience at Club Brugge may well come in handy with Brighton in the mix to qualify for Europe’s top club competition.
With the Seagulls in this form, they will fancy their chances of finishing sixth, which could be enough for Champions League qualification, as they go to a likely already-safe Leeds next Sunday, live on Sky Sports, before a final-day home game against Manchester United, who have little to play for.
And with Hurzeler committing his future to Brighton earlier this week amid interest from Bayer Leverkusen, these are exciting times down on the south coast.
