Why Brighton remain well-placed for big Premier League run-in

Then, as he obviously recalls quite vividly, a moment of Kaoru Mitoma inspiration gave Albion a 1-0 victory.

That’s the thing with matchwinners. They win you matches, sometimes when you are starting to think the goal won’t come.

Admittedly that winner was not from a run down the wing or even cutting inside, as he did at Molineux this term.

In fact, the cross that afternoon came from Jeremy Sarmiento, who, coincidentally, produced his own piece of late magic for Ipswich on Monday.

But that comment from O’Neil - and Monday evening's 0-0 draw with Wolves as a whole - served as a reminder that Albion, for all they have got by without them, are missing a few magicians at the moment.

Perhaps, belatedly, it caught up with them against Wolves.

Again, the team set up by O’Neil had 28% possession but this time their point and clean sheet were never seriously threatened.

Perhaps we had started to overlook the number and nature of Albion’s absentees.

The four goals against Tottenham and four against Stoke glossed over it.

So did the number of chances created in the previous 0-0 at West Ham.

And there have been possible signs that all but Solly March are closing in on comebacks.

But a conundrum which has exercised Roberto De Zerbi’s tactical mind and imagination caught up with the Seagulls this time.

There is a theory that Albion benefited from Tottenham’s high defensive line on the night they hit them for four.

But Spurs were well set around their own penalty area on the first goal and the second and third both came from corners.

The fourth was a penalty partly down to Tottenham’s wealth of, not lack of, numbers.

So the goals that night were not really down to Spurs allowing their opponents the freedom of the park (or even half of it).

This time, Albion found organised Wolves hard to go through, despite some attractive football which was appreciated quietly by fans.

The lack of explosive players out wide was noticeable - and the opposition are certainly noticing it.

O’Neil said his planning had taken into account the lack of natural wide threat.

He told TNT Sport: “Brighton have got a few boys missing, of course, as have we.

“Mainly wide players. No Mitoma, no Solly March. Ansu Fati is away.

“There are some situations they would normally benefit from on the sides of the pitch which we felt we would be able to cope with.

“Of course, we had some moments when you have to defend your goal and have to dig in.

“As a whole, really aggressive man-to-man pressing shape where everyone knew who they would be going after. We didn’t leave anyone spare.”

And that is what Albion were surely missing. Players who can cause that imbalance in one-versus-one situations.

They had done well to hide their lack of wingers for a while but not on this occasion.

The moment they nearly broke the game open came, like two of their goals against Tottenham and one at Stoke, at a corner.

Expertly delivered by Pervis Estupinan, flicked on and then, this time, not quite converted by Facundo Buonanotte.

Without genuine wingers, Albion have at times used those wide areas as a springboard from which players can come inside.

Jack Hinshelwood occasionally got into some great areas and almost forced an own goal (although VAR may have given him offside had the ball gone in).

Joao Pedro set up the crucial opener against Tottenham by coming in from wide.

But a point is handy – and it still feels like the best is yet to come from Albion.

There weren’t too many groans at full-time although everyone seemed to feel a little underwhelmed.

A previous Italian head coach in these parts used to talk about putting meat into storage for winter whenever his side won a game early in the season.

That was Gabriele Cioffi when he was in charge at Crawley.

I suppose we would put it in terms of making hay while the sun shines.

Cioffi was sacked after losing at home to Fleetwood and is now in charge of Udinese in Serie A.

That, effectively, is what Albion did this season by winning five of their first six.

Since then, they have had to come through injuries, the impressive European campaign with its demands, and a bit of bad luck.

It is probably fair to say a couple of players brought in have not yet produced what might have been expected.

But that hay made in the sun has stood them in good stead.

It feels barely credible that they should be in seventh, and looking up, after winning just three of their last 15 league games.

But that is where they are – with matchwinners to come back.

They have done a great job without so many assets of the same type.

And the players will need time to get up to speed when they are available.

But it will be a welcome change when opposing bosses speak about players who are out there in blue and white rather than those who aren’t.