Wolves’ search for their first Premier League win of the season goes on after a 2–0 defeat to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
Optimism had been building among supporters before the international break following signs of improvement, but Gary O’Neil’s side once again came up short on the road.
Nordi Mukiele gave Sunderland the lead midway through the first half, combining neatly with Trai Hume before finishing past Jose Sa, with Matt Doherty caught out of position in the build-up. The contest was then settled deep into stoppage time when Ladislav Krejci, unfortunate given his excellent recent form, diverted the ball into his own net. The Czech defender had been Wolves’ standout performer in September, earning the club’s Player of the Month award.
Despite the defeat, there were words of encouragement from Sunderland midfielder Noah Sadiki, who praised Wolves’ performance. “We did everything to get the three points and I think we deserved it,” he said. “But Wolves made it really tough for us — they caused us problems. Fortunately, we kept a clean sheet.”
The result leaves Wolves five points adrift of safety, with next weekend’s clash against Burnley now taking on huge significance. Having targeted six points from the fixtures against Sunderland and Burnley, O’Neil’s men can now only claim half that total — and confidence among the fanbase is understandably low.
Statistically, Wolves created little of real quality despite 16 attempts, registering an expected goals (xG) tally of just 0.78 according to FotMob. O’Neil’s side enjoyed long spells of possession but failed to turn that control into genuine threat. Assistant coach João Pereira acknowledged a promising 30-minute period in the second half but questioned the team’s game management late on.
In attack, the problems are clear. With Jorgen Strand Larsen still struggling for fitness, Wolves are short of cutting edge in the final third — and until others step up, their fight to climb off the bottom of the table will only get tougher.