Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Tommy Doyle affirmed that their dramatic Premier League comeback away to Brighton last weekend (2-2) was proof that the squad are giving everything they’ve got to save head coach Gary O’Neil’s job. Whilst it extended their winless start to nine matches (D2, L7), their longest for any league campaign this century, it showed Wolves have guts for the fight in what looks set to be a long season for them.
It’s not a stretch to suggest their next two Premier League games could determine O’Neil’s fate. Wolves fans could point out that eight of their nine league games this season took place against clubs finishing the previous round in the top half of the table, so this vitally important pair of home games against fellow strugglers Crystal Palace and Southampton will give a fairer reflection of their credentials.
No more than four points separated these teams over the past four Premier League seasons and that’s precisely the gap heading into this round. On that basis a tight contest can be expected, but despite the minimal parity, Palace have dominated this matchup throughout that period, winning six of the last seven Premier League H2Hs at any venue (L1).
They’ve also got the psychological advantage of breaking through for their maiden win last weekend, ending a five-game losing streak by beating Tottenham (1-0). A delighted head coach Oliver Glasner identified the players’ “intensity, courage and bravery” as reason for the triumph, and given they suffered only one 2+ goal defeat this league season, they were never far off the pace. Now the challenge is to pick up where they left off in May when they recorded a 3-1 victory in Wolverhampton.
Players to watch: Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Matheus Cunha, who delivered the equaliser at Brighton, scored in both losses to Palace last season. It’s the story of his career: just three of his 15 Premier League goalscoring appearances resulted in victories! On a similar note, Palace hero Jean-Philippe Mateta found the net in each of his two career starts against Wolves, both of which came at Molineux, whilst his 17 Premier League goals in 2024 is a club record for any calendar year.
Hot stat: Crystal Palace’s two opening goals is the equal-fewest of all Premier League clubs this season.
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