Wolverhampton Wanderers earned their first Premier League win of the season and moved off the bottom of the table as they beat fellow relegation battlers Southampton 2-0 at Molineux.
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Pablo Sarabia scored Wolves’ fastest-ever Premier League goal to give them the breakthrough with only one minute and 48 seconds on the clock.
Southampton left-back Ryan Manning had a goal overturned by the referee 10 minutes later following a VAR review, but Matheus Cunha’s stunning strike early in the second half ended hopes of a Saints comeback.
Southampton continued to see more of the ball and probed for a goal, but the Wolves defence held firm to secure a crucial victory in a battle between the strugglers.
The result means Wolves climb to 18th, with six points, while Southampton now occupy the bottom spot, with four points from 11 matches.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 |
Everton
EVE
|
11 | -7 | 10 |
| 17 |
Ipswich
IPS
|
11 | -10 | 8 |
| 18 |
Crystal Palace
CRY
|
11 | -7 | 7 |
| 19 |
Wolves
WOL
|
11 | -11 | 6 |
| 20 |
Southampton
SOU
|
11 | -14 | 4 |
How the match unfolded
Wolves made a dream start to the game as Sarabia latched on to a perfectly weighted pass from Cunha before rounding Aaron Ramsdale and slotting into an open goal inside two minutes.
Manning thought he had equalised for the visitors when his thumping finish from close range went in 10 minutes later, but his goal was overturned by the officials after a VAR review for Mateus Fernandes’ foul on Nelson Semedo in the build-up.
Russell Martin’s side ended the half strongly, but could not find an equaliser.
They were made to pay as Cunha found the top corner from 25 yards out six minutes into the second half to give the hosts a two-goal lead.
Jean-Ricner Bellegarde had the chance to make it three in second-half stoppage time, but failed to connect with a cross from Rayan Ait-Nouri in front of goal.
Wolves breathe a sigh of relief
Wolves were made to wait until their 11th match to get the first win of the Premier League season, but it has come at a good time.
They have not had the kindest fixtures to start their season. Losing to Arsenal, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Liverpool and Manchester City – all sides in the top six ahead of Saturday's games.
But back-to-back draws against Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace, followed by three points against Southampton will have come as a much-needed boost.
Captain Mario Lemina started again after a calf problem, but it was Cunha who grabbed the headlines with a defence-splitting pass for the opener before a magnificent strike from distance that helped seal the victory.
But Wolves cannot afford to be complacent as they enter a run of fixtures that could define their season, in which they face Everton, West Ham United, Ipswich Town and Leicester City before Christmas.
If Gary O’Neil’s side can produce displays like today in those games, it will go a long way in putting them in better health by the turn of the year.
Saints slip to the bottom
While Wolves will have their spirits up, Southampton will rue a missed opportunity as they slip to the foot of the Premier League table.
Martin’s side had come into the fixture after a confidence-boosting win over Everton last week – their first of the campaign. But they were put on the back foot almost immediately here after a blistering start from the hosts.
Southampton, however, did not let their heads drop and Manning had the ball in the back of the net soon after, only to see it ruled out.
That was as good as it got for the Saints as they fell further behind early in the second half and ended the game without a shot on target, despite seeing a major share of possession.
Unlike Wolves, their schedule only gets tougher in the coming weeks, hosting Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur as well as making challenging trips to Brighton and Aston Villa.
Club reports
Wolves report | Southampton report
What the managers said
Gary O'Neil: "I'm pleased for the group. They've given a lot. It was a gritty performance. Southampton are an awkward side to play against. We had to be patient. I thought we were excellent in the second half."
Russell Martin: "It's football and it's about how we respond. We started the game badly with two mistakes leading to their goal. We've dominated the ball, limited them to eight shots at home and lost 2-0. I would expect us to get something and we didn't."
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Key facts
Cunha has had a hand in 23 goals across his last 28 Premier League starts for Wolves (15 goals, 8 assists). Indeed, today was just the second time the Brazilian has both scored and assisted in a league game for Wolves, also doing so against Everton in December last year.
Southampton remain winless in their last 13 away Premier League games (D2 L11) and are the first side to lose nine consecutive away matches in the competition since Norwich City in September 2021. Indeed, the last side to endure a longer losing run on the road was Aston Villa between February 2016-September 2019 (10 in a row).
Wolves managed to keep their first clean sheet in 23 Premier League games, with their previous shutout coming against Sheffield United in February (1-0).
Wolves secured their first Premier League victory of the season (P11 W1 D3 L7), ending their 13-game winless streak in the top flight, with this their first victory since beating Luton Town in April (2-1).