Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-3 West Bromwich Albion
West Brom climbed to within three points of the safety line after winning a five goal thriller at Molineux, the first victory under new boss Sam Allardyce.
Winger Matheus Pereira scored the opening and last goals of the game, both from the penalty spot, to hand the Baggies a priceless three points.
When Premier League: Wolves vs West Brom was planned as the weekend’s opener, there weren’t just Midlands football fans tuning in, the teams in the relegation scrap had an interest too. And the victory takes WBA up to 11 points, a point behind Fulham in the Premier League table and three behind 17th placed while Brighton, while Wolves stay in 14th.
Highlights of the game
The pre-match Wolves vs West Ham betting odds had the Baggies out there at odds of 6.76 to win these valuable three points. They were up for it right from the start and nudged ahead on just eight minutes after a gift from Wolves defender Willy Boly, who fouled Callum Robinson in the penalty area. Matheus Pereira took the chance from the spot, sending the keeper the wrong way.
Wolves roared back though, with two goals in five minutes just before the break. First, 18 year old Fabio Silva took a pass from Boly and showed strength to hold off a defender before rolling the ball into the corner of the net, his first goal at Molineux, and then Boly made further amends for his conceded penalty. Wolves had a corner which Jake Livermore attempted to clear, but the ball fell at the feet of the grateful centre back who fired into the far corner to turn the game on its head.
Big Sam worked his magic at half time and the Baggies bounced back early in the second half with their own centre back, Semi Ajayi, looping a brilliant header over Rui Patricio to drag West Brom back in the game.
And then, the winning goal came just as the first had. Robinson jinked into the penalty area and took the lightest of touches from Conor Coady before falling and winning his second penalty of the afternoon, as referee Michael Oliver pointed to the spot.
Pereira was the calmest man in the stadium as he sent Patricio the wrong way again to give West Brom a long awaited victory.
Key statistics
Both teams really needed a win as Wolves entered the game in danger of losing touch with the chasing pack, while West Brom’s precarious position in the relegation zone didn’t need to get any worse.
Wolves shad 68 per cent possession and won the shot count by 23 to 12, but the only stat that matters went the Baggies’ way.
It was West Brom’s first victory in eight and their first in 12 games away from home.
But Wolves might be looking over their shoulders now, Nuno’s team hasn’t kept a clean sheet in 12 league games, and they have conceded the first goal in each of their last nine games, losing six of those.
What’s next?
Fans of teams around the bottom end of the table will have watched the Wolves vs West Ham updates with interest and the other teams in the drop zone have tough assignments this weekend. Fulham are at home to Chelsea later today while bottom club Sheffield United host Tottenham Hotspur. Last time out the Blades won their first game of the season at home to Newcastle to give themselves a glimmer of hope of survival, and a great chance of beating the lowest points total in Premier League history, a record held by Derby County’s 2008 flops who amassed just 11 points.
Tomorrow’s big match is the top of the table clash at Anfield where champions Liverpool host league leaders Manchester United and I’ll be covering that game while the rest of the SBOTOP writing team are watching it!
Next up for Wolves it’s the magic of the FA Cup as they meet National League North club Chorley FC after the minnows progressed to the fourth round of the cup for the first time in the club’s history when they beat Derby in the last round. Then, back to league matters Nuno takes his team to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea.
Meanwhile the Baggies can take a breather having been dumped out of the FA Cup by Blackpool, and they can prepare for their own trip to London to face West Ham.
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