NUNO: I’LL GET WOLVES OFF THE ROPES

IF Nuno Espirito Santo wants any words of advice as Wolves edge towards the Premier League, perhaps he should rewatch the Rocky movies and remember one of the most iconic lines: ‘It ain’t over till it’s over.’ For months, the manager has found himself in charge of a team in a seemingly unassailable position at the top of the Championship table. However, Wolves’ failure to win for a third straight game on Saturday means their lead has been slashed from 13 points to six in just two weeks, and it left Nuno forced to defend his players, saying: ‘My team will never lose their edge. We aren’t focusing on our position in the table. There is still such a long way to go.’ He is probably right not to focus on the table. The club’s procession towards the Premier League after a six-year absence has been hit by a severe case of the February blues. Unable to get the better of Preston and Norwich last week, this defeat by an excellent Fulham at Craven Cottage saw Nuno lamenting his side’s form. With 12 games to go, the club’s coat-tails are more than just back in the picture for the chasing pack. Nuno said: ‘We need to improve in every aspect, not just our finishing. We are conceding too many goals as well. Having three games in such quick succession is tough. There is a psychological problem there, too. ‘The Championship is one of the most difficult competitions in the world, it is extremely demanding. ‘I am going to find the solutions, though, we always do. We must focus on how we play.’ Fulham struck Wolves with two powerful blows. The first goal came from the lively Ryan Sessegnon, who showed good awareness to jab home from close range. The second was courtesy of brilliant work from Aleksandar Mitrovic. The Serb (right) beat three men on the edge of the box before rifling the ball into the bottom corner. The victory puts Fulham just four points off an automatic promotion berth, something manager Slavisa Jokanovic was reluctant to acknowledge. ‘We honestly aren’t thinking about second place,’ he said. ‘Just the next game, but we will fight for every single point until the end of the season.’