Hat-trick of wins for Wolves as Bournemouth woes continue
Nuno Espirito Santo and owners Fosun will clearly have bigger ambitions for Wolverhampton Wanderers but this was a notable piece of history at Molineux. Wolves have secured their third successive top-flight win for the first time since March 1980, from the halcyon days of Wanderers heroes Kenny Hibbitt and John Richards, and it is like that alarming blip a few weeks ago never happened.
Raul Jimenez’s fifth goal since signing on loan from Benfica and a late strike from substitute Ivan Cavaleiro enabled this emerging Wolves team to match the run of 38 years ago and take them just a point behind Manchester United in the table.
The ultimate ambition is to bring Champions League football to this part of the Black Country, but a place in next season’s Europa League could conceivably be a realistic target.
“We are not looking at the table, just like last season when we were in the Championship,” said Nuno. “We are very proud to create a bit of history and we have all done it together. Before we were in a bad moment [after six Premier League games without a win] but now we’re in a good moment. We are trying to create something special in the most difficult league in the world so I am very happy.”
Bournemouth have now suffered six defeats from seven games and it is perhaps a sign of how weak the league is this season that they are still in the top half. They did strike the crossbar through Junior Stanislas in the second half but it was a relatively comfortable afternoon for Wolves, in dreadful conditions.
Wolves were ahead after 12 minutes, after a dreadful mistake from Charlie Daniels and a fortuitous finish from Jimenez. Daniels, the Bournemouth full-back, gave away possession in his own half and Diogo Jota advanced towards goal, dragging the ball into the path of the Mexican who could not miss from six yards.
Bournemouth could have forced an equaliser shortly before half-time when Steve Cook’s long pass released Ryan Fraser but the Scotland international’s cross towards Josh King was intercepted.
It was mainly Wolves in control, though, with Morgan Gibbs-White, the 18-year-old, again impressive in a more advanced forward role. Jota was also proving a menace before he was withdrawn in injury time after a strong challenge from Cook.
Jota’s replacement, Helder Costa, should have added the second 13 minutes into the second half when he was sent clear by Gibbs-White but, with only Asmir Begovic to beat, he sliced his shot wide.
Howe introduced leading scorer Callum Wilson just before the hour and it sparked a sustained period of pressure from the visitors. Stanislas struck the crossbar with a 20-yard free kick, with Wolves goalkeeper Rui Patricio then required to keep out Jefferson Lerma’s shot from distance.
But Wolves finished the game strongly and Begovic had denied Costa before Cavaleiro pounced in added time, running on 60 yards before sliding the shot into the bottom corner.
“We are kicking ourselves with the goals we’ve conceded,” said Howe. “You don’t like losing and the players have done so well historically when we have been out of form and that will hopefully be the case again.”