BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
Ruben’s masterpiece a winner
REPLACING Nuno Espirito Santo was always going to be a big ask but days like this could create a new love affair for his successor.
Taking Wolves from the Championship into the top seven of the Premier League and Europe rightly made Nuno a Molineux legend — despite last term’s 13th-placed finish.
The task for his replacement, Bruno Lage, was very daunting, especially after opening with three top-flight losses.
It sparked questions over his tactics and more open, attacking approach.
But no- one is complaining right now after Wolves’ thrilling late win at West Midland rivals Aston Villa.
They looked out of it when secondhalf goals by Danny Ings and John McGinn put Villa 2- 0 up.
But an incredible finish saw Wolves score in the 80th, 85th and 95th minutes to seal a remarkable victory to the delight of their players and the away fans.
Match- winner Ruben Neves said: “We didn’t have a great season last year, so we all wanted to bounce back again. There’s been some changes – a new manager and a new way to play.
Bounce
“We are working really well and are trying to get as many points as we want. At the start of the season we had three defeats in a row and we wanted to bounce back.
“The season started really badly for us with the results not with how we were playing but the fans kept going and pushing us forward.
“They help us and this win is for them.
“We spoke before the game – it means a lot to them, a lot to us and a
DEAN SMITH has vowed shellshocked Aston Villa will be ready to bounce back at Arsenal on Friday.
Villa blew a 2- 0 lead with 10 minutes left to lose their derby 3-2 at home to Wolves.
Wolves’ winner was from a deflected free- kick and their first two goals were from corners which were not fully cleared.
Villa manager Smith said: “We will put this result behind us. We certainly won’t have any problem making sure we are ready for Arsenal. As disappointing and painful as it is now, there is nothing we can change. lot to Wolverhampton. It was a great win for us and them as well.”
Wolves are only the third team in Premier League history to score three goals from the 80th minute onwards to overturn a 2- 0 deficit and win 3-2 after Reading in 2013 and Wigan in 2010.
All their goals came from set-pieces as
Romain Saiss started the comeback from close-range from su b Daniel
Podence’s pass after a corner.
Then skipper Conor
Coady bundled in following good work by
Adama Traore after
Max Kilman had headed against the bar following another corner.
Neves sparked an explosion of joy in
Process
“They didn’t do an awful lot to score their goals and that is the disappointment because we should have defended that better.
“It is a difficult one to process. When you are on the sidelines you don’t feel a tactical change or change of momentum but the setpieces changed it.” the away end when his free-kick took a big deflection to wrong-foot Emiliano Martinez.
It was a sweet moment for Neves after McGinn’s shot had earlier deflected off him.
He said: “The boys that came on made a lot of difference as well, because they came as fresh legs to
push the team forward.
Important
“That’s really important for us. That’s all about team spirit as well. After the first goal I really believed we could score again. “We did with five to go and then that goal went in.
“It’s the best part of football when this happens, as this was really so important for our all of fans.”