Wolves have encountered an uneven start to the season, entering the festive fixtures without securing consecutive Premier League victories. Nevertheless, a Christmas Eve triumph over Chelsea propelled them to the 11th position in the table, boasting six wins and four draws from their 18 games.
Impressively, Wolves have displayed strength at their home ground, Molineux, where they remained unbeaten in the last seven matches after initial setbacks in the first two fixtures. Their away performances include noteworthy wins at Everton (1-0) and against new manager Gary O’Neil’s former club, Bournemouth (2-1), along with a draw at Luton (1-1). However, following the victory at Bournemouth in late October, Wolves experienced four consecutive defeats on the road.
In the Carabao Cup, Wolves were eliminated in the second round, suffering a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Championship high-flyers Ipswich after a resounding 5-0 win against Blackpool. Their FA Cup journey is set to commence back at the Gtech next Friday night.
This season marks Wolves’ lengthiest tenure in the Premier League since their promotion in 2018, surpassing the three-season stay from 2009 to 2012. Their previous stint in the division occurred during the 2003/04 campaign. In the ongoing spell, Wolves have achieved seventh-place finishes twice, 13th-place finishes twice, and a 10th-place finish.
Notably, Wolves have a rich history as regular members of the old Division One. From 1932 until 1984, with exceptions during the war years when the league did not take place, they spent merely four seasons outside the top flight. In the 1950s, Wolves clinched the league title three times within six seasons.
Gary O’Neil assumed managerial duties just days before the season kicked off, succeeding Julen Lopetegui. Despite securing Bournemouth’s Premier League status, O’Neil was dismissed in the summer, merely seven months after being appointed their permanent manager. O’Neil’s coaching journey began as Liverpool’s under-23 assistant manager in August 2020, and he later joined Bournemouth in February, working alongside Jonathan Woodgate’s backroom staff.
As a player, O’Neil made over 500 appearances as a midfielder for several clubs, including Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, West Ham, QPR, Norwich, Bristol City, and Bolton. He also earned nine England under-21 caps.
In past encounters, Brentford secured their inaugural Premier League away win at Molineux in September 2021, claiming a 2-0 victory. Ivan Toney converted a penalty in the 28th minute, and Bryan Mbeumo scored his first Premier League goal, contributing to a historic win despite Shandon Baptiste’s second-half sending off.
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