Wolverhampton Wanderers

Emma Milton
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Rob Edwards' first game in charge did not bring a new manager bounce, as Wolves lost 2-0 to Crystal Palace. However, there were clear signs of what he got right, along with some things he got wrong.

First, the shape was a big positive. Wolves looked compact, organised, and refused to be rolled over. Palace needed a huge slice of luck for Munoz's tap-in and a brilliant strike from Yeremy Pino. Apart from that, we did not give up many clear chances, which has not been the case for most of this season. There was real fight, grit, and hunger in the way we defended.

Edwards also did what many fans have been begging for. He started Jorgen Strand Larsen and Tolu Arokodare together. That was the right call. The pair linked up a few times and gave us a real presence at both ends, especially when defending set pieces. The idea of the partnership is promising.

The big problem was what they had around them. We used two strikers without a real creator behind them. Tolu and Strand Larsen want balls to feet and good crosses, not hopeful long balls and scraps. Marshall Munetsi works hard, but he does not have the vision or passing to unlock a defence. Leaving a more creative option like Fer Lopez on the bench felt like a mistake, and the result was simple. We did not create enough.

Then came the changes, and these did not add anything to the game. Taking Tolu off was probably down to fitness rather than performance, but Hwang's sloppy giveaway before the second goal summed the day up. If we were chasing a goal, bringing on someone like Fer Lopez or Hugo Bueno made far more sense. The truth is, the answer to our creativity problem may not be in this squad at all.

I worry we will be so far adrift by January that the board will not invest, and that quiet acceptance of relegation has already set in. Wolves are averaging 0.16 points per game. If that form continues all season, we finish on six points. That is damning.

Overall, the performance showed more steel, but the attack is still blunt. Edwards needs time, and a full week on the training ground before Villa away should tell us more. The base looks better. Now he has to find a spark.

These problems did not appear overnight, and they will not be fixed overnight. Our custodians have failed to plan or invest properly, and it is difficult, maybe impossible, to overcome this.

Find more from Emma Milton at Always Wolves, external

Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes has had his head turned by Manchester United's interest in him and would be keen on a January move. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Striker Tolu Arokodare insists Wolves still have belief despite being cut adrift at the bottom of the Premier League.

New head coach Rob Edwards lost his first game in charge after Crystal Palace earned a deserved 2-0 victory at Molineux on Saturday.

It left Wolves bottom, winless from their opening 12 games and nine points from safety - eight behind Burnley in 19th - ahead of Sunday's trip to Aston Villa.

"I'm not going to say it could turn but I'm saying it will get better," said Arokodare, who has scored twice for Wolves, both in the Carabao Cup, this season.

"It's a long season, 12 games have gone, we haven't get the results we wanted but we can't hold onto that. We have to focus on the next ones. There is the belief – we cannot lose hope now. We cannot doubt ourselves.

"We have to stick together, stay focused and confident and go into every game and try to win it."

An ex-Wolves player and coach, Edwards returned to Molineux earlier this month after leaving Middlesbrough.

He has swapped the Championship promotion race with Boro for a relegation battle with Wolves and Arokodare, who signed from Genk for £24m in the summer, expects changes at Molineux.

"I don't think he would have taken the job unless he thought he could help us, want to win and change how the results have been," he said.

"I think he took the job to bring positive change here. We all want that – me, Rob, all the players and the fans. Hopefully we will get there.

"It's been pretty good. I cannot say too much because I also have respect for the previous manager as it was a tough period for him.

"It's not going to be easy for Rob because we're in a very difficult period. He has handled it pretty good. He has brought a lot of positivity, which we saw in this game.

"I believe there will be changes and I hope those changes come as soon as possible. The changes are in the playing style and tactics and in how he wants us to work."

Wolves boss Rob Edwards maintains there has been no official approach from Manchester United for £44m-rated Brazil midfielder Joao Gomes, 24. (Express, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Wolves and Crystal Palace.

Here are some of your comments:

Wolves fans

Richard: I just can't see any light at the end of the tunnel. Sorry, but Championship football next season.

Colin: Played well considering we have no Premier League quality players. These are League One level lads getting taken apart week in, week out by genuine Premier League talent. We won't score another point this season.

Dairve: Christmas miracle? We would need the Easter bunny and the tooth fairy as well to get out of this. At best, we are a mid-table Championship side.

Steve: Players are getting the experience in the Premier League, but at the same time being taught a lesson in finishing. Once they start to learn to finish and score, they will come through.

Crystal Palace fans

David: I simply couldn't be prouder of Oliver Glasner and our incredible team. They seem to be able to overcome every obstacle they encounter and keep moving forward and upwards. They deserve every success, every win. Brilliant.

Paul: A very disciplined performance with every player putting in a shift and capped by a superb goal by Pino.

Al: Gritty, professional and hardy performance. Defensively solid, and this team works as a complete unit. Always satisfying bringing three points back from a difficult away trip.

Paul B: Good times for Crystal Palace, who look as if they've been able to do what Liverpool so miserably haven't and seamlessly integrated new players. The club looks very stable just now.

Adam Cottier
Final Score reporter at Molineux

Image source, Getty Images

Rob Edwards' grimace at the end told a story on its own - and his regular post-match 'lap of appreciation' bore the hallmarks of a club in deepest peril.

So few Wolves fans stayed behind to clap back at Edwards that there barely seemed any point in doing it. A chastening end to a day he dreamed of. It would have hurt.

The new Wolves boss must harbour hope that better days lie ahead, but that might mean a drop into the league from which he came.

Those supporters are deeply disgruntled with events on and off the pitch. Wolves are only the eighth team ever to go the opening 12 games of a Premier League season without winning, which is abysmal.

If this game was to be taken in isolation, it stands alone as a damning indictment of where Wolves are at. Their squad does not appear to have the minerals and they do not look good enough to even finish higher than bottom.

The limited chances they had resulted in wild swipes or miscalculated final balls. Decision making and tactical discipline was poor. Jorgen Strand Larsen - up top and bereft of goals this season - looked alone.

Wolves barely made an imprint on Crystal Palace. Oliver Glasner said it was hard work for his team. That was untrue in many people's guises as the evening mist descended on Molineux.

January cannot come soon enough for Wolves if - and it is a monumental if - there remains any vestige of hope. And even then they must get things right.

On this evidence, they have not got recruitment right in recent times and it has left Edwards with a task that would be beyond even the most experienced managers.

Pundits Wayne Rooney and Rob Green join host Mark Chapman to bring you the action and talking points from Saturday's Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Newcastle 2-1 Manchester City

• Liverpool 0-3 Nottingham Forest

• Fulham 1-0 Sunderland

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

How does Rob Edwards keep Wolves up?

The new head coach has clear confidence in his methods, but a 12th game without a victory and nine points behind fourth-bottom West Ham, his side's survival prospects remain bleak.

Edwards spoke with conviction at his first press conference on Friday, and his side clearly worked for him, but came up very short of quality.

Substitute Arias' late miss, as the hosts chased a way back into the game, summed up Wolves perfectly, all huff and puff but little class or end product.

There seemed to be some rare optimism from the Molineux terraces at the start, an improvement on the angry and frustrated atmosphere of the previous few weeks.

But the game ended in subdued fashion, with the scale of the task clear to Edwards - as if it was not already.

Midlands derbies against Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest are next and there is little evidence to suggest where or when their desperately-needed first league win will come.

Wolves manager Rob Edwards to BBC Match of the Day: "I'm obviously really disappointed with the result. The effort was there, but we can still improve in moments, that's for sure.

"The game is there. We started the second half really well; we were probably the better team. Their first goal was very fortunate. It's the story of our season; we needed that first goal. And then their second goal is a loose giveaway and a great finish.

"We then took the shackles off, but we need to do that at 0-0. I thought the second half we were a bit more dominant, but they ended up taking the moments. That's probably why I'm here.

"It was never going to be a quick fix, but there are moments there. You look at the stats, and there's probably not that much in it. It's fine margins and that's why we are where we are, and why they are where they are.

"We've got no one to blame other than ourselves. We've got to look at ourselves and find a way to get out of this. No one's going to give us the confidence and belief; we've got to earn that ourselves.

"It's not going to be done in a week. We knew it was never going to be click your fingers and that's it. There was a lot in there that has probably been the story of our seasons. We lacked confidence and needed that first goal. We've tried to up the intensity. We need to be able to get to work. We'll have a full week to prepare for Villa, and hopefully we'll improve again.

"We all want a magic wand, none of us have got it, the only way we'll work things out is by sticking together."

Did you know?

• Wolves are the first team since Newcastle in 2021-22 (14 games) to fail to win any of their opening 12 Premier League matches of a season, while their two points from 12 games so far are the third-fewest in top-flight history after 12 games, behind Man Utd in 1930-31 (0) and Sheffield United in 2020-21 (1).

Listen to Edwards on BBC Sounds

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

• Have your say on Wolves performance

• What did you make of Crystal Palace's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

New boss Rob Edwards makes four changes in his first game in charge as Wolves look for their first Premier League win of the season.

David Moller Wolfe, Emmanuel Agbadou, Marshall Munetsi and Tolu Arokodare all start.

Santiago Bueno, Hugo Bueno, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde are on the bench as Fer Lopez returns among the substitutes.

Wolves XI: Johnstone, Tchatchoua, Agbadou, Krejci, Toti, Wolfe, Andre, J Gomes, Munetsi, Strand Larsen, Arokodare.

Subs: Sa, Hoever, Mosquera, S Bueno, H Bueno, Bellegarde, Lopez, Arias, Hwang.

Marc Guehi returns for Crystal Palace after missing England's World Cup qualifiers with a foot injury.

The defender was also sidelined for Palace's draw with Brighton before the international break, but is back at Molineux.

Yeremy Pino also starts in the other change for the Eagles as Jaydee Canvot and Jefferson Lerma drop to the bench.

Crystal Palace XI: Henderson, Richards, Lacroix, Guehi, Munoz, Kamada, Wharton, Mitchell, Pino, Sarr, Mateta.

Subs: Benitez, Clyne, Canvot, Sosa, Devenny, Hughes, Lerma, Uche, Nketiah.

There are seven games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Burnley v Chelsea (12:30)

• Bournemouth v West Ham

• Brighton v Brentford

• Fulham v Sunderland - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Liverpool v Nottingham Forest - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Wolves v Crystal Palace

• Newcastle v Manchester City (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Liverpool v Nottingham Forest" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Newcastle v Man City", for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Rob Edwards' first job in the sixth tier of English football shaped him.

The 42-year-old's route to the Premier League started when he was appointed Telford manager in 2017, after leaving Wolves following Nuno Espirito Santo's arrival.

It was his first senior role and he adjusted from being with a full-time Championship club to a National League North side

Telford eventually finished 14th in 2017-18, with Edwards leaving in May 2018, but the experience proved invaluable.

"He found it difficult at times. He was with a part-time football club, so he'd been in a professional game for his whole career and working with players day to day," former chairman Andy Pryce, who appointed Edwards, told BBC Sport.

"He soon adapted. He made the club have a more solid base.

"You'll never find a nicer man; you won't meet a better person than Rob.

"He's an honest guy. When you employ a manager, all you want is honesty - whether it's good, bad or indifferent.

"You just want everyone to be honest and put all the cards on the table. That's the type of person Rob is. He's not shy at coming forward."

Rob Edwards obviously believes he can keep Wolves in the Premier League, which is why he was willing to leave Middlesbrough to come back to Molineux.

This is a difficult start for him, though. Crystal Palace are always so well organised and they should have Marc Guehi back in defence after his injury.

Wolves have dropped points late on in a few matches this season, but I can't see that being the story of this game.

Instead, I think Palace will have too much for them and will end up winning pretty comfortably.

Sutton's prediction: 0-2

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport journalist

Rob Edwards takes charge of his first game as Wolves head coach against a Crystal Palace side who have lost their past two Premier League matches on the road.

BBC Sport examines some of the key themes ahead of their meeting at Molineux.

New start for Wolves

The resumption of Premier League football following the international break offers struggling clubs with the chance to reset – particularly those who begin life under a new head coach.

Rob Edwards' return to Wolves was confirmed last week after a severance package was agreed with Championship club Middlesbrough and Wolves executive chairman Jeff Shi subsequently underlined the need for a fresh start.

"We need to refresh the whole club with a new coach's philosophy, bringing his own identity and ideas, and we can build on that," he said.

The challenge for Edwards is that Shi's prescribed building job begins at rock bottom.

Wolves remain the only team in the top seven tiers of English football yet to win this season, while they could fail to triumph in any of their opening 12 matches for only the second time in their league history.

Can't score, always concede

Problems in attack and defence have persisted since last season – Wolves are bottom of the Premier League table for ever-present clubs across the entirety of 2025, while they are yet to keep a clean sheet this season.

Edwards, a former Wolves defender and head coach of the under-23 side, has a raft of issues to address, including struggles in front of goal.

Wolves have scored just four times from open play in 11 Premier League matches so far, 10 fewer than at this stage last season – by far the biggest decline of any club.

The strategy under predecessor Vitor Pereira was clear, yet ineffective.

Wolves have recorded at least 20 more successful open-play crosses than any other top-flight team this season, while winger Hugo Bueno has created a league-high nine chances from open-play crosses – but Wolves have scored a league-low seven goals overall.

Much may depend on striker Jorgen Strand Larsen finding form in front of goal – the 25-year-old is yet to score from open play in the league this season – and Wolves must also tighten up at the back having conceded exactly three goals in each of their last three Premier League games.

The omens, though, are not entirely ominous, even if Wolves fail to beat Crystal Palace.

Of the seven teams who were winless after 12 Premier League games, three survived relegation (Everton in 1994-95, Derby County in 2000-01 and Newcastle United in 2021-22), while Edwards' first Premier League home win as Luton Town manager came against Crystal Palace in 2023-24, in the first match after the November international break.

Dynamic defensive duo

Saturday's visitors come into this contest on the back of two away defeats, which is as many games as they had lost in their previous 18 Premier League outings on the road.

Crystal Palace, however, have not lost three successive away games since February 2024 - and they love to win this fixture.

Palace have triumphed in 57% of their Premier League meetings with Wolves, their highest win rate against any side they have faced more than 10 times.

While Wolves have focused on crosses, Palace's approach is based on ceding possession and countering quickly, at pace.

The Eagles average just 41.7% possession this season, the lowest ratio of any side other than Burnley.

Playing in such a way is dependent on a solid base and Maxence Lacroix and Marc Guehi are currently the Premier League's most effective defenders in one-on-one situations.

Of players to have faced at least 20 opponent dribbles, Lacroix and Guehi have the highest tackle success rates, defined as a "true tackle" by Opta.

And Palace will be boosted by the availability of Guehi, who returned to training on Wednesday after recovering from a badly bruised foot.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

New boss Rob Edwards insists there is still enough time for Wolves to save themselves.

Rock-bottom Wolves are eight points from 17th-placed Burnley going into Saturday's visit of Crystal Palace.

Edwards has swapped the Championship promotion race after leaving Middlesbrough in second for a relegation battle at Molineux.

Wolves have not won in the Premier League since April and have just two points from 11 games, a record which resulted in the sacking of Vitor Pereira at the start of the month.

"I'm not looking at the table right now, just the next session and game," said Edwards. "I'll be clear with players this is what we are going to do to win games of football and get points.

"It's going to come from hard work. Lots of stuff comes underneath that, but I will be clear with the lads what that is and my non-negotiables. The players want that.

"We will support them as well and we believe in them. I have told them that. We can't look too far ahead and where we are with the gap at the moment.

"Every training session, we are living it every single day. There is still enough time. I understand we want to get results quickly as well as that will help with that belief."

Image source, Getty Images

The Premier League will from next season move to a new system of Financial Fair Play (FFP) based on squad costs.

The clubs met in London on Friday to vote on three possible methods of replacing Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) got 14 votes in favour and six against, which is the minimum number that is required to exact a rule change.

Overall squad costs from next season will have to be limited to 85% of a club's revenue, although teams competing in Europe will have to adhere to Uefa's maximum of 70%.

Squad costs comprise player and manager wages, transfer fees and agents' fees.

Rules around sustainability, which set out a club's financial spending plans over the medium and long term, were passed unanimously.

Read more about the news and what it means here

Tasnim Chowdhury
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

The Premier League has announced the start and end dates for the 2026-27 season.

The first round of fixtures will take place across the weekend of 22 August 2026 - a week later than previous seasons.

The later start allows rest time for players - 89 clear days from the end of this season, and 33 days from the 2026 World Cup final.

The Premier League said the delay was a "priority" for player welfare in an "increasingly congested global football calendar".

The final matches of the season will be played on Sunday, 30 May 2027, with all fixtures kicking off simultaneously as usual.

The season will end a week before the 2027 Champions League final, which will be on Saturday, 5 June.

There will be 33 weekend and five midweek fixtures - the same as the current season.

For the festive period, the Premier League have said no two match rounds will take place within 60 hours.

It has not been confirmed if there will be any fixtures on 24 December 2026.

However, as Boxing Day falls on a Saturday, the Premier League has said there will be more matches scheduled than this season, when there is only one.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

New Wolves boss Rob Edwards knows he let Middlesbrough down but insisted he had to move to Molineux.

The 42-year-old swapped promotion chasing Boro in the Championship for a return to relegation-threatened Wolves.

They are bottom of the Premier League with just two points from 11 games and have not won in the top flight for over six months.

Edwards left Boro five months after being appointed with the Riverside club second in the Championship.

But, having played 111 times for Wolves and coached the under-18s, under-23s and the first team, Edwards could not turn the move down.

He said: "This opportunity and this job is something I've always wanted and dreamed of. I'm well aware I was at a really good football club - I want to be really respectful to Middlesbrough and I know I would have let them down.

"I get it and I understand that. But this is something I've always wanted to do. I didn't want to live with regret. I've got to live my own life.

"I didn't know if this opportunity would come up again for me to be the head coach of this club. I didn't want to look back in 10, 15, 20 years' time [and see] that I turned down chance to manage Wolves in the Premier League.

"I've got to try to enjoy my life and take some risks. We're not around for long, are we? I didn't want to look back and think: 'Maybe I should have given that a go.'

"So yeah, that's why I've done it. I know it's going to be a big challenge but I'm just well up for it."

Edwards is preparing for his first game in charge at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday as Wolves look to win their first league game of the season.

He added: "There's no perfect job in football. I know the scale of the task. But I'm also really excited by the challenge and have got full belief in group."

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

Wolves boss Rob Edwards has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Crystal Palace at Molineux (kick-off 15:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Edwards confirmed Matt Doherty is "not quite ready" to face Palace, with Rodrigo Gomes and Dan Bentley also unavailable, however, it is likely weeks they will be out for rather than a "sustained period".

• The new Wolves boss said it "feels amazing to be back" and he is "really, genuinely proud" as it has been "an aim of mine since I got the under-18s job - it is something I've always wanted to do".

• On what he has taken away from his 10 days in charge: "That they are up for it, that they are ready for the challenge themselves. Every one of them when I've spoken to them has been enthused by what we want to try and do and what we want to try and bring, which has given me a lot of belief and confidence. A lot of them have talked about those words - belief and more confidence. Those are things that no-one else is going to give us."

• Edwards said he "didn't see any of the reaction" after leaving Middlesbrough after five months but is "aware" he was in a great job at the club. He explained: "This was something that I've wanted to do for a long, long, long time and I didn't know if this job would ever come up again for me".

• He added: "I didn't want to ever look back in 10 years, 15 years, 20 years and think I'd turned down a chance to manage Wolves in the Premier League. That's it. I didn't want to regret that. Here I am now and I know the scale of the task but I'm really enthused by it, I'm excited by it. Now the games start, let's see."

• Asked about the gap between them and the teams above them and how to bridge that, he said he was "not looking at the table right now" and added: "I'll make it really clear to the lads what that [hard work] looks like to me and what are our non-negotiables, what we must see every single day. So it will be very demanding, but the players want that. But we will also support them and we believe in them and I've told them that. We can't look too far ahead."

• On if he will get more time because of his connection with the club and fans: "Who knows? That's not something I've thought about right now. I hope that the supporters are on our side and my side but again, I'm not stupid. They are going to want to see good performances and results and there'll be some unrest because we've not had that for a while."

• Edwards also confirmed his backroom team are "assembling" and should be in place within the next week.

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Hear more from Edwards on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

With Wolves desperate for points, there are growing concerns about the club's need for a consistent captain.

Wolves fan Manny Singh Kang criticised the lack leadership within the squad on a special BBC Radio WM discussion: "That's one thing we have lacked in our whole hierarchy from top to bottom.

"We had a plethora of leaders, [Connor] Coady, [Ruben] Neves, Joao Moutinho, and suddenly we've stripped everything apart, and we're left with nobody.

"It's not like you can go to the training ground and say 'Who wants to be a leader?' A leader is a natural person, someone who leads naturally."

Supporter Manny feels Mario Lemina's influence "has been missed" after he left Wolves to join Galatasaray but pointed to some encouraging signs from current players.

"Someone like [Ladislav] Krejci has shown signs, you can see visible signs on the pitch where he's pushing players into position and cajoling people.

"Maybe in the [January] window they identify leaders more than players."

On someone like Coady returning, Manny offered: "He can't get in the Wrexham team, but having someone like him about the place would certainly have an impact."

Former Wolves striker David Kelly says naming a captain at the start of the season and sticking with them instead of "passing the arm band around everyone" will be crucial for Wolves.

"Most successful teams, you can name all the really good captains across the regions from all the clubs.

"You want someone who you can go to, the one person, put your captain at the start of the season and stick with him."

Listen to the full episode here