Wolverhampton Wanderers

The Black Country derby is back as Wolves and West Bromwich Albion face each other at Molineux on Sunday (12:00 BST).

Both find themselves in the play-off spots as it stands, though the hosts could be out of them by close of play on Saturday, and whoever wins will not only get bragging rights but will get to go in front of the other on the table.

• Wolves have only won one of their last eight league games against West Brom (D3 L4), a 3-1 Premier League win in May 2011.

• West Brom have won both of their last two league visits to Wolves, last winning three in a row in February 1931.

• Wolves have won three of their last five league games (D1 L1), as many as their previous 43 beforehand (W3 D13 L27).

• West Brom have won four of their last seven away league games (D1 L2), as many as their previous 39 beforehand (W4 D14 L21).

• Only Southampton (5) have scored more goals in the final 10 minutes of Championship games this season than Wolves (4), with two of Raúl Jiménez's three league goals this term coming in the 90th minute.

Image source, Getty Images

Two silver linings for their fans were identified when Wolves were relegated from the Premier League.

No longer being exposed to VAR, obviously, was viewed as a release. The other was the return of the Black Country derby.

That framing has been just fine until now, with the day close at hand, a more nuanced picture is clear.

The derby will be a great addition to Wolves' calendar, indeed may play an outsize part in their season by giving them a huge injection of positive energy, if they win.

The unspoken part is that the inverse is also true. For some years Wolves have been able to look down from the Premier League at Albion. Losing to them now they are back on the same level would make the loss of that status even harder to accept.

This week I am reminded of a much-loved figure among local football media, as this will be the first Molineux derby with fans present in decades for which, alas, he will not be with us.

He could have been gently teased by the mere premise of this article, since he would take issue with exactly where the Black Country even is: "we are not," he might insist with a glinting eye, "from the same place as 'Them'."

But they are in practice, all the towns and cities of the West Midlands having long ago expanded enough to bump against one another.

Sometimes it can be hard to tell when you have left one district and entered the next. The dividing lines in the region can appear blurred. But not on Sunday.

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Wolverhampton Wanderers have named Richard Walker as their new under-21s coach.

The 44-year-old moves up from a similar role with the club's under-18s to replace James Collins, who left Molineux in July.

Walker has been at Wolves for three years after joining from Stoke City in 2023.

As a player, he made more than 100 appearances for Crewe and also spent time with their rivals, Port Vale.

"We feel Richard possesses the right skills and experience to take us forward in the under-21s environment, which is critical in really finishing the players off before those final stages of playing the game professionally," said Wolves academy director Jonathan Hunter-Barrett.

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We asked for your thoughts after Raul Jimenez scored a 90th-minute winner to give Wolves a 1-0 victory over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Sunday.

Here are some of your comments:

Sheffield United fans

Karl: Wilder doing everything he can in difficult circumstances, we sadly lack in the creative half.

Donny Blade: Huffed and puffed today but in the end a combination of poor finishing and lack of class up front meant it was always going to be close. We maybe didn't deserve to win, but certainly didn't deserve to lose. Onwards and upwards.

Jamessufc: A stroke of luck was the difference, neither team was really dominant but that's football. On to the next one.

David: Well done Wolves, you deserved the points more than us. We need to improve overall and especially in the final third or it will be a difficult season.

Dave: Not having a midweek game meant Wolves players had fresher legs towards the end, and that was the difference as they controlled it more in the second half. Apart from the goal, Cooper wasn't troubled and neither was the Wolves keeper.

Jimsan: An entertaining game but generally bereft of quality. Decided by a man who was playing in the World Cup round of 16 just a couple of months or so ago. That's the difference. If we learn to defend then we will be in the mix come May. If we don't, it could be mid-table obscurity (at best) for the foreseeable.

Image source, Shutterstock

Wolves fans

Kieran: Not the best performance but we got the points. Need to be better for the derby next week.

Bob: Not a very good team performance until the final 10 minutes. When the quality was brought on from the bench, the game swung Wolves' way and in the end we just deserved it.

Alan: Dull performance but a vital three points. Never really tested the United keeper and at times our wide defence looked desperate. However, we managed our first clean sheet, Krejci and Djiga have tightened the central defence. Djiga in particular looks like quite a find. Jimenez in the right spot at the right time. Getting Trippier back is a positive, hopefully he is fit enough to start the next couple of games.

Steve H: Just about scraped a win. This is not a sit-back division in football, it's highly competitive and the Wolves players need to understand this. You can't take a break here. You have to fight every second you're on the pitch. After all that, great to have three points in the bag so upwards and onwards to the next league game that we have to win.

Fudge: Not entirely convincing performance from Wolves who never really controlled the game and could have just as easily lost. Trippier's return should help to gain stability at the back although Tchatchoua didn't have a bad game. The big one next weekend.

Emma Milton
Always Wolves

Image source, Shutterstock

Last season, Wolves seemed to pass the captain's armband around almost as often as the ball. Every change had its own reason, but to supporters it often looked like a symptom of a wider problem: who was leading this team when the pressure rose?

A captain cannot fix every poor performance but the role should provide a clear voice and a familiar figure for players and fans alike.

This season has begun with the same uncertainty. In only a handful of games, we have seen Toti, Andre, Raul, Kieran Trippier and Jose Sa wear the armband. Cesar Peixoto has spoken about having a leadership group, and that is not a bad idea.

Modern squads need more than one leader. Injuries, substitutions and different match situations mean several players should be ready to speak up. Wolves need people who demand more from those around them, keep standards high and take responsibility when games turn difficult.

But the armband itself needs to mean more.

Captaining Wolves should be a special honour, not something that changes from week to week. Rotation may spread responsibility but it can also blur accountability. When a game is drifting, players need to know whose standards set the tone. Fans need to see the same player taking charge when the team needs a lift.

For me, Trippier is the strongest choice for the permanent role. He is the most vocal player on the pitch, constantly organising those around him. He has the experience to deal with difficult moments and understands what is required to lead at the highest level.

His communication could help younger players, while his presence gives Wolves a focal point during matches. A settled captain would not stop Toti, Andre, Raul or Sa from being important voices. In fact, it could allow them to lead without carrying the full weight of the role.

Wolves should keep their leadership team, but choose one captain to lead it. The armband should be a badge of trust, pride and responsibility. It should feel earned, and it should mean something.

Find more from Emma at Always Wolves., external

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Raul Jimenez is relishing the forthcoming Black Country derby when Wolverhampton Wanderers welcome West Bromwich Albion to Molineux on Sunday.

Jimenez, who returned to Wolves in the summer, scored the winning goal for his side in their outing against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Sunday, to ensure they head into the derby on the back of a league victory.

The Mexico international is looking forward to the occasion and knows that derby matches are always a 'must-win'.

"I'm really excited that we have this kind of game in the Championship," Jimenez told BBC WM. "We are capable of winning every game, but we need to show on the pitch what we are capable of.

"Always in a derby it is important to win. I am not going to say that it is more important than any other game, but these kinds of games are a must-win."

Jimenez came off the bench to score in the final minute of normal time to secure victory over the Blades.

He turned the ball goalward after team-mate Tommy Doyle sliced an effort, to send the visiting supporters behind the goal into raptures, supporters who the striker maintains a strong relationship with.

"It is really special," he added. "It is really good for me to come onto the pitch and win the game. It was a really good goal and celebrating with the fans is always special to me.

"I have missed this great feeling, to be there celebrating with this family. We on the pitch and the fans in the stands - we are all together and we need to be all together to get what we want.

"It has always been special [the connection with Wolves fans]. It has been like this since I arrived at the club in 2018. I felt it since the first moment, so it is really important."

You can listen to the full interview on BBC Sounds by clicking here.

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Wolverhampton Wanderers centre-back Santiago Bueno has left the club on loan until the end of the season to join Mexican side Club America.

The 27-year-old Uruguay international joined the club from Spanish side Girona in August 2023 on a five-year deal and made 70 Premier League appearances across three seasons.

Last September, Bueno scored his first goal for Wolves in the 1-1 draw with Tottenham and played 29 times in the league last term as the club were sent down to the Championship following a eight-year stay in the top flight.

He did not feature for Wolves at the start of this season and has signed a loan deal with an option to buy at Club America who currently sit top of the Liga MX table.

"This was our most difficult move of the whole window due to the circumstances," technical director Matt Jackson told Wolves' website., external

"We were aware that there were open markets which may suit Santi after our deadline, and when we had too many players for the 25-man squad, it was unfortunately him who missed out."

Image source, Getty Images

Swansea City boss Vitor Matos has been named the Championship's manager of the month for August.

The 38-year-old helped his side take seven points from their opening three games of the season last month.

Matos was appointed Swansea boss in November 2025 and has won 17 of his 38 games in charge.

Charlton's Nathan Jones, Cesar Peixoto of Wolves and QPR head coach Julien Stephan were also nominated for the award.

Image source, Opta

Promotion favourites Wolves will aim to end a two-game winless run in the Championship when they visit Sheffield United on Sunday (12:00 BST).

Cesar Peixoto's side have dropped from second to 11th before the weekend's fixtures after a 4-2 defeat at West Ham and 2-2 draw with Birmingham.

The Blades picked up their first two league wins of the season in the space of a week against Bolton and Blackburn, with a 3-1 home loss to Norwich City sandwiched in between.

• Sheffield United have won three of their past four home league games against Wolves (L1), most recently a 2-1 Premier League win in November 2023.

• Wolves have won three of their past four league matches against Sheffield United (L1), keeping a clean sheet in all three wins in this period.

• Sheffield United have both scored and conceded in 14 of their previous 15 Championship games at Bramall Lane, the exception being their 0-0 draw with Birmingham in August.

• Wolves' three away games in the Championship this season have all had at least four goals (7 for, 7 against). Indeed, they are just the third Championship side since 2004-05 to both score and concede 7+ goals in their first three away games of a season, along with Crewe in 2004-05 (7F 7A) and Blackburn in 2012-13 (9F 7A).

• Sheffield United have faced the most shots of any side in the Championship this season (103), while they've recorded the fourth-highest non-penalty xGA (10.15).