Ipswich hung on for dear life for 20 minutes as Wolves looked certain to score a winner from any one of a half-dozen chances, but it was the Tractor Boys who landed the final blow in a massive relegation six-pointer at Molineux Stadium on Saturday.
WATCH — Wolves v Ipswich full match replay
Though they remain in the relegation zone despite their 2-1 victory, Ipswich (18th - 12 points) are now just one point back of Crystal Palace in 17th and two behind Leicester in 16th. These boys got some fight in them. It’s a bitter pill for Wolves (19th - 9 points) to swallow, as they were unplayable during their best 15-minute stretch of the entire season, only to fall asleep in stoppage time and lose a relegation six-pointer at home.
All-time bad vibes at Wolves right now
A week ago, Mario Lemina scuffled with West Ham players and his own coaches after the full-time while, which led to Lemina being stripped of the Wolves captaincy this week. On Saturday, Rayan Ait-Nouri who had to be forcibly removed from the field by either a teammate or a member of the coaching staff. That, after Ait-Nouri was involved in a naughty incident in which he lightly slapped an opposing player in the face in the first half. The only ones who look like they’re having any fun is Matheus Cunha, who scored again, and striker Jorgen Strand Larsen, who was a nightmare for Ipswich’s defense to deal with and probably should have taken one of his chances when it was 1-1 and Wolves were getting look after look. This week won’t be quieter around Gary O’Neil.
Player ratings - Wolves vs Ipswich
What’s next?
- Ipswich vs Newcastle — Saturday (10 am ET)
- Leicester vs Wolves — Sunday, Dec. 22 (9 am ET)
How to watch Wolves vs Ipswich live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 10am ET, Saturday (December 14)
Venue: Molineux — Wolverhampton
TV Channel: Peacock
Streaming: Watch live on Peacock
Wolves vs Ipswich live updates - by Andy Edwards
Wolves vs Ipswich final score: 1-2
Goalscorers: Matt Doherty (15' - OG), Matheus Cunha (72'), Jack Taylor (90'+3)
GOAL! Wolves 1-2 Ipswich: Jack Taylor wins it in stoppage time after Wolves waste their chances (90'+3)
GOAL! Wolves 1-1 Ipswich: Matheus Cunha fires home at the near post (72')
OWN GOAL! Wolves 0-1 Ipswich: Liam Delap goes it alone and eventually Wolves’ defense collapses (15')
Wolves starting lineup
Johnstone - Semedo, Bueno, Gomes - Doherty, Andre, Lemina, Ait-Nouri - Bellegarde, Cunha, Strand Larsen
Ipswich starting lineup
Muric - Clarke, O’Shea, Burgess, Davis - Morsy, Cajuste, Chaplin - Hutchinson, Burns, Delap
Wolves lost 2-1 at West Ham on Monday to pile the pressure back on Gary O’Neil as two-straight wins have been followed up by three-straight defeats. O’Neil has correctly pointed towards losing big players and a lack of spending from Wolves’ owners, but they should be higher up the table with the squad of the players they do have. Defensively they’ve been all over the place and have conceded the most goals (38) in the Premier League this season. Mario Lemina has also been stripped of the Wolves captaincy after fighting with Jarrod Bowen and his own teammates following their defeat at West Ham on Monday.
Ipswich were dealt a heartbreaking blow at home against Bournemouth last time out. Kieran McKenna’s side led 1-0 late on but Bournemouth scored twice to win 2-1 and Ipswich are yet to win at home on their return to the Premier League and have just one win from 15 games. But, like Wolves, they sit on nine points and are still within touching distance of safety. That is what makes this game such a huge one.
Wolves team news, focus
O’Neil has done his best to try and find some defensively solidity and Wolves did look better at the back at West Ham with Semedo as a right-sided center back. Matheus Cunha and Jorgen Strand Larsen are their stars in attack and it’s up to Lemina, Gomes and Andre to get them the ball in dangerous areas and for Doherty and Ait-Nouri to push forward from their wing-back roles to create overloads on the counter.
OUT: Yerson Mosquera (knee), Boubacar Traore (knee), Enso Medina (knee), Sasa Kalajdzic (knee), Joao Gomes (suspension) | QUESTIONABLE: Jose Sa (shoulder), Pablo Sarabia (calf)
Ipswich team news, focus
McKenna has a big squad and has given chances to so many attacking players as the Tractor Boys try and find a winning formula in attack. They’ve only scored 14 goals, the second-lowest amount in the league and they need Liam Delap and Omari Hutchinson to deliver the goods. They also want to have more control in games as they were hanging on long before Bournemouth scored twice to beat them last time out.
OUT: Janoi Donacien (groin), Chiedozie Ogbene (achilles - out for season), George Hirst (knee), Axel Tuanzebe (hamstring)
Wolves vs Ipswich prediction
This has a drawn written all over it. Wolves will be nervous and expected to come flying out of the traps, while Ipswich are dangerous on the counter. Wolves 1-1 Ipswich.
