Wolves beat Southampton 2-0 to secure their first win of the Premier League season and move off the bottom of the table in a controversial clash at Molineux.
Pablo Sarabia scored Wolves’ fastest-ever Premier League goal inside two minutes to put them ahead, then came the big moment. Southampton thought they had equalized in the first half through Ryan Manning but VAR asked referee Thomas Bramall to take a look at a possible foul in the build-up and he ruled it out after looking at the pitch-side monitor.
Matheus Cunha smashed home a stunner at the start of the second half to secure the win, but Southampton were again incensed that the goal wasn’t ruled out by VAR after a foul on Cameron Archer in the build-up.
With the win Gary O’Neil’s Wolves move on to six points for the season, while Southampton stay on four points and are bottom of the table but just three points from safety as things are tight in the relegation scrap.
Cunha key as Wolves make most of their luck
Matheus Cunha carved Southampton open early to set up Sarabia’s opener and then smashed home a stunner to seal a crucial win and move them off the bottom of the table. He was the difference and Wolves’ extra quality in attack was crucial as they kept a clean sheet against the lowest scorers, and now bottom team in the Premier League. Wolves were handed a ridiculously tough start to the season by the fixture computer but their game at home against Saints was still a must-win. They grabbed the victory to ease the pressure on O’Neil but they also grabbed plenty of luck. Southampton had an equalizer ruled out at a key moment after VAR intervened. Did VAR need to? No. Referee Thomas Bramall made the decision on the pitch and the coming together of Semedo and Fernandes before Manning smashed home wasn’t a clear and obvious error. For Cunha’s goal Southampton asked for two fouls in the build-up to it but VAR had a look and decided there was nothing for Bramall to look at that time. Wolves have been on the receiving end of plenty of baffling VAR calls in recent times but this time luck was on their side. They made the most of it. When all is said and done at the end of the season we could look back at this win, and those VAR calls, as being pivotal for both Southampton and Wolves and their pursuit of staying in the Premier League. The margins are that thin.
Wolves vs Southampton player ratings (via FotMob.com)
What’s next?
Wolves head to in-form Fulham on Saturday, November 23. Southampton host red-hot Liverpool on Sunday, November 24.
Wolves vs Southampton final score: 2-0
Sarabia 2', Cunha 51'
Full time: Wolves 2-0 Southampton
Massive, huge, big win for Wolves. They move off the bottom. O’Neil is punching the air in delight. Cunha was the difference and Saints didn’t have a shot on target in the game as they go bottom of the table. VAR calls will dominate the talk of this game but Wolves’ extra quality in attack was the difference.
Last roll of the dice for Saints with Onuachu and Brereton-Diaz coming on
All-out attack for Southampton now. They have five attacking players on the pitch and are going to chuck everything at Wolves. Since that second goal Saints haven’t really got going again. They need something to happen fast. Time is ticking.
Dibling and Sugawara can’t make the most of chances
Saints have a chance on the break but Dibling curls over, then Sugawara is played in down the right but his cross is way off and flies behind for a goal kick. 30 minutes to go. Surely a first win of the season is in the bag for Wolves?
Matheus Cunha smashes home from distance - Wolves 2-0 Southampton
What a strike from Cunha! He smashes home from 25 yards out and it flies into the top corner. Southampton wanted a foul on Archer in the build-up but that isn’t going to come. Wolves score twice with their only two shots on target. Clinical.
Half time subs for both teams
Teenager Tyler Dibling is on for Saints, while Bellegarde is on for Wolves. Manning and Sarabia the players to come off. Very attacking decision from Saints, who need to make more of their possession. They have to get Dibling on the ball.
Half time: Wolves 1-0 Southampton
Wolves have taken their one chance of the first half which came inside two minutes, with Sarbia finishing off a counter after a poor Saints giveaway. But since then it has been all Southampton. They will feel very hard done by with Ryan Manning scoring but VAR then asked referee Thomas Brammall to look at the screen and he ruled out the goal for a foul by Fernandes and Semedo when it looked like being the other way. Russell Martin will be fuming but Saints are well in this.
All Southampton ahead of the break
Wave after wave of Southampton attack. They are dominating the ball (over 70 percent possession) and Wolves are dropping deeper. Fernandes has a shot blocked and from that corner Harwood-Bellis heads wide. Before that Saints had almost got in twice before. Wolves are playing a dangerous game.
Huge controversy as Southampton have a goal disallowed
After sustained Saints pressure the ball drops to Ryan Manning and he hammers home to make it 1-1. But VAR is having a look at something. They ask the referee to go to the monitor as Semedo and Fernandes collided in the box. If anything it looked like a potential penalty for Saints, but the decision from the referee is to change his original call and rule out the goal. That is hugely controversial and very harsh on Southampton. Wolves let off the hook there.
Wolves score with the first attack of the game! - Wolves 1-0 Southampton
A poor mistake from Walker-Peters sets Wolves free on the counter as Sarabia is played in by Cunha and slots home. Perfect start for Wolves. Awful defending from Southampton.
Wolves lineup
Sa; Bueno, Dawson, Gomes; Semedo, Gomes, Lemina, Ait Nouri; Sarabia, Cunha; Strand Larsen
Southampton lineup
Ramsdale; Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens; Walker-Peters, Lallana, Downes, Manning; Fernandes; Armstrong, Archer
How to watch Wolves vs Southampton live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 10am ET Saturday (November 9)
Venue: Molineux — Wolverhampton
TV Channel: Peacock Premium
Streaming: Premier League on Peacock
Wolves team news, focus
O’Neil has been hit by some big injuries early in the season with Hwang and Kalajdzic missing up top, Mosquera out at the back and Johnstone missing in goal in recent weeks. They have to give their defensive unit more cover on the counter as Wolves often look extremely stretched in their 3-4-2-1 system. Strand Larsen and Cunha are developing a really good partnership up top and will fancy their chances of getting a few goals this weekend.
OUT: Yerson Mosquera (calf), Boubacar Traore (knee), Enso Medina (knee), Sasa Kalajdzic (knee) | QUESTIONABLE: Bastien Meupiyou (undisclosed), Hee-chan Hwang (ankle)
Southampton team news, focus
Saints have become more pragmatic in recent weeks with Stephens in at left back and Saints basically playing five at the back out of possession. It has worked but it has also taken away some of their attacking creativity. Teenager Tyler Dibling may come back into the game, while Sugawara could also come in at right wing-back with Walker-Peters switching to the left flank. The only other change is expected to be Aribo coming in for Lallana in midfield as the latter is dealing with a groin issue.
OUT: Gavin Bazunu (Achilles), Ross Stewart (muscular), William Smallbone (thigh)| QUESTIONABLE: Ryan Fraser (undisclosed), Adam Lallana (groin)
Wolves vs Southampton prediction
This feels like it has a drawn written all over it. Both teams have obvious flaws and they will even out in a tight, tense clash. Wolves 1-1 Southampton.
Wolves vs Southampton preview
Gary O’Neil’s Wolves are yet to win this season but were handed a ridiculously tough run of fixtures to start the season. That said, in games you thought they may have got something out of they’ve been suspect defensively and that was the case in their 2-2 home draw with Crystal Palace last weekend. Going forward Wolves create plenty of problems but at the other end they’re really struggling (they’ve conceded a league-high 27 goals) and that is why they’re winless in 10. There is serious pressure on O’Neil after an awful finish to last season, as Wolves currently sit bottom of the table on three points.
Southampton finally got their first win of the season, as Russell Martin’s side squeezed past Everton 1-0 at St Mary’s last weekend. After several near misses and late collapses so far this season, the newly-promoted side deserve to have a few more points on the board than their current total of four. Martin has finally found a settled lineup and system and there is a much better balance about this young, possession-based Southampton side. But where will the goals come from? They are the lowest scorers in the Premier League but they do have star goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale in fine form and he will likely have to be the hero for them again this weekend. Ramsdale is a boyhood West Brom fan, so that will make him unpopular among the home supporters at Molineux.