MY ACCOUNT
Threadbare Wolves maintained their bid to finish in a European spot with a 3-1 win over Southampton at Molineux.
Raul Jimenez gave Wolves a 37th-minute lead with a coolly taken penalty — given after a VAR check — after Jan Bednarek fouled Rayan Ait-Nouri in the box.
Shortly after seeing another goal disallowed, Wolves doubled their advantage via an unlikely source as Conor Coady nodded in after Max Kilman’s initial header came back off the post.
Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse halved the deficit with a fantastic 30-yard free-kick in the 84th minute, finding the top corner despite Jose Sa’s best efforts.
But Wolves were not to be denied as substitute Adama Traore raced down the left before slotting into the bottom corner in the 91st minute to seal the win for the hosts.
Southampton head coach Ralph Hasenhuttl expressed his displeasure with the penalty decision that went against his team, and suggested that Wolves did not deserve to win.
He said: “We tried everything today. I don’t know if the better team has won, but for sure, the luckier team.
“We had the very decisive moments in the game against us. We never stopped believing in what we were doing.
“From 2-0 down against this team it is difficult to come back but it’s an unbelievable free-kick by Prowsey.
“[At] the moment, every time [referees] check [the TV monitor] they definitely change their opinion. He did a good job today in a very difficult game.
“He let a lot of things run, he tried to keep the game going as this is what we love in the Premier League.”
Did you know?
Southampton have conceded two or more goals in 14 of their last 16 Premier League away games (39 goals conceded in total) while this season, only Norwich have shipped more goals on the road in the top-flight (25 conceded by the Canaries, 24 by Saints).
Wolves have picked up 31 points from their first 20 games of the Premier League season, their best return at this stage of a top-flight campaign since 1979-80 when they finished in sixth place.
Wolves striker Jimenez has been directly involved in six goals in his seven Premier League appearances against Southampton (five goals, one assist) – more than he has managed against any other side in the competition.
Coady’s three Premier League goals have come from a total of just four shots on target for the Wolves captain (134 appearances).
Southampton captain Ward-Prowse scored his 12th direct free-kick goal in the Premier League, a haul bettered only by David Beckham (18).
