Wolverhampton Wanderers' descent into a historic crisis deepened on Boxing Day as a Keane Lewis-Potter double handed Brentford a crucial 2-0 Premier League victory at Molineux. The defeat leaves Wolves stranded on a mere two points, their winless run now a club-record ten consecutive losses.
A Week of Turmoil Culminates in More Despair
The match was played against a sombre backdrop at Molineux. Before kick-off, a minute's silence was held for Ethan McLeod, the Wolves trainee and Macclesfield forward who died in a car accident. His brother, Conor, a member of the Wolves Under-21 squad, was among family members on the sidelines.
The week also saw significant boardroom change, with the unpopular chairman Jeff Shi departing on Friday. He was replaced on an interim basis by Nathan Shi—a namesake but no relation—who inherits a team in dire straits. Only three teams in Premier League history have ever lost ten games in a row, and all were relegated.
Brentford Seize Control Amidst Molineux Apathy
With their own form causing concern, Brentford manager Keith Andrews made a tactical shift, dropping last week's goalscorer Jordan Henderson for the energy of Yehor Yarmolyuk. The Bees, who typically average 44% possession, found themselves dominating the ball with nearly 70% of it, though clear chances were scarce.
Wolves, set up in a deep, defensive block by manager Rob Edwards, offered almost nothing in attack. The home side's first shot on goal did not arrive until the 31st minute, representing the longest wait for a shot in the Premier League for six years. Frustration in the stands grew, with chants of "Fosun out" and banners declaring "our club" becoming the main focus for the disgruntled home support.
Lewis-Potter Strikes to Seal the Points
The second half offered little immediate improvement in quality until Brentford finally broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute. A clever chip from Vitaly Janelt caused a fatal miscommunication between Wolves defenders Ladislav Krejci and Santiago Bueno, allowing Keane Lewis-Potter to pounce and slot home.
Wolves' hopes of a response were dealt a further blow twenty minutes later. Substitute Mikkel Damsgaard, brought on to solidify midfield, found Lewis-Potter with a cross from the left, and the forward volleyed in his second to seal the points.
There was late drama when Caoimhin Kelleher saved a Jørgen Strand Larsen penalty, awarded for a soft challenge on Matt Doherty. The save compounded Wolves' misery, and the final whistle was met with loud chants of "you're not fit to wear the shirt" from the remaining home fans.
The result is a massive boost for Brentford's survival hopes, while for Wolves, stripped of assets and plunging to new lows, the prospect of a great escape looks increasingly remote. The statistics are damning: being bottom at Christmas with two points paints a bleak picture for the future at Molineux.
