Gary O’Neill’s return to the South Coast sees his Wolves team head back home with all three points. A game of two halves sees Wolves trail by one goal to nil in the first half, meanwhile in the second half Wolves are quick to respond and get the game back on its feet and all square. Persistence, gifts by Bournemouth, goals by Cunha, Kalajdzic and a man-of-the-match performance from Tommy Doyle see us prevail late on at the Vitality Stadium.

Jose Sa – 6

Nothing which he could have done for Bournemouth’s goal, all the other shots that he faced turned out to be weak or central shots by the Cherries, routine saves for the Portuguese shot-stopper. A quiet game for Jose Sa which equates to a good thing as he wasn’t tested or didn’t commit any mistakes.

Matt Doherty – 6.5

Not a bad performance from the Irishman as he filled in for the suspended Nelson Semedo. He picked up a few fouls, managed to get the ball in dangerous positions and always pushed himself forward, all this even though he picked up a strain in his groin the day prior to the game. Our game vs Newcastle will probably see Semedo slot back into the right-back position but a solid performance from Doherty, nonetheless.

Max Kilman – 6.5

Not bad not great, didn’t set the world on fire, and he did his duty although he did pick up a yellow card at the end of the first half as he took down one of the Bournemouth players with a late tackle. Played a few passes over the top of the Bournemouth defence like his counterparts.

Craig Dawson – 7.5

A very solid game from Dawson, the standout from that back three. Did all the basics well, and passed the ball well across the field and over the top of the Cherries’ defence, probably one of their biggest weaknesses. Was found in no man’s land for Solanke’s goal but managed to mark him well out of the game to relieve the pressure from Sa’s goal.

Toti Gomes – 5.5

Wasn’t able to repeat the feats of the two previous games he started in and was partially at fault along with Ait-Nuori for the Cherries’ goal as they scored with too much ease and too much space left in behind. Made some good passes but ultimately the change in formation and substitution was the right call as Wolves were chasing a goal and out of the back three, he was the obvious choice to leave the playing field.

Rayan Ait-Nouri – 7

A clear lack of understanding between him and Toti in the first half as the shape of the defence didn’t look exactly right or at least one flank didn’t match the other and the goal showed exactly that as the whole left flank was left empty for Billing to cross the ball to Solanke. Nonetheless, he did what he does best pushing forward and that could be seen in the second half when he linked up well with Cunha and Neto in what could have led to a goal if Neto found his footwork.

Boubacar Traore – 6.5

Filled in for the suspended Mario Lemina in midfield and made his first premier league start for the season. It wasn’t a repeat of his Man City cameo but that was always going to be hard to come. He managed to put his foot in and intercept a few times to break up the play of Bournemouth, nothing memorable as he also picked up a booking but can’t complain too much.

Joao Gomes – 5

It wasn’t his day; he wasn’t able to get into the game and impose his play. Maybe because of the similar characteristics he has with Traore or the fact he wasn’t playing with his usual midfield partner Mario Lemina. Although not expected at first the game did need changing so the substitution at halftime was the right call, one thing for sure is the fact he will be working hard to improve and keep his place at the midfield position as it has many takers.

Pedro Neto – 8

An electric performance from the Portuguese winger that could or maybe should have seen him end up on the scoresheet. Constantly brought the team forward with his direct runs and always brought threat, an example is his run in the fifth minute of the game where he cut back on the inside right on the edge of the box and his shot struck the woodwork. He did manage to grab himself an assist though when he passed the ball to Cunha on the edge of the box.

Matheus Cunha – 7

Not a great game or at least the first half as I would have had him substituted. Lucky that I am not the gaffer as he produced a great strike on the edge of the box to get us tied and change the momentum of the game. Dropped deep and brought the ball upfield on various occasions but his performance wasn’t impeccable if you leave the goal aside.

Hwang Hee-Chan –7 .5

A constant battle for Hwang, showed fight throughout the game getting in good positions and cutting the ball back on various occasions as he would attack the opposition box. Played a key part in the sending off of the Bournemouth player as he was hacked down and he certainly wasn’t happy. His game was topped off as he got the assist for Kalajdzic’s winner.

Subs

 Tommy Doyle – 9

Man of the match performance from Tommy Doyle. Gary O’Neill hit the jackpot with this substitution, the momentum of the game completely changed and it is no coincidence he was involved in the build-up to our equalizer in the 47^th minute via Matheus Cunha. Sitting in front of the defence the young Englishman could constantly play great passes to find our forwards in space.

Pablo Sarabia – 6

Wasn’t really involved in the game, didn’t have many touches, pressed the Bournemouth players in added time to obstruct their play, and also picked up a yellow card after a confrontation with Max Aarons.

Sasa Kalajdzic– 8

Ten minutes and one chance are all it takes for him to leave his mark and bring all the three points home. After a shocking pass by the Bournemouth goalkeeper Neto, Billing loses possession right in front of his goal and after a quick turnaround a pass by Hwang finds Kalajdzic in front of goal and he makes no mistake.

After a superb first half, Gary O’Neil’s Wolves side whimpered to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of a weakened Liverpool side, without the likes of Virgil Van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Wolves looked a different side from the early stages of the second half, allowing the away side to carry on their run, as one of the six unbeaten sides currently remaining in the Premier League.

Jose Sa – 5

An outing with not much work to do for Jose Sa, however once again his work with the ball at his feet let him down. His launch into no-mans-land late in the second half allowed Liverpool to take the lead after some haphazard defending from Wolves.

Nelson Semedo – 6

An assertive performance in the first half from Semedo places him as one of the better performers for the home side today. He remained calm when bringing the ball out from the back, and was a constant threat going forward, particularly with his cross to set up Pedro Neto in the first half. Liverpool doubled up on Semedo early in the second half, which led Gary O’Neil to add Matt Doherty as support on the right-hand flank.

Craig Dawson – 4

A performance expected of Craig Dawson for the majority, dominant in duels and assertive against opposition forwards. The central defender was a threat in Liverpool’s box from set-pieces. Dawson however, was robbed of the ball far too easily in the build-up to Liverpool’s third which saw his overall match rating slip.

Max Kilman – 5

Similar to his partner, Kilman was assertive and dominant for the majority. An overall defensive lapse during Liverpool’s second goal sees the Wolves defence take somewhat of a battering in terms of their rating. Kilman made a fantastic block in the second half to deny Darwin Nunez. However, questions remain regarding whether Kilman is the right man to wear the armband for Wolves.

Rayan Ait-Nouri – 7

As with his fellow starting fullback, Ait-Nouri was one of the more promising players for the home side today. For large periods before his injury impacted substitution, Ait-Nouri fully locked down Mohammed Salah. His link-up with Pedro Neto in the first half was pivotal when it came to the home side’s success in the first half. He continues to justify his place in Gary O’Neils starting 11.

Joao Gomes – 6

After a strangely poor performance at Selhurst Park, Joao Gomes’s standards rose again against Liverpool. He was fantastic both with and without the ball in the first half, however, this was not allowed throughout the second as the away side continued to retain the ball.

Mario Lemina – 6

Similarly to Gomes, Lemina simply did not have an impact on the second half due to the shift in momentum. The midfielder performed his role admirably as always, however, and was a fantastic ball-winner. The only downfall for the Gabonese today was his hopeful ball straight to Liverpool’s backline which continued to set the tempo of the second half.

Jean-Ricner Bellegarde – 7

As far as debuts go, The Frenchman was remarkably impressive during his first start in Old Gold. Bellegarde was given the licence to roam forward and he was a constant threat. He showcased the tempo of the first half perfectly, his ability to drive and utilise his pace and power proved to be a thorn in the side of Liverpool throughout his time on the pitch. Should Bellegarde put up similar performances moving forward he will undoubtedly become a fan favourite.

Pedro Neto – 7

With his fourth assist of the season, Pedro Neto looked very much like his old self throughout. He beat three men as he set up Hwang Hee-Chan early in the first half and should have registered a second when his cross found Matheus Cunha who fluffed his lines in the box. A fantastic performance on the left-hand side from Neto.

Hwang Hee-Chan – 7

Before his substitution, Hwang provided another bright performance for Wolves. The forward scored his third of the season and continues to be one of the more reliable men under Gary O’Neil.

Matheus Cunha – 4

Missing the chance which could have changed the game completely for Wolves, Matheus Cunha was strangely quiet for large periods despite the assertive performance in the first half from Wolves. As with his miss against Manchester United, Cunha continued to lack the much-needed bite in front of goal which would elevate his game to a whole new level.

SUBSTITUTES:

Fabio Silva (Matheus Cunha, 61) – 4

Being on the receiving end of criticism following the defeat, Fabio Silva provided somewhat of a nothing cameo during his time on the field. Silva offered little to nothing in terms of an outball and looked like a shadow of the figure seen throughout the international period with Portugal’s U21s.

Matt Doherty (Hwang Hee-Chan, 61) – 5

Whilst the Irishman had a few neat touches going forward when combining with Nelson Semedo, Matt Doherty had a very minimal impact on the match for Wolves, and his substitute appearance fully indicated the intentions of Gary O’Neil to shut up shop as the game progressed.

Hugo Bueno (Rayan Ait-Nouri, 65) – 5

After a sensational performance from Rayan Ait-Nouri, Hugo Bueno looked at sixes and sevens in comparison. He failed to lock down Salah as Ait-Nouri did as Liverpool continued to assert their control throughout the latter stages.

Tommy Doyle (Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, 77) – N/A

Coming on for his debut in Old Gold in the latter stages, it was a far-from-ideal scenario for the young midfielder to stamp his authority. Doyle however did look neat and tidy on the ball when he did have possession, however, the Englishman will need more minutes under his belt before a full judgment is made by supporters.

Boubacar Traore (Mario Lemina, 78) – N/A

Playing in somewhat of an unorthodox position higher up the pitch, Boubacar Traore struggled throughout his limited time on the pitch. Wolves whimpered to defeat in the closing stages of the match, and Traore alongside two more defensive midfielders certainly did not help the home side in terms of ball retention.

Eberechi Eze and Odsonne Edouard show, shame the pair play for Crystal Palace and not Wolves. More possession than our opponents but that doesn’t equate to the 3 points. Wolves struggled to contain the hyperactive Eze and paid the price as Wolves defence was too sluggish and the team made far too many mistakes, being dispossessed and countered on numerous occasions and struggling to create or get in any dangerous positions despite the two goals.

Jose Sa – 5.5

Made some good low saves to deny Palace from adding any further goals and came out to collect the ball when crossed in the Wolves box but ultimately conceded 3 goals and gifted Palace the chance to go 1 nil up in the 15^th minute of the game. His distribution also wasn’t great within the game as he often booted the ball up for a quick counter but routinely handed the ball back to Crystal Palace.

Nelson Semedo – 5

Picked up a booking early in the first half that obviously hindered and held him back. Some decent passes and link up but that’s about it, didn’t offer anything on either front and should have done much better in the defensive front, left far too much space for Mitchell to cross for the first goal.

Craig Dawson – 5

Did not look too comfortable at all during the duration of the game, Eze, Edouard and co danced around the defence with ease while the Wolves defence looked on hopelessly for the three goals. Not a game to remember for him, also launched the ball long on too many occasions and the Wolves attackers didn’t manage to make anything off of that.

Max Kilman – 5

Copy and paste of Craig Dawson too slow, sluggish and at fault for the goals, The first goal saw the ball travel across the box and Edouard free himself in between him and Dawson to poke home at the near post from close range. The only thing to differentiate his performance from that of Dawsons was the goal-line clearance in the first half.

Rayan Ait-nouri – 5.5

Not good enough but the best pick out of a bad bunch in that back four today, made some mistakes himself, one of note in the second half when his indecision led to Edouard finding himself in front of Jose Sà but the shot-stopper dived low to deny the Palace striker. Also picked up a yellow card early on and was taken off for the final ten minutes but pushed forward compared to Semedo.

Mario Lemina – 6

Had a good first half often breaking up Palaces’ play and regaining possession for Wolves. Didn’t repeat himself in the second half and was caught out watching for at least one of the three goals. His first-half performance was probably one of the reasons why the first half ended goalless and that’s why he gets a pass on his rating.

Joao Gomes – 4.5

Wasn’t his day didn’t see what he offered in his previous outings in old gold. Got lucky in the first half as a penalty could have been given for his contact with Eze in the box. Held the ball for too long on various occasions and was wasteful in front of the Palace box, leading them to counter us and put us in difficulty, this also led to him being added to the referee’s book.

Pedro Neto – 7

Our only spark in that game, the man creating the chances and the only player offering something going forward, not surprised the ball was played so often down his flank. Shame he didn’t get on the score sheet as Johnstone denied him well on one occasion. No goals for him in this game but he can be happy with his performance as he assisted both of Wolves goals.

Pablo Sarabia – 4.5

Did he play today? After a convincing outing on Tuesday against League One opposition Blackpool in the League Cup Sarabia did not repeat himself. The Spaniard produced nothing of note, this led to his substitution which could have possibly taken place earlier to allow Hwang more time to impact the game.

Matheus Cunha – 6

Freed himself and burst up the pitch on various occasions during the match but nothing was made from that. Miss placed some passes and wasn’t served with frequency; he ended up getting a consolation goal in the dying seconds of added time to open his account for this season, and hopefully more to come.

Fabio Silva – 5

Not much of note to report for Fabio, no clear-cut chances, wasn’t served very often and we didn’t play to his strengths, just long and high balls that were hard for him to control. Could argue that he could have been kept on instead of being substituted for Boubacar Traore as we ended up shaping more defensively by taking a man up top and adding another to a midfield that would then possess three midfielders with similar profiles.

Substitutes

Hwang Hee-Chan 60′ (Pablo Sarabia) – 7

One of Wolves’ most in-form players at the moment and also one of the only ones who seems to know where the back of the net is. Grabbed the equalizer and gave us a glimmer of hope only for it to be torn down by our lack of defence.  He showed a combative spirit as you would expect from someone that comes off the bench, the substitution could have been made earlier in my opinion.

Boubacar Traore 74′ (Fabio Silva) – 5

I am afraid to say Gray O’neil got this substitution wrong As already stated before, it unbalanced the team, A like-for-like substitution with Joao Gomes might have been a better option as we would have kept our shape and taken a player with a booking off and had fresh legs. It’s useless saying that now, Traore failed to impact the game.

Sasa Kalajdzic 81′ (Joao Gomes) – N.A.

Hugo Bueno 81′ (Rayan Ait-Nouri) – N.A.

A fairy-tale late winner from Saša Kalajdžić handed Wolves their first points of the Gary O’Neil era. It was a far from convincing display, but Wolves fought hard to leave Merseyside with a vital three points.

Jose Sa – 9

Although it was Kalajdžić who scored the winner, it is undoubtedly Sa who Wolves fans have to thank for leaving Goodison Park with anything. In what was comfortably is best performance for a long while, Sa responded to recent criticism with seven saves, including an all-time classic from a bouncing Doucoure header that left him flat-footed.

Nelson Semedo – 7

A much improved performance from Semedo after his struggles last week. The right-back seemed to have a lot more confidence playing out from defence and his positioning was sound throughout.

Craig Dawson – 7

A strong display from Dawson who made several vital clearances and headers. He was caught out in behind on a couple of occasions, but overall the veteran defender bounced back well from the Brighton catastrophe.

Max Kilman – 7

Like Dawson, the skipper bounced back well and fought hard to help earn Wolves a clean sheet. Also like his defensive partner, he still has room to improve in dealing with balls over the top.

Hugo Bueno – 6

In his first start this season, Bueno struggled to have any influence in the first half but was at the heart of most attacks in the second half and worked tirelessly down the left flank. He reminded fans that he has one of the better deliveries into the box out of the entire squad, which could come in handy with the emergence of Kalajdžić.

Mario Lemina – 7

A typical Lemina display in which he did not stop running. He fulfilled his defensive duties excellently and, in a not so physical team, was the key physical presence in the middle of the park in what was a scrappy game at times. His passing range and creative influence is limited, but Wolves would struggle massively without his intelligence and energy in midfield.

Joao Gomes – 7

Like his midfield partner, Gomes did not stop battling for ninety minutes and also produced some nice passes and turns in a game that generally lacked quality.

Pedro Neto – 6

Neto was deeply disappointing in the first half, from being too one-footed (and surely playing on the wrong side) to mistiming runs to miscommunications with teammates. However, his work rate was fantastic and he was rewarded for his persistence in the form of a beautiful assist for the winner. This sign of promise, as well as his passion during the celebrations, will have won him more support and confidence from the fans.

Hwang Hee-Chan – 5

Hwang was regularly covering the left side of defence well but struggled to have any impact going forward before he was subbed at half-time. Hopefully his injury is not serious.

Matheus Cunha – 5

A rare anonymous performance from Cunha, who had arguably been Wolves’ best player so far this season.

Fabio Silva – 5

Fabio’s performance can be summarised as deeply frustrating but with some lingering signs of promise. His hold-up play and physicality were a let down throughout the first half, and his one-on-one miss in the second half will undoubtedly haunt him and irritate fans. However, his delightful run and finish a few minutes before the miss that was ruled offside, as well as the run for the one-on-one, showed he can get in dangerous positions and be the fox in the box that Wolves have missed for so long.

Substitutes

Rayan Ait-Nouri 46′ (Hwang Hee-Chan) – 7

It is no coincidence that Wolves improved after Ait-Nouri’s introduction. He linked well with Bueno down the left throughout the half, troubling Everton right-back Patterson on several occasions with his energy and skill. Perhaps he could be a viable option on the left wing this season?

Pablo Sarabia 74′ (Fabio Silva) – 6

Sarabia seems slightly more comfortable in the second striker role rather than out wide. He had a couple of efforts blocked in stoppage time, but perhaps he should have gone towards the corner.

Toti Gomes 85′ (Hugo Bueno) – NA

Brought on to shore up the left side as Bueno tired during the latter stages.

Saša Kalajdžić 85′ (Matheus Cunha) – 8

With just his second touch, a year of pain was finally undone for Kalajdžić who sent the travelling Wolves fans into delirium with a header into the far corner. It does not matter that it was mistimed, nor that Wolves were lucky to win; above anything else it was a truly amazing moment for a good guy who fully deserved this moment of reward. A moment no one will forget.

After an evenly matched first half with opportunities for both sides, Wolves were undone early in the second half after a capitulation in the early stages. After the promising performance at Old Trafford on Monday, Wolves looked a totally different side as they whimpered to a 4-1 defeat at home.

Jose Sa – 3

With multiple wayward passes, Jose Sa had another uncomfortable performance in between the sticks for Wolves. More and more questions are beginning to be raised regarding the Portuguese goalkeeper. Sa also had a big say in Brighton’s second goal, where his parry sent the ball in the path of Kaoru Mitoma before setting up Pervis Estupinan. Another poor showing from Jose Sa.

Nelson Semedo – 4

Without many chances to advance into forward areas, Semedo had a very poor game defensively. As with the rest of the defence, Semedo was caught out massively in the high line. He was beaten way too easily for Kaoru Mitomas’s stunning opener and this set the tone for the game. A vast contrast compared to his performance at Old Trafford, arguably his best game in a Wolves shirt.

Craig Dawson – 3

Exposed on multiple occasions in a high line, Dawson had his poorest performance since he signed for the club in January. The defender was targeted effectively by Brighton, who caught him out of position on numerous occasions, with their third goal, scored by Solly March, being the best example.

Max Kilman – 3

As mentioned with Dawson, the defence of Wolves were caught out on multiple occasions. The skipper was too slow to react during Brighton’s opener and this was a common theme throughout. A poor showing from the defender.

Rayan Ait-Nouri – 4

The fullback did not have many chances to advance, similar to Semedo. However, when he did, he missed one of the best chances of the game. His effort in the first half was sent over Jason Steele’s goal and into a frustrated North Bank. Similar frustrations arose in the second half, where Ait-Nouri failed to get his shot away in the box. Rayan also allowed Solly March to get on the wrong side of him during Brighton’s third. A frustrating performance.

Pedro Neto – 4

With questions being raised regarding his role on the right-hand side, Pedro Neto’s performance was a huge contrast when compared to his performance at Old Trafford. Whilst he continued to advance down the right throughout the game, Neto was M frustrating in the final third.

Joao Gomes – 4

Unable to assert the same level of control as he did on Monday, Gomes struggled against Brighton. The Brazilian was overrun and outfought on multiple occasions. An unusually poor performance from the January signing.

Mario Lemina – 4

As with Gomes, Lemina saw himself unable to assert any level of control over the match. His aggression and energy were absent throughout. A disappointing afternoon for him, similar to his midfield partners.

 Matheus Nunes – 3

As with Gomes and Lemina, Matheus was unable to showcase his usual energy throughout against Brighton. His eventual sending-off was a huge letdown for the side, where his frustrations reached a point of reaction. He will undoubtedly be missed away at Goodison next week.

Matheus Cunha – 5

As to be expected with Cunha, the energy and drive were present. Whilst others seemingly whimpered to defeat in the second half, Cunha continued to plug. Whilst Wolves were ineffective in the final third, the work rate and non-stop energy of Cunha cannot be ignored.

Fabio Silva – 3

Silva was anonymous for large parts of the game. It would have been interesting to see the performance had the game not been taken away from Wolves early in the second half, however, compared to his forward partner, Fabio was poor. He missed one of the best chances of the 90 during the first half, and will be hoping he can find some goalscoring form following on from his return.

Substitutes

Pablo Sarabia 55′ (Joao Gomes) – 5

Sarabia did not have the best chance to assert himself due to the goal deficit. However, he was neat when he came on, and provided the assist for the eventual consolation goal.

Hwang Hee-Chan  55′ (Fabio Silva) – 5

Hwang opened his and the club’s goalscoring account for the season as he headed home from Sarabia’s corner. The work rate and desire of Hwang is always present, and he showed this against Brighton, despite Wolves being ineffective in the final third for large periods of the 90.

Toti Gomes 71′ (Craig Dawson) – N/A

After Toti arrived on the pitch, the game was set. At 4-1 down, the defender did not have much to do as Wolves continued to whimper. Will be interesting to see if he gets further minutes over Dawson moving forward due to a higher line

Hugo Bueno 86′ (Rayan Ait-Nouri) – N/A

Coming on in the latter stages of the game, Bueno was unable to assert himself with little to no time remaining. Whilst managing to advance into the final third, the game was out of reach for the Wolves. Bueno will be looking to dislodge Ait-Nouri as the season progresses.

Amidst uncertainty behind the scenes, Wolves looked inspired under the stewardship of newly-appointed Gary O’Neil. Overpowering the home side at Old Trafford, a lack of clinical finishing and a controversial failure to award a late penalty resulted in Raphael Varane’s 76th-minute header claiming all three points for the home side. Looking forward to Brighton’s trip to Molineux, the performance provides great encouragement for the style of play under the new manager and strengthens the unity and optimism amongst the fans.

Jose Sa

Only had two saves to make all game. Came off his line decisively to deny Rashford in the 10^th minute and prevent an early deficit. As seen often last season, the occasional panic with the ball at his feet and almost spilled one to an incoming attacker before half-time. Had little opportunity to prevent Varane’s goal.

6.5/10

Rayan Ait Nouri

Again displayed glimpses of his tremendous ability to use quick footwork to escape difficult positions and provide an injection of pace through the centre of the pitch. Booked for “time-wasting” under the new guidelines for officials. Kept Antony quiet with the support of Nunes. Dragged out towards the winger for United’s goal but needed midfield markers to track the run of Wan-Bissaka.

7.5/10

Max Kilman

Caught in possession trying to advance from the defence in the first ten minutes leading to a chance. After this, a dominant aerial display alongside Dawson, providing some useful blocks, noticeably from an Antony strike on the stroke of half-time. Did well to find the midfield and attackers to start counter-attacks rather than inviting further pressure.

7.5/10

Craig Dawson

Another assured performance from the centre-half who limited Rashford to just four touches in the first 20 minutes alongside the captain. Continued to perform well in the second half and cleared off the line in the 57th minute.

7.5/10

Nelson Semedo

Arguably the best player on the pitch as he produced one of his best performances in the Wolves shirt (coincidentally as he finally faces some genuine competition for his place). Drove forward with intent offensively and limited the dangerous Garnacho, and Rashford as they interchanged, to very little. Outjumped by Varane for the goal but very little could be expected of the full-back.

9/10

Mario Lemina

Started slowly and received an early yellow for a late challenge. Grew into the game and became integral to Wolves’ domination of the opposition in the midfield. Covered immense ground in the second half to cover in the back line and also support counter-attacks. The midfield partnership with Gomes looked very promising.

8/10

Joao Gomes

A consistently lively presence that started multiple counter-attacks as his dynamism alongside Lemina and Nunes swallowed the United midfield. Often found himself involved with the forwards in the press and his combative nature suited this. His ability to drive forward with the ball was also displayed as the game became stretched. A crucial player for the team this season.

8/10

Matheus Nunes

Pressed well in the opening stages but also found himself misplacing too many passes and caught unnecessarily offside. Lost the ball poorly on the edge of the box on the stroke of half-time and then lost Varane for a free header from the resulting corner. A much-improved performance on the ball in the second half as they drove with the ball and created opportunities, noticeably for Cunha in the 49th minute.

7.5/10

Matheus Cunha

If only he could finish one of his chances. His ability to carry the ball past the opposition was too much for the talents of United on multiple occasions. Could have had a goal and an assist before half-time. His golden opportunity came in the 49th minute, hitting the post when should have found the back of the net. However, this did not stop his endeavor as he continued to impress, but his finishing has to improve to remain as the number nine.

8.5/10

Pablo Sarabia

A good supporting run for the advancing Cunha in the 25th minute saw a deflected strike go narrowly passed the post. Good linkup play with Cunha throughout the first half and his technical ability proved too much for Shaw who was booked for fouling him. His performance faded in the second half and overall needs to find himself on the ball more often to remain in the starting lineup, only making 11 passes at 68% accuracy.

7/10

Pedro Neto

Looked much more like his former self, displaying pace, power and a tremendous desire to beat defenders. Contributed well to the press of the United defence and committed them to making fouls, Martinez was booked for this. Booked for dissent towards linesman. Should have scored with the ball falling to his stronger left foot in the box in the 74th minute, straight at Onana.

8/10

SUBSTITUTES: 

Hwang Hee-Chan 62′ (Pablo Sarabia)

Beat Wan-Bissaka in 1-vs-1 duels on multiple occasions, went close to scoring at the near post after a deflection and delivered dangerous crosses into the box. Flashed one high and wide, but provides a goal threat when on the pitch.

7/10

Fabio Silva 76′ (Pedro Neto)

Two good opportunities to score from close range inside the box, took up clever positions to create these chances for himself. Both shots were struck well but too close to Onana, will be disappointed not to have scored one. Linked the play well and currently looks like the most natural centre-forward.

7/10

Hugo Bueno 76′ (Rayan Ait Nouri)

Defended well in the latter stages to overturn possession and beat his man to deliver high-quality balls into the box.

7/10

Sasa Kaladjzic 87′ (Joao Gomes)

Great to see him back in a competitive fixture. Blatantly wiped out by Onana from a high ball into the box, officials failed to make the correct decision and apologised to O’Neil. Will be looking for more minutes gradually as the season progresses.

N/A

Just like the reverse fixture at the Molineux Wolves lose out 3-0 to Man City, this time a shambolic refereeing display and mistakes see Erling Haaland bag a hat-trick and send us home empty-handed once again. It’s back to the drawing board for Julen Lopetegui and his men, changes will have to be implemented and it remains to be seen if more new faces will be here come our next fixture on the 4^th of February against Liverpool.

Jose Sa

Made some routine saves in the first half and that is as good as it gets, he made an unforgivable mistake in the second half that hit the nail in the coffin for Wolves. Has not been able to carry his form from the last season and has made various mistakes this season. The ball at his feet under pressure is clearly not his forte.

3/10

 Hugo Bueno

A cautious and conservative performance from the Spaniard kicked the ball out of play on a few occasions, tried his best going forward and managed to put some crosses in. Was always going to be a difficult game with the likes of Riyad Mahrez and co down his flank. Wolves did give in for the first goal as the ball was played back to De Bruyne and nobody closed him down on that flank. Could have been Subbed for Ait-Nouri earlier.

5/10

Max Kilman

A body check foul in a dangerous area which lead to his early yellow card is about the only negative I can think of for Kilman, kicked the ball out of play once or twice when under pressure but was okay on the other occasions and lead a steady game for himself.

5/10

Nathan Collins

A solid performance but the Irish international continues to have lapses of concentration in his game. Was beaten by Haaland for the first goal and followed with an irrational tackle inside the box minutes later which could have cost Wolves a penalty. Did make a good clearance off the line and some good play with the ball apart from a misplaced pass in the second half, still not consistent enough during the course of games though.

6/10

Nelson Semedo

Not a terrible performance but not great either, misplaced some passes which lead to City’s chances and booted the ball up the field on one occasion when he could have calmly kept possession and moved the team up the other end of the pitch. Could have been a much more difficult evening if it wasn’t for the excellent work Lemina did to cover and help out on that flank.

 5/10

Mario Lemina

Although he was given an undeserved yellow card early on in the game, he was one of if not Wolves’ best players today. His movement on and off the ball was excellent, and his willingness to get on the ball and get the team moving did not go unnoticed, also did really well defensively.

6.5/10

Ruben Neves

Gave his heart out as usual but it was not enough. The penalty he conceded was very light, and it remains to be seen if there was any contact at all between him and Gundogan, you have your doubts if it would have been given had it been the other end of the field.

5.5/10

Matheus Nunes

Clearly starting to see the player he actually is under the management of Julen Lopetegui. Showed glimpses of what he can do, carried the team forwards on many occasions and made some great passes. Although being dispossessed and the misplaced passes in our own box mean the rating can’t be any higher.

6/10

Adama Traore

Struggle to remember anything of note he did in that first half, covered Semedo down that right-hand side and carried the ball upfield twice before being eventually fouled by his opponents. Nothing else to be reported as Wolves didn’t see much of City’s box and half in the first 45 minutes.

5/10

Raul Jimenez

Getting slightly and slowly better game by game under Lopetegui but he is clearly miles away from being the old Jimenez and it is sad to see. Not much to report for him either and that is one of the reasons he was taken off before the second-half action was recommenced.

5/10

Hwang Hee Chan

The most mobile and dynamic out of the front three in that half and I think that says a lot, was more involved than Traore and Jimenez but the highlight of his game remains a nutmeg and not much else, as Traore did, he doubled down to help Bueno on that flank on different occasions.

5/10

SUBSTITUTES:

Joao Moutinho 45′ (Hwang Hee-Chan)

More energy and a lot of tackles to recover the ball, obviously what he was instructed to do and that is what earns him a pass from me. The game was gone when City scored their second goal of the game though.

6/10

Matheus Cuhna 45′ (Raul Jimenez)

Continues to do well, could argue that he should have started the game in place of Raul. His movement is very good and if Wolves want to start moving up the table he should be getting a run in the team.

6/10

Pablo Sarabia 45′ (Adama Traore)

His first game for the club struggled to impact the game with one shot that should have resulted in a penalty for the men in Old Gold and another shot that reached row Z. Hopefully won’t take him too long to get acclimatised and firing.

5/10

Daniel Podence 67′ (Mario Lemina)

The pick from the players that came off the bench. Looked lively, had some shots and got the team up the field. Could have been brought on earlier and a shame one of his shots hit the side netting.

6.5/10

Rayan Ait Nouri 80′ (Hugo Bueno)

The last of the players to come on off the bench when the game was all over and done with.

N.A.