Rob Edwards go take charge of him first Premier League game as Wolves head coach when dem host Crystal Palace for Molineux on Saturday afternoon. Wolves and Palace never meet since May, when Palace carry 4-2 win from Selhurst Park.
Match Preview
Just six weeks after signing new three-year deal for Molineux, Vitor Pereira get sacked after dem lose 3-0 to Fulham early November. Under-21 coach James Collins oversee another 3-0 defeat, this time to Chelsea, before the international break.
Wolves dey bottom of table, eight points behind safety, never win any of dia 11 Premier League games this season (D2 L9), and don concede 25 goals — di most for division. Na only for 1983-84 dem last fail to win any of first 12 matches of league campaign.
Only seven clubs ever dey winless for first 12 Premier League games, but three of dem survive relegation (Everton 1994-95, Derby 2000-01, Newcastle 2021-22).
New boss Rob Edwards sabi Wolves well as ex-player, coach and Under-23 manager. Edwards dey 42 years old and sign three-year contract after leaving Championship side Middlesbrough.
Interesting thing be say, Edwards first Premier League home win as Luton Town coach come against Crystal Palace for 2023-24, first game after November international break.
Edwards go hope to make instant impact, but win no dey guaranteed — Wolves don win only one of last nine league meetings with Palace (D1 L7).
Palace end October with 3-0 EFL Cup win at Liverpool, then dem go unbeaten for three November games: win 2-0 vs Brentford, 3-1 vs AZ Alkmaar, draw 0-0 vs Brighton. Palace dey 10th for table, two points behind top four.
Palace dey average possession 42% (only Burnley lower), and dem never win game when dem get more possession than opponents (0-0 vs Sunderland, 3-3 vs Bournemouth).
Dem lose last two away league matches (Everton 2-1, Arsenal 1-0), na same number as dem lose for previous 18 away games. Palace dey win 57% of all league meetings with Wolves (W8 D2 L4), diir highest win rate against any team wey dem face more than 10 times.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Premier League Form
D D L L L L
Wolverhampton Wanderers Form (All Competitions)
D L L L L L
Crystal Palace Premier League Form
W L D L W D
Crystal Palace Form (All Competitions)
L L W W W D
Team News
Wolves players Matt Doherty, Leon Chiwome (knee), Rodrigo Gomes (groin) and Daniel Bentley (ankle) dey out injured, but Emmanuel Agbadou fit return after one-match suspension. Edwards fit use back-three system, Agbadou dey push to start, but Santiago Bueno, Ladislav Krejci and Toti Gomes fit start.
Marshall Munetsi fit return midfield, dis one fit push either Andre or Jean-Ricner Bellegarde out. Jorgen Strand Larsen wey don score only one Premier League goal this season, fit join attack with Jhon Arias or Hwang Hee-chan.
For Crystal Palace, captain Marc Guehi (foot), Eddie Nketiah (hamstring) and Jean-Philippe Mateta dey fit. Cheick Doucoure (knee) and Caleb Kporha (back) still out long-term, Chadi Riad (knee) and Rio Cardines (groin) get small chance and dem go assess before kickoff.
Guehi go start back three with Maxence Lacroix and Chris Richards, Adam Wharton fit join midfield with Jefferson Lerma or Will Hughes. Daichi Kamada fit play midfield or advanced role. If Kamada play midfield, Yeremy Pino fit start up front with Mateta and Ismaila Sarr, wey don score eight times this season.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Possible Starting Lineup
Johnstone; S. Bueno, Krejci, Toti; Tchatchoua, J. Gomes, Andre, Munetsi, H. Bueno; Arais, Strand Larsen
Crystal Palace Possible Starting Lineup
Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Guehi; Munoz, Kamada, Wharton, Mitchell; Sarr, Pino; Mateta
We Say: Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-2 Crystal Palace
Edwards don win opening league match for three of four previous clubs, wey dey give hope for Wolves wey dey desperate for first win. But Palace still favourite this weekend. Wolves dey lowest scorers this season (7), while Palace concede only 9 goals — strong enough to keep Wolves away from scoring and carry three points home.
