Gary O’Neil spells out ‘tough’ Wolves situation after major changes

Gary O’Neil says Wolves will have to fight for every point this season after losing key players in the summer.

The club finished last season in 13th, with 41 points, under Julen Lopetegui but he departed by mutual consent the week before this season because of a difference of opinion about spending policy. O’Neil was quickly drafted in, coming into a club that cut back on spending in the summer while selling players for around £130m. That business included the exits of first team regulars Ruben Neves and Matheus Nunes, sold respectively to Al-Hilal for £47 and Manchester City for £53m.

Wolves are 16th, on four points from their opening six games, and preparing for Tuesday’s Carabao Cup third round tie at Ipswich Town and Saturday’s Premier League game at home to Manchester City. They earned a 1-1 draw at newly-promoted Luton Town on Saturday, a game in which they were second best for the first 25 minutes, had Jean-Ricner Bellegarde sent off on 39, took the lead through Pedro Neto on 50 but then conceded on 65 through Carlton Morris’s spot kick after Joao Gomes was controversially penalised for handball.

O’Neil’s side have won at Everton this season but been beaten at Manchester United and Crystal Palace as well as at home to Brighton and Liverpool. The manager has put that start into context, saying: “Every point is significant in the Premier League, every single point. We are going to have to fight this year. The club managed to achieve 41 points last year and we have lost some huge players.

“So, 41 points from last season and I think our net spend was minus £80m over the summer, so you take £80m of quality out of a group that achieved 41 and you know you are going to have to work hard to get to that. So, we are working hard. We understand it is going to be tough.”

The manager also said his side have to be better than they were in the opening 25 minutes at Luton, but he did praise their resilience for the way they played with ten men. He said: “It is not the level for the start, that can’t be the level. It is my job to fix that and I fully accept that….and we will, we will fix it.

“As you saw at the end, the boys will fight tooth and nail to make sure we have every point we can. So, positives, but we are extremely disappointed because we should be talking about what an incredible ten-man performance for 65 minutes and three points on the road.”