Steve Madeley

Wolverhampton Wanderers. Victory. Joy

Nothing short of lifting the FA Cup Will alter the fact this season has been utterly miserable for Wolves. So all the more reason to enjoy moments of jubilation like last night. Rob Edwards certainly did. #WWFC @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/707...

You could tell what that win meant to Rob Edwards. Sometimes fist-pumps to the fans after the game can look staged, but his in front of the South Bank tonight looked like a huge outpouring of raw emotion. Well-deserved win for Wolves. #WWFC

FULL TIME
WOLVES 2-0 VILLA
Wolves have won. Big win for Rob Edwards, who sprinted down the touchline when Rodrigo netted that second on the break. Wolves go past Derby's 11-point Premier League record-low tally. #WWFC

GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAL. Rodrigo Gomes. 2-0 Wolves. #WWFC

Rodrigo Gomes on for Adam Armstrong, which means Wolves now have all 4 Gomeses on the pitch together! #WWFC

7 minutes of added time signalled by the officials. Emery going berserk at the 4th official but that feels to me like the most it should be. #WWFC

Andre coming off for Wolves after being down for treatment. Angel Gomes on. #WWFC

Wolves sub: Arokodare on for Bellegarde. #WWFC

Ball fizzed into the box by Tchatchoua to Armstrong, who lays it off to Joao Gomes (I'll give Armstrong the benefit of the doubt and say he meant it). Gomes hits it firmly with his right foot, it skims the under-side of the bar and goes in in front of the South Bank, which goes wild. #WWFC

GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLL. Joao Gomes. 1-0 Wolves. #WWFC

Second half underway. Both teams still as they started the game. #WWFC

Mosquera got involved with ref Pawson again after the half-time whistle. Sa walked towards him with a gesture that screamed "what are you doing?"
The Doherty met him at the mouth of the tunnel and could clearly be lip-read saying "calm down". #WWFC

HALF-TIME
WOLVES 0-0 VILLA
It hasn't been a classic to say the least. Poor game in difficult conditions. But that has probably suited Wolves and they have held their own. All still to play for. #WWFC

Mosquera booked after a clash with Pau Torres. Mosquera lost his rag afterwards and had to be calmed down by Sa and Santi Bueno. #WWFC

Players sliding all over the place here and the ball holding up on a soggy surface. Might be one of the reasons why it's been a poor game so far. Or maybe I'm being kind to the players! #WWFC

Wolves chance as a Hugo Bueno free-kick is headed back across goal by Mosquera to Toti, but he sends a difficult shot. #WWFC

Free header for Pau Torres from a Villa corner. Wolves fortunate that he got it horribly wrong. #WWFC

Vital challenge from Mosquera, tracking back to halt Watkins after a through-ball from Rogers. #WWFC

Game underway. Pre-match atmosphere was up a few notches from recent games. #WWFC

Rain hammering down at Molineux for the West Midlands derby. Rob Edwards has gambled again on his team selection, leaving out Arokodare. It hasn't worked before. Will it tonight?
Joao Gomes and Toti in. Krejci suspended. #WWFC

Blimey. I haven't had a good afternoon!

So depressing to have to write this in 2026. #WWFC www.nytimes.com/athletic/706...

FULL TIME
PALACE 0-1 WOLVES
Feels like a harsh outcome for a Wolves side who played OK today. But they contributed to their own down downfall massively. The penalty, the red card and the manner of the goal all crucial errors. #WWFC

Palace work it wide to Mitchell, who crosses for Guessand, nipping between Joao Gomes and Mosquera to score. Poor goal to concede for a Wolves team who had played OK with 11 men and defended well with 10. #WWFC

GOAL. Guessand gives Palace the lead. #WWFC

Joao Gomes on for Bellegarde, who has had a good game. #WWFC

A few minutes after being booked for a body check on Sarr, Krejci boots the ball away after the officials award a throw-in against him. He protests, which can only be on the grounds he didn't hear the whistle, but it feels like a really daft thing to do. Moller Wolfe on for Armstrong. #WWFC

RED CARD
Krejci sent off for a second bookable offence. #WWFC

Second half underway. No changes for Wolves. Hughes off, Kamada on for Palace. #WWFC

HALF TIME
PALACE 0-0 WOLVES
Decent effort from Wolves in a pretty even game but the big chance came with the penalty and Arokodare fluffed his lines badly. Just need to hope it's not costly from a Wolves POV. #WWFC