Wolves 4 Espanyol 0. Diogo Jota’s second successive Europa League hat-trick and a majestic goal from Ruben Neves saw Wolves take a giant leap towards the last 16 of the Europa League after this thumping victory over Espanyol. Next week’s return leg in Barcelona against La Liga’s bottom side now looks a formality for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, who equalled their biggest victory of the season in the competition. Jota ended his eight-match drought how he started it – with a Europa League treble – as he took his tally to 12 goals this season after repeating his heroics against…
Nuno Espirito Santo is expecting Wolves fans to create another special atmosphere as European football returns to Molineux tonight. The head coach is always appreciative of the support a Molineux in full voice gives to the team and he believes the visit of Espanyol in the Europa League group of 32 – the first continental knockout tie at the ground since October 1980 – will be another memorable occasion. Molineux is set for a virtual full house tonight of around 31,400, with around 1,350 Espanyol fans, and Nuno and captain Conor Coady believes Wolves supporters deserve a lot of credit…
Conor Coady says he knows all about Wolves’ history in Europe – but wants the current team to make their own. Wolves host Espanyol tonight in the Europa League round of 32. The first-leg tie is the first European knockout the club has hosted since October 1980 when they went out of the UEFA Cup to PSV Eindhoven. The Molineux side were seen as trailblazers in European football in the 1950s when Stan Cullis’s side beat many of the continent’s best as a forerunner to the European Cup. Then just over a decade later, Bill McGarry’s side went all the…
Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo has backed Arsene Wenger’s call for a change in the offside law by introducing a ‘daylight’ rule. Nuno’s side have been denied four goals in the Premier League this season by VAR, second only to Sheffield United’s five. The latest – for Pedro Neto’s right heel before Willy Boly headed home in the 0-0 draw against Leicester City on Friday night – proved hugely controversial. VAR will be used for the first time at Molineux for a European game in the Europa League round of 32 game against Espanyol on Thursday night. Former Arsenal manager…
‘Upset’ Nuno Espirito Santo insists something needs to change with VAR after Wolves missed out on a goal in their 0-0 draw against Leicester – and he advocated a return to the ‘daylight’ rule. Willy Boly’s 44th-minute header was disallowed after Pedro Neto’s foot was offside in the build-up. Neto took a short corner, received a pass from Diogo Jota and crossed as he ran away from goal. Matt Doherty then headed the ball back to Boly to nod home. “Something has to be done,” said head coach Nuno. “When you have something and someone takes it away, you don’t…
Wolves 0 Leicester City 0. Molineux was in meltdown as Wolves were again denied by VAR in their stalemate against Leicester City. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side had their fourth effort of the season in the Premier League chalked off by the video assistant referee after Pedro Neto’s foot was ruled offside before Willy Boly nodded home in the 44th minute. Only Sheffield United with five have been foiled more times by the new ruling system. The marginal decision was extremely harsh, with Neto running away from goal when he crossed to Matt Doherty to head back to Boly after Neto…
Nuno Esprito Santo believes the days of the Premier League’s Establishment have been knocked for a Big Six. Wolves host Leicester on Friday night with both Midlands rivals in the mix for a Champions League place, while Sheffield United continue to shock everyone in fifth. Leicester have already rocked the established group by winning the title in 2016, while Wolves finished seventh last season in their first season back in the top flight. And despite Liverpool being 22 points clear, Wolves head coach Nuno believes the gap is much smaller than it used to between the so-called top clubs and…
Nuno Espirito Santo says he’s had no contact with Wolves over a contract extension and hasn’t thought about a new deal – but says the club is his ‘obsession’. The Molineux head coach has 16 months left on his three-year deal he extended by a year in 2018 to run to 2021. Clubs keen to keep players or their manager often negotiate new deals when they enter their final 18 months. Nuno, who it’s understood earns an estimated £3m a year, says there have been no discussions over any further extension to stay at the club he has helped transform…
Nuno Espirito Santo believes the long-term future of Wolves remains in good hands despite the departure of Kevin Thelwell. Wolves were rocked by the exit of Thelwell, who was sporting director, to New York Red Bulls just after the January transfer window shut. The loss of Thelwell, who had served the club for 11 and a half years, is the second major departure from Molineux in several months after managing director Laurie Dalrymple left last July. Dalrymple has not been replaced and his duties have been split between chairman Jeff Shi and marketing manager Russell Jones. Wolves are now actively…
Jose Mourinho has re-iterated his claim that Wolves are contenders for a Champions League spot this season – because of the signing of Daniel Podence. Tottenham manager Mourinho believes Portuguese compatriot Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are rivals for a top-four spot in the Premier League, along with surprise packet Sheffield United. The newly-promoted Blades are fifth, two points below fourth-placed Chelsea and two clear of Mourinho’s Spurs. Wolves have dropped to ninth, on goal difference behind Manchester United, but six points off the top four, after Everton went seventh with a 3-1 win over Crystal Palace at the weekend. Nuno…