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At the start of the campaign, Wolverhampton Wanderers fans certainly would not have expected a challenge for a spot in next season’s UEFA Champions League.
Nuno Espirito Santo, who guided the club from the Championship back to the Premier League in just his first season, departed Wolves after just under four years at the helm, joining fellow top-flight outfit Tottenham Hotspur.
In came former Benfica boss Bruno Lage and, despite a shaky start to the season, they are now proving to be one of the toughest teams to beat in the Premier League.
Such performances throughout the campaign have seen them rise up the table and they are now well in contention of not just securing European football, but the chance to compete in the sport’s pinnacle at club level.
Wolves lost four of their opening five league games at the start of the season, scoring just two goals in their sole win against Watford. They were 15th at the end of this period and were remaining cautious of the relegation spots that were just one point below them.
However, they were soon able to turn their form around as they collected four wins in their next five fixtures, including a miraculous comeback at the then struggling Aston Villa, scoring three goals from 2-0 down in the final 17 minutes of the game to take home the three points.
10 games into the season and Lage’s side found themselves sitting seventh in the Premier League, a position in which they still occupy today. It could be argued that this run of results sparked confidence back into the side, particularly after their disappointing opening fixtures.
Wolves have become one of the toughest teams to beat in the league as they have conceded the second-lowest amount of goals all season with 17, three behind the league leaders Manchester City. They fought well away at the reigning Premier League champions and gave Liverpool a tough fight right until the last few minutes at the Molineux just days prior, with the Wanderers narrowly losing both games 1-0.
Goalkeeper and summer signing Jose Sa has also kept 10 clean sheets from a possible 23, the fourth highest in the division. Even though they are the third lowest scorers in the league, they have still been able to grind out results and secure crucial points in the table.
The start of 2022 could not have gone any better as they secured three league victories and one FA Cup triumph in the month of January, conceding just once. This also included their 1-0 win against Manchester United at Old Trafford, in which Joao Moutinho’s late strike ensured an important win on the road.
Lage’s side most recently featured at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium where they beat the hosts 2-0 with relative ease. Such a performance is an indicator of what level they are playing at right now, travelling to fellow European football chasers and winning. However, with 15 games remaining, their journey towards the Champions League is far from over.
Manchester United, West Ham, Arsenal and Spurs are all in contention for that coveted final spot in the top four, with City, Liverpool and Chelsea all seemingly set for the top three.
The Red Devils currently occupy that position but Wolves have two games in hand over them. Winning both would see them go level on points, but a +5 goal difference would see them overtake United. It seems easy on paper, but their next three fixtures are certainly not simple contests.
Wolves will host Leicester City this weekend before having to travel to Arsenal and West Ham next week, with both of the latter fixtures surely defining their Champions League conquest. March and April are relatively favourable to them after that so should they stumble against the Gunners and the Hammers, they may have the chance to make some ground on their top four rivals.
The visit of City will surely be their toughest test throughout the period as four of their games are against sides who are currently fighting for Premier League survival. It will be a good time for them to rack up as many points as possible, with two of their final three games featuring visits to Chelsea and Liverpool.
By no means are Wolves the favourites for the final top four spot. Despite their fluctuating seasons, Manchester United, Arsenal and Spurs all have the capabilities to reach their desired aim, something that they have all achieved before.
West Ham are also outsiders and with the likes of Declan Rice and Jarrod Bowen maintaining their high level performances, they could very well feature in the Champions League next season.
However, Wolves’ status as the surprise package in the race for top flight European football could provide them with an advantage as they enter the remaining months of the season. It is now up to them to prove doubters wrong and achieve what many would have considered as the unthinkable.
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