Under-fire Wolves boss Vitor Pereira insists he is ready to walk away if he feels he doesn’t have the full backing of his players.
The Portuguese claims he can turn things around as his side’s nightmare start to the season hit a new low – but on this evidence it’s hard to agree with the beleaguered 57-year-old whose under-performing side were jeered off by their fans.
Winless and arguably hopeless Wolves remain doggedly on track for a record-breaking season – but not in a good way after becoming the latest victims of Sunderland’s impressive return to the big time.
It’s six months since the Molineux club won in the league and at their current rate of knots they are on course to post the Premier League’s lowest-ever points tally as they continue to look worryingly incapable of bettering Derby County’s modest haul of 11 back in 2008.
A 12th league game without a win stretching back to late April leaves Wolves bottom with two points and already five adrift of safety.
Just a month after penning a new three-year contract, a defiant Pereira labelled next Sunday’s clash with relegation rivals Burnley ‘must win’ and he insisted: ‘It’s painful and I’m worried but I see a team connected mentally with good spirit with character trying their best to change the situation.
Vitor Pereira insists he is ready to walk away if he feels he doesn’t have the full backing of his players after Wolves suffered another disappointing 2-0 defeat by Sunderland on Saturday
Nordi Mukiele (centre) scored the opening goal for Sunderland as they kept up their great start
Jorgen Strand Larsen and his Wolves team-mates sit bottom and winless after eight games
‘We’ve lost another chance to get points again but honestly if I felt for one minute my players are not on board that’s the end – but I don’t feel that. I feel they are frustrated because they know how we work every day.
‘We must win the next game, no question – it’s very important for us. I understand the fans are worried and angry but I urge them to support the team and believe in the players.’
Things look rather rosier for Sunderland. Less than a quarter of the way into the campaign the Wearside club have already accumulated approaching half of the points they require for survival this season.
They were by no means at their best and would probably have been beaten by a better side than Wolves, but they have quickly developed the knack of grinding out wins, especially at home where they have posted their best start to a top flight campaign for 56 years.
Regis Le Bris’ side had to wait until stoppage-time for a nerve-soothing second goal at the culmination of a swift counter-attack when hapless defender Ladislav Krejci diverted a Chemsdine Talbi pass into his own net from the edge of the area.
Nordi Mukiele gave them a 16th-minute lead, deftly swapping passes with Trai Hume on the edge of the area before firing through the gaping hole between goalkeeper Sam Johnstone’s legs for the Frenchman’s first goal since a summer move from Paris St Germain.
Le Bris said: ‘We created chances and momentum in the first-half but my regret is we didn’t get the second goal earlier. We showed good togetherness and an ability to suffer.
‘It’s such an important season for us and the players again looked like they were playing for their lives and showed great character and desire to protect their goal. You can see the belief in them.’
