Sunderland edged to their fourth Premier League win of the season with a 2-0 victory over strugglers Wolves.
Nordi Mukiele sent the Black Cats ahead at the Stadium of Light with a low effort that bounced between the legs of goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.
The visitors controlled the game after half-time but were unable to convert from promising positions, and saw good chances from substitutes Tolu Arokodare and Jackson Tchatchoua miss the target towards the end.
Any hopes of a possible comeback were then ended when Ladislav Krejci deflected the ball into his own net in stoppage time, leaving Vitor Pereira’s Wolves rooted to the bottom of the standings as Sunderland wrapped up three points.
The Black Cats made two changes from their defeat to Manchester United as Dan Ballard and Chris Rigg came into the line-up, and Wolves also made two changes from their last outing against Brighton, with Matt Doherty and Rodrigo Gomes starting.
Marshall Munetsi skewed an effort from distance wide in the early stages, but Sunderland began to settle and Wilson Isidor had a tidy top-corner finish from a tight angle disallowed for offside nine minutes in.
The visitors were forced to make a number of clearances as Sunderland sent a flurry of crosses into the box and the hosts eventually struck in the 17th minute.
Enzo Le Fee made a brilliant turn on the left to play in Mukiele and the defender quickly passed to Trai Hume on the edge of the area before receiving the ball back on the left, where his low strike bobbled between Johnstone’s legs and rolled into the bottom corner.
They had another brilliant opportunity when Mukiele’s long throw-in was flicked on by Ballard towards Hume at the back post and the full-back’s header smashed off the upright.
Andre blasted a strike over the crossbar for Wolves and a powerful Jhon Arias free-kick on the left of the box was flicked behind for a corner.
Ballard had a header saved from a Xhaka corner and a quick break allowed Rodrigo Gomes to surge forward, but he was denied by some good defensive work from Chris Rigg.
Wolves looked to strike minutes into the second half and went close when Hugo Bueno’s cross reached Joao Gomes, who dragged his effort wide.
Munetsi went down in the box and referee Robert Jones waved away calls for a penalty before Rodrigo Gomes cut in and fired over.
Although the visitors enjoyed a brighter and more confident spell, Sunderland had the next chance when Isidor’s strike rolled wide.
Home keeper Robin Roefs made a save to stop Munetsi’s effort and, at the other end, Ballard was unable to hook Chemsdine Talbi’s cross home at the back post.
Wolves pushed to salvage something in the final stages, with Arokodare nodding wide and scuffing an awkward shot over the bar before Tchatchoua fired the ball past the target.
However, any hopes of a last-minute Wolves comeback were dashed in the second minute of stoppage time when Krejci stuck a leg out and deflected Talbi’s cross past Johnstone.
