Wolves’ memorable season wasn’t given an enjoyable ending at Sunderland, but it mattered very little in the grand scheme of things, with Championship football now a thing of the past for Wanderers.
On an afternoon where little went right for the visitors, Sunderland defied their league position and denied Wolves reaching the 100-point mark.
Ovie Ejaria’s tap-in set the Black Cats on their way and Ashley Fletcher then got the better of Danny Batth and Will Norris to add a second before the break.
Paddy McNair’s well-taken goal sealed Wolves’ fate in the second-half, where Nuno Espirito Santo’s men probed without putting Jason Steele’s goal under serious pressure.
It was the visitors, despite finishing bottom of the Championship, who started the better and Ejaria forced a strong save out of Norris, who was making his Championship debut in the Wolves goal.
Barry Douglas’ deflected free-kick was the only moment of note early on for the visitors, who fell behind on 19 minutes when Norris saved from Bryan Oviedo, but Ejaria was in the right place to knock home the rebound.
It was the home side getting the lion’s share of the shots away, with Fletcher and Ejaria forcing Norris into a pair of comfortable saves.
As for Wolves, when Ruben Neves gained possession near the halfway life, the midfielder drove forward and fired an effort narrowly over the bar.
With time running in the first-half, Fletcher produced a strong run and dragged his effort wide, but his moment was coming. A lofted ball over the top was inviting and, after outmuscling Batth, the striker got there ahead of Norris to lob home a second.
Half-Time: Sunderland 2 Wolves 0
Wolves improved after the break and Diogo Jota fired a deflected drive into the side netting before Neves blazed over with another effort from range.
56 minutes in Leo Bonatini and Bright Enobakhare took to the pitch in place of Morgan Gibbs-White and Helder Costa, however they were powerless to resist as Sunderland added a fourth when McNair steadied himself and fired past Norris.
Soon after Harry Burgoyne took to the field for his first appearance of the season in place of Norris.
There would be little action to follow, as Jota in particular continued to ask questions without real reward, as Wolves signed off with a defeat, but as winners of the Championship.
Full-Time: Sunderland 3 Wolves 0
Sunderland: Steele, Oviedo (Hume 71), Fletcher, Lualua, McNair (Embleton , O’Shea © (Mumba 80), Matthews, Robson, Asoro, Wilson, Ejaria.
Unused Subs: Camp, Maja, Clarke-Slater, Mumba, Embleton, Hume, Molyneux.
Wolves: Norris (Burgoyne 71), Doherty, Douglas, Neves, Batth ©, Coady, Costa (Bonatini 56), Jota, Gibbs-White (Enobakhare 56), Miranda, Saiss.
Unused Subs: N’Diaye, Afobe, Vinagre, Hause.
Referee: Mr J Simpson
