Julen Lopetegui is adamant Wolves’ standards will not slip at Molineux on Saturday as they face an Everton team that is still scrapping for their Premier League survival.
The Old Gold have won seven of their ten top-flight homes matches since the Spaniard arrived in November – form which has seen Wolves’ place in the division secured with three matches remaining. But as Lopetegui prepares to face his first ever opponents in the Premier League once again this weekend, he has reflected back on how far the team have come since that Boxing Day meeting with the Toffees.
On his favourite Molineux moment this season
“Fortunately, we’ve had a lot of good moments at home this season and achieved a lot of good results, above all, and I think that each one was important to believe more knowing that it was a little step.
“Maybe the last match against Villa [was his favourite] because we moved closer to achieve mathematically our aim.”
On giving a positive response against Everton
“We have worked with a good commitment this week, thinking that on Saturday we have our last match in front of our fans, so this is of utmost importance for us. In the same way, we know we have in front of us a very good opponent with very good players and a good coach.
“We know the kind of match we are going to have in front of us and we have to be ready to compete with them. We are professional and they are fighting for different aims in the Premier League and we have to do our best until the end.
“[Increased prize money with each position] is another important reason, but it’s not the most important reason for me, which is the commitment as a professional, as a coach, as a player and as a club to do your best until the end and to be competitive in the Premier League.
“We are playing the last match at home in front of our own fans and of course, these are all important for us.”
On having the mentality to match the Toffees’ fight
“In this part of the season, fortunately we achieved our first aim, our most important aim and a very difficult aim, that is to be out of the relegation battle three matches from the end of the season.
“Of course, we want more, and we have to take the game of Saturday looking at the challenge and a chance for us to finish the season well in front of our fans.
“We want to be able to compete until the rest of the season for the respect of the league and for the rest of the teams. If we were still fighting to get out of the relegation, we would want the same from other teams, so it’s the same demand for ourselves.”
Diego 😆 pic.twitter.com/vCw472fL25
— Wolves (@Wolves) May 18, 2023
On how Everton have improved under Dyche
“They have had one very clear way in the last two or three months and they have shown they are a very good team, so we have to be ready to face a team who are fighting to survive in the Premier League.
“They have shown their level in the match against Brighton and also against City in the first minutes, they showed a big level. They have chosen one very clear plan and they are very good and a strong team in these kinds of matches.
“They have very good players and they are very clear with how they want to compete in each match, and this has been very clear to see.”
On how far Wolves have come since last facing Everton
“It seems a lot of years ago now, but it was only months. It was my first match in the Premier League and it was important. Being honest, we didn’t deserve to win this match, but in the end, we got what was important for us, which was to believe more.
“It was very difficult moment in our start, and we achieved three important points at that moment. It was a tough match and it’s going to be the same this Saturday, for sure.
“It was difficult to imagine we would be in the situation we are in now when we last played Everton, but it was our aim. We tried to achieve points and change things, knowing the difficulty and the quality of the level of the Premier League.
“Fortunately, we manged to achieve our aim and we are happy for this. But when you go and accept one new challenge, you are not thinking about the end of the challenge, you are only thinking of the next step, the next match, and that’s the only way to build a new reality, and that’s what we tried to do.”
Last time out against Everton. Scenes.
— Wolves (@Wolves) May 17, 2023
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On when he knew Wolves would eventually be safe
“Maybe after each defeat and with the answer of the players in the next day after a defeat. For me, they were very key moments and very important moments.
“To see them to come here into work [after a defeat] with big commitment and with a big belief, that was important. How we would manage and drive out of those bad moments were key for our achievement.”
On heading to South Korea for pre-season
“Korea is a fantastic county with good food and a good culture, and I love the country a lot, but in the pre-season, the only aim of mine is to prepare well, train in good facilities and have good matches to prepare your season.
“We are going to go far away, but I think that we are going to have good facilities and work hard. The aim of pre-season is only this, no more. Sometimes you are closer to home, sometimes you are not, but this is the decision of the club.”
