Wolves are aiming to finish their 2022/23 home Premier League campaign on a high when Julen Lopetegui’s men face Everton on Saturday, and there are plenty of pre-match talking points to discuss.
#1 Happy at home
Wolves’ wait for a first win on the road since February continues after another defeat last weekend at Old Trafford, but the contrast between their away form and that at Molineux could not be more different. Lopetegui’s men have one of the best records in the top-flight at home since the turn of the year – with only the Manchester clubs winning more – having won all but two of their games in front of their own supporters with the latest coming last time out as the side in Old Gold brushed aside West Midlands rivals Aston Villa.
That was Wolves’ fourth home win in a row, the first the team has achieved a quartet of successive Molineux top-flight wins since April 1975. If they were to go one better and claim all three points against Everton on Saturday, it will match the five home wins in a row which the club has not achieved since September 1972. But even more historic than that, Wolves have completed these last four Premier League wins without conceding, so if they were to win and not concede against the Toffees, it will be a record only matched by Bill McGarry’s 1969/70 team – more than 50 years ago.
#2 Toffees ‘fighting for their lives’
Having been in the relegation battle with up to nine other teams this season, Wolves’ last win against Villa was enough to ensure Lopetegui’s side were mathematically safe in the Premier League with their top-flight status confirmed for a sixth consecutive season. But Saturday’s opponents are still flirting with the drop, as Everton sit just one point clear of the relegation zone and a win against the Old Gold would give Sean Dyche’s side a massive chance of survival ahead of their final home fixture of the season against Bournemouth next Sunday afternoon.
However, even with a win on Saturday, Everton will have to wait and see if they are guaranteed a place in the Premier League for next season, as Leicester City and Leeds United can still catch the Toffees, but they aren’t in action until Monday and Sunday respectively. Facing a team who will be giving their all to claim a victory, Wolves will have their work cut out and Lopetegui insists his players will need to match everything Everton offer if they are to give their fans another thing to cheer about before the season ends.
A ping of a pass 🇵🇹🤝
— Wolves (@Wolves) May 19, 2023
⏪ #WOLEVE pic.twitter.com/Q9r6TERWtJ
#3 More records in sight
When Wolves secured Premier League survival, they became just the fourth team in the competition’s history to be bottom of the table on Christmas Day to avoid relegation. Only West Bromwich Albion, Sunderland and Leicester City have completed that achievement in the past, with the Foxes going on to incredibly be crowned league champions the following season. That Leicester side were also the team who earned the highest position and most point having also survived the drop, ending the 2014/15 season in 14th position with 41 points.
Currently sat 13th with 40 points, Wolves will be looking at setting a new record of their own. If they are to earn all three points on Saturday, it will move Lopetegui’s side onto 43 points and guarantee = a top-14 finish. Ending the season on a high and pushing up the table will also mean more prize money for the club – although Lopetegui said that is not the motivation for his players, rather to maintain the integrity of the competition by giving their all until the end.
#4 One final hurrah
A last game of a season at Molineux is always cause for celebration as the players come back out onto the pitch following the final whistle to take part in a lap of appreciation. This allows not only the fans to show the players gratitude for their efforts this season, but it’s also an opportunity for the players to express their appreciation towards the supporters who have been key in helping the team to earn such a good home record this season – with only Manchester United having kept as many as Wolves’ 10 home clean sheets.
Saturday will also see the end of season awards carried out on the pitch following the full-time whistle, as voted for by Wolves supporters. The votes have been counted and the winners decided for the Player of the Season and Goal of the Season awards, for both the men’s and women’s first-teams, but also the Players’ Player of the Season awards, which have given the players a chance to honour the outstanding contribution of their teammates. Set to start straight after full-time, supporters are urged to remain in their seats so they can watch not only the awards, but the lap of appreciation which will proceed the prize ceremony.
