WITHOUT a single pre-season friendly, Wolves flew out of the traps with two goals inside six minutes to leave Sheffield United shell-shocked.
Returning to training just 10 days ago, the exceptional Raul Jimenez got them up and running before Romain Saiss’ header ended up being decisive for the Black Countrymen.
Raul Jimenez scored the opener as Wolves beat Sheffield United 2-0Credit: Reuters
Jimenez’s shot smashed past Sheffield United’s new keeper Aaron RamsdaleCredit: Guardian News & Media / Free to use by all titles in perpetuity under NMC agreement
Romain Saiss bagged the second for Nuno Espirito Santo’s sideCredit: PA:Press Association
Romain Saiss celebrates his goal for WolvesCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Wolves’ heroic 383-day, 59-game last campaign only came to a close on August 11 – 16 days after most Prem rivals hit the sunbeds.
A host of the squad have been on international duty in the build-up to the Prem opener, leaving boss Nuno Espirito Santo –who signed a new three-year contract on Sunday- unable to get a single friendly in.
But while many predicted a struggle after such a short turnaround, Nuno’s boys defied the critics with the perfect start.
First up was Jimenez, who was firstly indebted to Daniel Podence’s electric work down the left flank.
The January signing put on the afterburners and left John Lundstram for dead before finding the Mexican in the box.
The odds were against Jimenez, 29, as the ball bounced in front of him.
But as complete a No9 as there is in the league, he let the ball come to him before opening his body and majestically side-footing it first time into the top corner.
On his 100th game for the club, the talisman notched his 31st Prem goal – nine more than anyone else in the club’s history.
Sheffield United disappointed on their first 2020-21 outingCredit: Reuters
And if Aaron Ramsdale –making his second Blades debut – thought life would get a little easier, the all-at-sea hosts were two down three minutes later.
Pedro Neto swung in a pin-point corner from the left but the marking was non-existent, leaving Saiss to nod past the hapless Ramsdale from 12-yards.
After a half-time rocket from Wilder, the Blades came out a different side and John Fleck’s stinger was only denied by the post.
John Lundstram was next, but the outstretched midfielder was inches away from bundling in Billy Sharp’s ball across the six-yard box.
The hosts huffed and puffed but Wolves held on doggedly after their electric start to kick start their campaign.
Nuno Espirito Santo has a go at reporter after misunderstanding a question post Man Utd v Wolves
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
