THEY say a fright is a good cure for hiccups.
If that’s true then back-to-back defeats by Arsenal and Sheffield United must have scared the pants off Wolves!
Wolves got back to winning ways after two defeats on the bounceCredit: AFP or Licensors
Raul Jimenez sent Jordan Pickford the wrong way from the penalty spot to open the scoringCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
Leander Dendoncker doubled Wolves’ lead just after half timeCredit: AFP or Licensors
Jordan Pickford poked out his tongue after nearly letting in a howlerCredit: Eddie Keogh Telegraph Media Group
Because Nuno Espirito Santo’s boys banished all thoughts they might be suffering from an embarrassing case of end-of-season yips by returning to form with this crushing win over sorry Everton.
The men from Molineux, notorious for their second-half surges, even managed a rare first half goal for only the fifth time this in 2020.
Raul Jimenez scored from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time to take his goal haul for the season to an impressive 25 – the most goals a Wolves player has bagged since Sylvan Ebanks-Blake during the club’s Championship days in 2008-09.
Further goals from Leander Dendoncker and substitute Diogo Dendoncker underlined the current gulf in class between sixth-placed Wolves and Everton, who remain in the bottom half of the table for a reason.
Everton tend to get a nose bleed when they hit the rarified air of opponents who occupy the upper half of the Premier League.
The Toffees have now won just three of their last 32 Premier League away-days against teams from the upper echelons, a pitiful return for a club with aspirations of European football.
They can put away those dreams for another season after ending up bloodied and battered after yet another bad road trip.
In truth the home side could and should have doubled the final scoreline as Diogo Jota stumbled when clean through on Jordan Pickford.
And Adama Traore contrived to smack the crossbar from six yards when presented with a simple tap-in and an empty net.
However none of that mattered as the points were safely bagged in a two-minute burst either side of half-time, as stand-in centre-half Lucas Digne brought down Daniel Podence seconds before the break.
Raul Jiminez calmly waited for Jordan Pickford to make his move before calmly stroking the ball into the gaping net.
Ancelotti had insult added to injury when Yerry Mina hobbled off just before Wolves opener to be replaced by Seamus Coleman.
When the Italian then sent on 18-year-old stopper Jarrad Braithwaite for Leifghton Baines at half-time the kid, signed for £1million from Carlisle in January, was handed a baptism of fire.
He brought down Pedro Neto with his first tackle and from the resulting free kick, Neto swept in a brilliant delivery and Leo Dendoncker nipped in front of the horrified youngster to glance a header past Pickford.
Jota missed a snip when he stumbled with only Pickford to beat but made up for it with a goal before the end when he took a 60-yard pass from Ruben Neves on his chest and ran on to beat Pickford at his near post.
Wolves win saw them leapfrog Sheffield United to move back into fifth in the Prem.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
