Neves penalty earns Wolves win over Forest

Published on: 15 October 2022

Wolves have converted their past 18 penalties in the Premier League, including seven from Ruben Neves

Wolves came out on top in a game of two penalties to climb out of the relegation zone and leave Nottingham Forest bottom of the Premier League.

Skipper Ruben Neves drove the hosts in front from the spot after a four-minute video assistant referee delay at the start of the second half.

After a second lengthy VAR intervention when referee Thomas Bramall initially missed Matheus Nunes pulling back Ryan Yates, Wolves keeper Jose Sa superbly turned away Brennan Johnson's spot-kick.

The save was made more remarkable as Sa has been playing with a broken bone in his wrist since he damaged it against Fulham on 13 August.

Max Kilman earlier hit the inside of a post with a header and was unfortunate the rebound went straight to Forest keeper Dean Henderson.

It was a superb way for interim Wolves bosses Steve Davis and James Collins to start a potentially crucial week that ends with a home game against Leicester next Sunday.

However, the pain goes on for Forest boss Steve Cooper. His side are without a win since August and have picked up a single point from their past seven games.

Day to remember for stand-in boss Davis

For lifelong Wolves fan Davis, presiding over this victory will be particularly satisfying.

Chairman Jeff Shi's search for a permanent replacement for Bruno Lage continues and Wolves' biggest problem - a lack of goal threat - remains.

But Neves' goal - only Wolves' fourth in the league this season and their first in the second half of a game for 11 matches - gave them their second win in 17 matches and will lift spirits around a club seemingly in freefall.

No-one encapsulates Wolves' slide down the Premier League more than Adama Traore.

During two seventh-placed finishes under Nuno Espirito Santo, the Spain winger was a genuine threat.

While inconsistency has always been an irritating feature of his game, at his best Traore is capable of unhinging defences with his pace alone.

But with only three league goals since 2019, his contract running out at the end of the season and a hoped-for move to Barcelona failing to materialise, Traore's time at Molineux appears to be drifting to a mediocre end.

He at least looked capable of creating chances here, crossing for Kilman to head against a post and Rayan Ait-Nouri to nod wide at the far post.

It was Traore's shot which struck Harry Toffolo and eventually brought Wolves their penalty after Bramall was sent to the screen by VAR Lee Mason.

Cooper's penalty pain

Forest handed Cooper a new three-year contract after their four-goal hammering at Leicester a fortnight ago. Without it, his tenure would be extremely precarious now.

He was visibly frustrated at Wolves' penalty, particularly as the game had moved to the other end of the pitch and the hosts were preparing to take a corner when Mason alerted Bramall to Nunes' infringement.

Cooper could only watch in despair as Johnson wasted the opportunity to level.

A few hours before kick-off, Forest posted a tweet depicting one of their players cuddling three wolves with the caption 'Playtime'. Evidently someone senior at the City Ground did not like it as the post was deleted.

The tweet proved to be ill advised, given the outcome. At the moment, despite a summer outlay in excess of £100m, Forest are the ones who look like a becalmed version of what they are supposed to be.

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Player of the match

Rúben NevesRúben Neves

with an average of 7.52

    WolvesWolverhampton WanderersWolverhampton WanderersNottm ForestNottingham ForestNottingham Forest

Wolverhampton WanderersAvgSquad number8Player nameRúben NevesAverage rating

7.52

Squad number59Player nameHodgeAverage rating

7.45

Squad number1Player nameJosé SáAverage rating

6.98

Squad number6Player nameTraoréAverage rating

6.90

Squad number29Player nameDiego CostaAverage rating

6.83

Squad number22Player nameNélson SemedoAverage rating

6.81

Squad number37Player nameTraoréAverage rating

6.75

Squad number64Player nameBuenoAverage rating

6.55

Squad number11Player nameHwang Hee-ChanAverage rating

6.50

Squad number23Player nameKilmanAverage rating

6.42

Squad number27Player nameMatheus NunesAverage rating

6.39

Squad number3Player nameAït-NouriAverage rating

6.37

Squad number28Player nameJoão MoutinhoAverage rating

6.24

Squad number10Player nameDaniel PodenceAverage rating

6.10

Squad number19Player nameJonnyAverage rating

6.08

Squad number24Player nameTotiAverage rating

6.07

Nottingham ForestAvgSquad number26Player nameMcKennaAverage rating

5.37

Squad number7Player nameN WilliamsAverage rating

5.21

Squad number10Player nameGibbs-WhiteAverage rating

5.10

Squad number15Player nameToffoloAverage rating

5.05

Squad number1Player nameHendersonAverage rating

4.97

Squad number23Player nameFreulerAverage rating

4.86

Squad number3Player nameS CookAverage rating

4.84

Squad number20Player nameJohnsonAverage rating

4.81

Squad number21Player nameKouyatéAverage rating

4.77

Squad number22Player nameYatesAverage rating

4.75

Squad number25Player nameDennisAverage rating

4.75

Squad number5Player nameMangalaAverage rating

4.07

Squad number16Player nameSurridgeAverage rating

4.02

Squad number9Player nameAwoniyiAverage rating

3.61

Squad number11Player nameLingardAverage rating

3.19

    Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text

Line-upsWolves

Formation 4-2-3-1

1Malheiro de Sá19Castro Otto23Kilman24Gomes3Aït-Nouri8Neves28João Moutinho37Traoré27Nunes10Podence29Diego Costa

    1Malheiro de Sá19Castro Otto23Kilman24Gomes3Aït-NouriSubstituted forBuenoat 90+2'minutes8Neves28João MoutinhoSubstituted forTraoréat 82'minutes37TraoréSubstituted forNélson Semedoat 85'minutes27NunesSubstituted forHodgeat 90+2'minutesBooked at 90mins10PodenceBooked at 80mins29Diego CostaSubstituted forHwang Hee-Chanat 82'minutes

Substitutes

    6Traoré11Hwang Hee-Chan13Sarkic14Mosquera17Gonçalo Guedes22Nélson Semedo59Hodge64Bueno77Campbell

Nottm Forest

Formation 4-3-3

1Henderson7N Williams3S Cook26McKenna15Toffolo22Yates23Freuler21Kouyaté20Johnson25Dennis10Gibbs-White

    1Henderson7N Williams3S Cook26McKennaBooked at 67mins15ToffoloSubstituted forSurridgeat 89'minutes22Yates23FreulerSubstituted forAwoniyiat 84'minutes21KouyatéSubstituted forMangalaat 70'minutes20Johnson25DennisBooked at 16minsSubstituted forLingardat 70'minutes10Gibbs-White

Substitutes

    2Biancone4Worrall5Mangala9Awoniyi11Lingard13Hennessey16Surridge28Badé30Boly

Referee:Thomas BramallAttendance:31,554Match StatsHome TeamWolvesAway TeamNottm ForestPossessionHome58%Away42%ShotsHome9Away10Shots on TargetHome2Away2CornersHome4Away5FoulsHome17Away13Live Text Post update

Match ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 1, Nottingham Forest 0.

90'+11'Full Time

Second Half ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 1, Nottingham Forest 0.

90'+8'Post update

Daniel Podence (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick on the left wing.

90'+8'Post update

Foul by Neco Williams (Nottingham Forest).

90'+7'Booking

Joseph Hodge (Wolverhampton Wanderers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

90'+7'Post update

Foul by Joseph Hodge (Wolverhampton Wanderers).

90'+7'Post update

Neco Williams (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

90'+2'Substitution

Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Hugo Bueno replaces Rayan Aït-Nouri because of an injury.

90'+2'Substitution

Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Joseph Hodge replaces Matheus Nunes.

90'+1'Post update

Attempt missed. Ryan Yates (Nottingham Forest) header from very close range is too high. Assisted by Steve Cook with a headed pass following a set piece situation.

90'Post update

Foul by Toti (Wolverhampton Wanderers).

90'Post update

Sam Surridge (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

89'Post update

Jonny (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

89'Post update

Foul by Jesse Lingard (Nottingham Forest).

89'Substitution

Substitution, Nottingham Forest. Sam Surridge replaces Harry Toffolo.

87'Post update

Attempt missed. Orel Mangala (Nottingham Forest) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.

85'Substitution

Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Nélson Semedo replaces Adama Traoré.

84'Substitution

Substitution, Nottingham Forest. Taiwo Awoniyi replaces Remo Freuler.

83'Post update

Corner, Nottingham Forest. Conceded by Rúben Neves.

82'Post update

Foul by Hwang Hee-Chan (Wolverhampton Wanderers).

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Source: bbc.com

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