Wolverhampton Wanderers

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Jorgen Strand Larsen has been involved in six goals - five goals and one assist - in seven home Premier League appearances for Wolves.

He is yet to end on the winning side in any home game when he has scored, with only Dougie Freedman (six games) and Vitaly Janelt (five) scoring in more home games without winning in Premier League history.

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Boss Gary O'Neil remains in charge of Wolves but the focus will quickly shift from him if the decision does not pay off.

By sticking with the under-pressure manager, it leaves chairman Jeff Shi, sporting director Matt Hobbs and owners Fosun open to more fierce criticism from supporters.

The pair are already under the spotlight for this season's struggles given owners Fosun's recent decision to rein in the spending.

That came after years of heavy investment and they wrote off a £126.5m loan in the 2020-21 accounts.

The club lost £46 million in the 2021-22 financial year and then £67.2m for the year ending 31 May 2023 with Wolves just coming under the maximum £105m loss over a rolling three-season period within profit and sustainability rules.

O'Neil cited the £200m of sales [Ruben Neves, Matheus Nunes, Max Kilman and Pedro Neto] after Monday's 2-1 defeat at West Ham and, earlier this season, said if clubs sell their best players and fail to replace them they will be weaker.

That has been the case with Wolves unable to bring in a much-needed defender in the summer and they will now target a centre-back during next month's transfer window.

While O'Neil will be the focal point of any fans' anger - especially if Wolves fail to beat Ipswich at Molineux on Saturday - Fosun must now expect the already mounting pressure on them to increase if Wolves' struggles continue.

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Captain Mario Lemina has apologised to Wolves fans but claimed he "just reacted to a situation" in an altercation with Jarrod Bowen after the defeat at West Ham on Monday.

The away side felt aggrieved by a number of decisions in their 2-1 loss to the Hammers and Lemina visibly let his frustration boil over at full-time.

The 31-year-old midfielder was involved in a heated confrontation with Bowen, who scored the winning goal, which resulted in a booking and other players dragging Lemina away from the England forward.

In a post on his Instagram story, the Gabon international said: "I write this message with great hindsight. And I really want to apologise to all the people who love this club and who love football.

"I never wanted this to happen on the ground. I have always been a fair player, even in defeat. If something is said, make sure the truth comes out. I shook this player's hand, like I always do. And I was grabbed by the shirt and thrown to the ground. I just reacted to a situation that I didn't cause at all.

"I love my team, the staff and all the people who make up this club. We are all going to fight harder to overcome this situation."

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Wolves head coach Gary O'Neil has reiterated his belief that he is the right man for the job, and believes he is a better coach after learning "an awful lot" in the past year.

Speaking after the club's loss to West Ham on Monday, O'Neil spoke about what he has already achieved at the club, saying: "I understand the noise and scrutiny, but when I arrived at this football club, it had just achieved 39 points in the Premier League.

"This summer we lose our captain, Max Kilman, and Pedro Neto for a combined £100m and we sign a load of young lads, who will be great for the club in the future. That is where the football club is."

Despite being in the running for the Premier League manager of the month for November, O'Neil's side have lost their past three games, conceding 10 goals in the process.

But O'Neil added: "I'm confident we can turn it around. It's not my decision but I know I'm a better coach then I was last year. I've learned an awful lot.

"All I can ask the group is to be the best version of themselves. I know I can get the best out of this group."

Should Wolves stick with O'Neil? Let us know in our poll

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Former Wolves striker Jay Bothroyd has been speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast about the future of Gary O'Neil after Wolves' 2-1 defeat at West Ham.

"If you're spending a lot of money bringing in and replacing those players that you've let go [in the summer] then fine," he said.

"Ultimately every time you lose your top players you're going to decline in quality within the squad.

"I don't blame Gary O'Neil. He's got his players working hard, there's no question about that.

"Even last night, right until the end, they still believed. It's just those little details and conceding goals.

"It was really disheartening for me to watch as an ex-Wolves player. I really enjoyed playing there. To see them in this situation - they have top players, it just hasn't happened for them right now."

Wolves fan and host of The Wolves Report podcast Ryan Leister also spoke about the future of the head coach and questioned whether the club could find a better replacement.

"I don't think many of the managers would have survived a run like Gary O'Neil's on now. But could Wolves do better than Gary O'Neil? I'm not sure they could. Does O'Neil deserve to be in charge? I'm not sure that he does," he said.

"But, equally, you have to look higher above than O'Neil. If you keep selling your best players every summer and expect the club to try to retain Premier League status, I think it's a bit ambitious from the owners.

"[Pedro] Neto went. [Max] Kilman went. If this is going to continue then Wolves should expect to be where they are now.

"I have sympathy for O'Neil but, equally, I think he should be doing better as well."

Dazzling Dave
Fan writer

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Sorry, Gary, but your time is up. O'Neil seems like an amicable person, but football is a results-driven sport. Wolves have reached a point where change is no longer optional - it is essential.

Despite moments of tactical insight, his tenure has faltered under mounting issues that can no longer be ignored.

The result carries an air of grim irony, with O'Neil's side losing to his former club - and former Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui. West Ham's London Stadium is also the place where the reign of Bruno Lage, Lopetegui's predecessor at Molineux, ended.

The goodwill O'Neil earned last season has hidden deeper issues in the squad.

Patience is gone, especially after the Everton meltdown, which should have been the breaking point. For many, the West Ham match serves as nothing more than an unnecessary delay.

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Wolves remain a side riddled with the same weaknesses they had at the start of the season. Defensive fragility, catastrophic errors in set-piece situations, and a lack of cohesion have continuously plagued the team.

Wolves have talented players but, under O'Neil, they have become a disjointed group of individuals.

The problems are too glaring to ignore, and O'Neil has done little to suggest he can turn things around. Progress has been non-existent.

West Ham should mark the end of his Wolves tenure - even if we had won. A reset is critical for survival, and Wolves must act decisively before it is too late.

O'Neil is not solely to blame for Wolves' struggles and the club's hierarchy must also face scrutiny for their role in the decline.

An overemphasis on signing players as long-term investments, rather than addressing immediate needs, has left the current squad ill-equipped to compete.

Fosun's self-sustainability model, while pragmatic in theory, has been a significant contributor to this predicament.

If Wolves are to reverse their downward trajectory, the owners must urgently reassess their level of commitment and strategy for the club's future.

Maybe a new manager with fresh ideas can turn things around, but currently we look like a team heading for the Championship.

Find more from Dazzling Dave at Always Wolves, external

Gary Rose
BBC Sport journalist

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Three successive defeats leaves Wolves deep in trouble in the relegation zone - but there is hope around the corner.

On Saturday they are at home to fellow strugglers Ipswich - who have managed just one win in 15 Premier League games so far - before they travel to Leicester, who are 17th and four points above the relegation zone.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher said: "You look at the fixture list and sometimes the club might think whether they want to bring a new manager in and it will be some decent games for the new man to start with. That will be in the back of Gary O'Neil's mind.

"If everything goes well against Ipswich Town and Leicester City in the next two games, they could be out of the bottom three.

"O'Neil will be desperate for that chance to rectify what has happened this season."

Should Wolves keep faith with O'Neil? Let us know in our poll

Gary Rose
BBC Sport journalist

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Wolves appointed Gary O'Neil in August last year, replacing current West Ham boss Lopetegui, and he ensured they finished comfortably clear of relegation in his first season.

In the summer, Wolves sold defender Max Kilman to West Ham for £40m and forward Pedro Neto to Chelsea in a £54m deal.

O'Neil identified player departures making his job more difficult.

"The club has been through an incredible transition since I came in," he added.

"We've signed some players who will be really good for this club for the future, but we have lost an awful lot. It makes it harder.

"[Since I've been here] we have lost £200m worth of talent. We understand it will be tough. We will knuckle down and get going again.

"Whenever this journey ends with Wolves I'll be proud of it."

Gary Rose
BBC Sport journalist

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Wolves boss Gary O'Neil acknowledged his side's set-piece defending needs to improve, but also felt key decisions went against them in defeat by West Ham at London Stadium.

For the corner that led to the Hammers' opener, the ball appeared to come off West Ham full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka last.

Then, for the Hammers' second, O'Neil felt there had been a foul on Wolves defender Santiago Bueno in the build-up.

Put to him that a new phase of play had started after the potential foul on Bueno, O'Neil told Sky Sports: "That is crazy. He was going to head the ball away, so next phase of play is irrelevant because we would have cleared the ball."

O'Neil also felt his side were not given two penalties, adding: "The foul on Goncalo Guedes was a blatant penalty. There was a little one on [Jean-Ricner Bellegarde] too, it was small contact but enough to make him fall over."

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We asked for your thoughts after Monday's Premier League game between West Ham and Wolves.

Here are some of your comments:

Jon: It feels like the same story on repeat. We are unable to defend set pieces. We get ourselves back into games only to concede almost immediately. This wasn't the shambles we saw at Everton but, for a club fighting for their life, it wasn't good enough. It was also embarrassing that our captain lost his head after the match and was pushing our own staff. Something needs to change and fast. Our Premier League position looks more precarious than ever. If we fail to beat Ipswich, we are in deep trouble.

Glyn: Again basic defensive mistakes have cost us. The marking of West Ham's best header of the ball was non-existent and the challenge on their best striker was again sadly lacking. There were some good periods of play but we were indecisive in turning the game to our advantage. The play is Championship quality and we will surely go down with this standard of football.

David: Gary O'Neil is neither a good enough manager or a lucky enough manager to fashion a winning team out of what he has. It is a tough ask for an inexperienced manager, made doubly difficult by director of football Matt Hobbs. His failure to acquire what Wolves needed in pre-season is unforgivable. If the manager goes after this depressing performance, Hobbs must go too.

Ben: You can talk about penalties, fixture lists and what ifs until the cows come home. The fact is we have been weak all season and the buck stops at one person's door. Sorry, Gary, your time is done.

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Wolves boss Gary O'Neil, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "We were OK. We were solid and we probably had the better chances. But a lot of decisions went against us. An awful lot of decisions go against us in a big game, in big moments. You need some of them to go your way and you hope they do - but they didn't.

"The lads gave everything. We came up a little bit short again, which has been the story of the past few weeks for us. I'm proud of the players - they're in a tough moment and they're giving everything. They're ready to fight, ready to scrap, ready to come away to West Ham and give them a real good game. We needed to find a way to turn it our way and we didn't quite do that.

"I will try and go in and have a chat with them [officials] to get their thoughts on how it ended up where it was. It's not going to help us. We need to find way to turn the game in our favour. A combination of us not quite doing enough and the decisions go with West Ham [means] we leave with nothing."

On his job: "No I'm not concerned. I am really proud of the group and really proud of everything they've given me, and everything they have done again against West Ham. I can only ask them to do their best.

"They definitely haven't [players lost faith in him]; we are together. I give them big credit for that. They know the situation at the football club and they know some of the difficulties we face. The players and I are 100% connected in trying to do as well as we can.

"At this moment, it isn't quite good enough. There is a long way to go."

Did you know?

• Wolves have conceded a league-high 15 Premier League goals from set-piece situations this season (excluding penalties). Only in their relegation campaigns of 2003-04 (20) and 2011-12 (18) have they conceded more such goals in a season in the competition.

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Come back to this page on Tuesday to find a selection of your replies

Dazzling Dave
Fan writer

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Wolves are at a crucial juncture, and immediate changes are needed to secure their Premier League status. The current situation demands clear strategies and bold decision-making from the very top.

Strong, proactive decisions are needed to address the spiralling issues. From recruitment to long-term planning, the focus must shift to immediate problem-solving that prioritises the club's survival.

While the self-sustainability model is admirable in principle, it is currently putting Wolves at risk of relegation. Fosun's intentions to create a financially independent club may have merit, but the timing couldn't have been worse. Implementing this approach when the squad was already thin and infrastructure needed significant investment has left the club in a vulnerable position.

Economic factors like COVID-19 might have influenced this shift, but the reality is clear—without sufficient investment in the team and facilities, the club is stagnating. Fosun must reassess this model and take a more aggressive financial approach if they are serious about both preserving their investment and keeping Wolves in the top flight.

The talent within Wolves' squad is undeniable, yet it remains untapped on the pitch. To turn this potential into results, the club needs a manager with gravitas. This individual must possess not only a proven track record of success but also the ability to command instant respect from players and staff alike. Galvanising the talented individuals into a cohesive, motivated team is critical to climbing the league table.

Wolves need to start the transfer window strong by prioritising a centre back. Strengthening the defence early in the window is crucial to avoid last-minute panic buys and to ensure the squad is prepared for the challenges ahead. A commanding centre back could provide stability at the back, which has been an area requiring improvement. Getting the deal done quickly will also allow time for the new signing to integrate properly with the team.

Wolves face a pivotal moment. Strong leadership, financial courage, and the right managerial appointment could be the difference between survival and relegation. The time for action is now—delaying decisions will only make the challenge greater.

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Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Gary O'Neil is fighting for his job as Wolves head coach.

Monday night's game at West Ham is defining and could be his last after damaging defeats by Bournemouth and Everton.

Supporters have turned. There was patience and understanding before but after shipping eight goals in their past two games there has been a definite mood change.

Performances against Liverpool, Manchester City, Newcastle and Aston Villa arguably deserved more and supporters and the club recognised how difficult the start was.

But that argument only works when you are able to pick up points in those games which may be deemed, at least in the eyes of fans, more winnable.

The draw at home to Crystal Palace and loss to Bournemouth at Molineux went a long way to seeing that support and belief from the terraces wane while the hammering at Everton meant it dropped off a cliff.

Wolves, who sit 19th, are four points from safety and host third-bottom Ipswich Town on Saturday - level on nine points with the Tractor Boys.

They are in the middle of a run of games which were always expected to decide O'Neil's fate.

That decision could be made with another loss at London Stadium.

Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against a variety of guests.

For week 15 he takes on Dougie Payne, bassist with rock band Travis.

Sutton's prediction: 3-1

This might end badly for Gary O'Neil and Wolves and, while we are not seeing the West Ham we expected from Lopetegui, he may live to fight another day.

The last time Wolves went to London, at the end of November, they beat Fulham 4-1 and enjoyed themselves.

I can't see the same happening here though, because of the number of goals they are conceding. The way they play under O'Neil, they are so open.

West Ham are going to get some chances and although they missed a few against Leicester, I am backing them to take them this time.

Payne's prediction: 1-2

This is like the 'sacked in the morning' derby, isn't it?! West Ham have not been good, or good to watch either. Even the highlights on Match of the Day have left me thinking: 'Oh, this is a bit turgid.'

With Wolves, I feel like they should be doing a lot better. They play some good stuff and Matheus Cunha has been great up front, but they can't stop conceding. I still have a feeling they will get something out of this, though.

Read the full predictions and have your say here