Wolverhampton Wanderers

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

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If Gary O'Neil is feeling the pressure he is not showing it.

Rock bottom Wolves host Southampton on Saturday still looking for a first win of the season, with the visitors a point and place above them in the table.

Only five of 18 teams previously without a victory after 10 Premier League games have survived, and Wolves are four points from the safety line.

Last season's form - with just one win in 10 games after the shock 3-2 FA Cup quarter final defeat by Coventry - has continued into this term.

It is a comparison O'Neil has previously dismissed as irrelevant and at Compton on Friday the relaxed boss refused to show any fears for the future.

He said: "I have zero concern around my future. It is what it is. When I came here I knew how tough it could be and I embraced all of it.

"The moment I leave or I'm asked to leave I will be really proud of the work that's been done and the world moves on. Wolves move on.

"Until that moment they will get everything from me. The players are desperate to correct a few things people are saying about the group outside of here.

"We understand there have been challenges and we continue to face a challenging time. There will be decisions to make for everyone, like there are from me like team selection.

"Jeff [Shi, chairman] and Matt Hobbs [sporting director] will have their own opinions and decisions to make on who is underperforming and not. We leave that side of things to them.

"I'm really comfortable going into the game with whatever is on the line according to people outside of here. Three points for Wolves is far more important than my job."

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Former Wolves goalkeeper Carl Ikeme, speaking to BBC Radio WM, external about Saturday's home game against Southampton as the bottom two clubs in the Premier League meet at Molineux:

"I've seen a lot of the games this season and it's not looked like they're not playing for the manager or for the shirt. I don't think any Wolves fan can say that - they might moan about the quality here and there, but I don't think they can say that.

"They [the players] might have this mentality but it's hard to keep going when you're not winning the games. If we don't get a win on Saturday then it's really going to put a lot of pressure on the lads.

"We're in a really difficult position and I worry for Gary O'Neil. I do want him to get it right and I think there's still a portion of fans who want him to get it right.

"Saturday is going to be a difficult game for us because I think if we don't start the game well - I've been there when we're in this position - the fans are starting to turn a little bit anyway and it could be a long 90 minutes.

"Even a scrappy 1-0 might not go down too well, but it might be the most important thing for us just to win."

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With just a point separating the sides at the bottom of the Premier League table, the pressure is on when Wolves and Southampton meet at Molineux on Saturday.

While they go head to head on the pitch, we have asked our fan writers for each club to go head to head off it.

Each fan got to ask three questions of the other before the big game...

Dave Azzopardi
Fan writer

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Here is what our Wolves fan writer Dave Azzopardi had to say in response to questions from our Southampton contributor Glen de la Cour.

Is there a feeling among the Wolves fanbase that Gary O'Neil is really in last-chance saloon with this game and has to win it? Given the recent run of form, do you expect to win it?

Yes, there is definitely a feeling among the majority of the fanbase that this is a must-win for O'Neil.

There have been some positive elements to our games recently, which gives us some encouragement ahead of Saturday. However, one win in 20 games - including last season - is not good enough and it is no surprise some Wolves fans will not be particularly looking forward to this game.

Your fixtures seem to have been very unkindly frontloaded with big clubs. Do you expect the team and manager to climb the table as we head towards Christmas and the fixture list, on paper, gets a bit kinder?

I certainly hope so. This team is good enough to compete with most sides in the division and we should not be in this position, even with the difficult fixtures.

Our fixtures are certainly more favourable towards Christmas but it will be interesting to see if Wolves can find those wins and take some momentum into that run.

I believe we are strong enough and I hope by Christmas we are much further up the table.

Is Wolves' poor defensive record down to poor organization and tactical setup, or poor individual defending by certain players?

It is a bit of everything. Going forward we have been OK and scored a decent amount of goals but, as you are aware, we have an awful defensive record so far.

Conceding regularly from set-pieces is a slight concern. We even sacked our new set-piece coach last month but things do not seem to have improved much on that front.

We rarely concede a goal where I think: "Fair play, that is a really good goal." It is normally from our own errors, whether that is gifting the possession to the opposition or poor defensive positioning.

If O'Neil keeps his job beyond this weekend, this will need addressing urgently.

Find more from Dave Azzopardi at Talking Wolves, external

Make your selection

Glen de la Cour
Fan writer

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Here is what our Southampton fan writer Glen de la Cour had to say in response to questions from our Wolves contributor Dave Azzopardi.

Coming out of the Championship, Southampton had the reputation of playing a certain brand of football. Has Russell Martin adapted his style of football yet to suit the squad in a tougher division?

You can get away with a lot at the lower level and there is a feeling that Martin is still working out what you cannot do when you do not have better players than the opposition.

He will never compromise on the possession-based style, but what we need to do once we have beaten the press is to create more chances, rather than just turning back and allowing teams to get back into shape.

He is learning but the problem is, he has been learning while we have been losing games and that, of course, is not sustainable.

Like Gary O'Neil, Martin had been under some pressure after struggling to pick up points early on. Is there still mounting pressure going into this game despite a win last weekend?

The win against Everton has certainly kept the noise down around his future, for this international break at least. Had we failed to beat Everton, then this game would really have been the last-chance saloon for both managers.

As it is, I feel that O’Neil is under more pressure, especially with his team being at home and because of the tail end of last season too.

There is pressure on this game for Southampton because the next five games are against teams that are going to be finishing in the top half, so Saints really have to target this fixture for a win.

Which Southampton players are standing out right now? Who are the players Wolves need to be watching out for on Saturday?

Aaron Ramsdale always stands out. He is the one player we signed of proven Premier League quality, and we certainly would not have beaten Everton last week without him.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis has come to the fore in the past few games, which has culminated in him getting an England call-up. The two brightest players in attacking areas are Mateus Fernandes, who is always looking to be positive and the youngster everybody is talking about, Tyler Dibling, who is our most skilful and threatening forward player.

The main goal threat will be provided by Cameron Archer and you cannot rule out Adam Armstrong.

Find more from Glen de la Cour at the Total Saints Podcast, external and at Saints Blog, external

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Southampton manager Russell Martin is confident that Gary O'Neil can turn Wolves' fortunes around this season.

With the two set to play against each other on Saturday for the first time since they entered management, Martin spoke about his friendship with O'Neil when they were team-mates at Norwich from 2014-16.

"We stayed in touch beyond [playing careers] when he was at Liverpool and Bournemouth and I was at MK Dons and Swansea," Martin said. "Not so much now because things get very busy.

"We were probably two of the moaniest players in training and having an opinion on the game so it doesn't surprise me that we have gone on to this side of it. We spent most of our time arguing on the pitch but we got on really well. We used to have a lot of conversations around football.

"Part of that comes from those conversations when you are on the training ground, when you are playing and travelling or in hotels - I just used to feel for [former Norwich defender] Steven Whittaker, who would sit there and roll his eyes at us.

"We've all got a different idea of the game but we all have clarity about what we want and part of that comes from them conversations."

With Southampton 19th and Wolves 20th, both managers are under scrutiny and in desperate need of a positive result at Molineux.

Whatever happens, Martin is convinced O'Neil will have success in his managerial career.

"I look forward to catching up with him," Martin said. "I had a lot of time for him as a team-mate and as a person. I think he's done a brilliant job and it was brilliant that he got the opportunity at Bournemouth as a young English coach.

"He did great last season and I have no doubt that they will hit their stride this season because they have been unfortunate and had a really tough run of fixtures. I look forward to catching up with him after the match - but for 90 minutes all of the friendship goes out of the window."

Sarah Rendell
BBC Sport journalist

Wolves boss Gary O'Neil has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Southampton (kick-off 15:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On forward Hwang Hee-chan who has missed the past three games with an ankle injury: "He trained today with the group, he looked sharp. He trained a little bit on Wednesday. He is back fit - [we're] just trying to pick the right time for him to be back involved, whether that is tomorrow or waiting a few weeks through the international break."

• On team news: "Sam [Johnstone] is fine. He was expected to be involved last week but suffered an illness on the day of the game so missed out. He has trained all week. A couple of minor issues throughout the week but we expect everyone to be OK from last weekend."

• On why the club are currently bottom on the Premier League table: "Lots of things have gone on at the football club. Lots of things that have gone on on the pitch - [I take] full responsibility for my part in that as well. We are where we are and there is nothing we can do about the last 10 games. The next one is the next one we can affect right now and the focus and prep and everything that has gone into it has gone very well. I know the boys are looking forward to the next challenge."

• On if the club is supportive of him, O'Neil said: "I don't ask the club for any backing or support. I am very comfortable sat in this seat and on the side of the pitch. I understand that is the nature of the job. I am very comfortable in my own skin, in the work that is done here. Since the moment I have been here, I have given absolutely everything. There have been some challenges thrown at us which I have always faced head on."

• On Southampton: "I think it feels like an important game but Crystal Palace did, Brighton did... they all do. Of course, I understand there will be an awful lot made of this game outside because it is two teams down the bottom in this moment and there feels like there will be a lot riding on it momentum wise going into the international break. [But] I treat all of the games as huge games."

• On Russell Martin, Southampton manager and O'Neil's former Norwich team-mate: "I got on with Russ very well at Norwich. Yeah maybe [we were moany]. I think we wanted things done properly which is probably why we ended up doing what we do because we wanted things done well. He was a good captain for us. It's been interesting to follow his journey as well and the way his teams play. Southampton obviously picked up their first win last week, had some very good performances playing in a very distinct fashion, so they will be a real test for us tomorrow."

Follow all of Saturday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

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Wolves are yet to win a game this season in the Premier League and they host Southampton who are fresh off their win over Everton last weekend.

That win will have relieved a little bit of pressure off Russell Martin's back and it has proved to fans, the board and us that Southampton can win games playing the way that they want to. That is a boost, so Saints will not be approaching this game in a different manner.

The pressure is very much on Wolves to win because they are playing a promoted side at home. That would be the case regardless of their position - and they should be favourites. Unfortunately for them, that means Southampton can play like the underdogs.

However, I do not look at this game and think a manager will lose his job from the result.

If Wolves get completely outplayed by Southampton then it could be a different conversation, but that it is going off the assumption that O'Neil could lose his job at the club.

We do not know that.

What should happen to O'Neil if Wolves fail to beat Southampton?

Make your selection

Nedum Onuoha was speaking to BBC Sport's Katie Stafford

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

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The bottom two meet at Molineux on Saturday and both know the possible consequences of defeat.

Wolves need to beat Southampton, that is the blunt assessment of a game which needs to provide them a final springboard in the relegation battle.

Had they lost to Crystal Palace last weekend the Eagles would have been seven points clear and Wolves would have started to become cut adrift.

A draw was the minimum requirement and, following the dramatic comeback at Brighton, there is at least some momentum growing.

Yet after 10 winless games it is all well and good to claim - and possibly fairly from some of the performances - Wolves deserved more points. It is fine to say they competed well against Manchester City, Liverpool, Newcastle and Aston Villa.

But that only carries weight if they beat Southampton at Molineux and if they can get points against Fulham and Bournemouth after the international break, otherwise the previous excuses will wear thin quickly.

It is perhaps harsh to label them excuses, maybe reasons would be better as boss Gary O'Neil - who faces the media at Compton this afternoon - does not hide behind anything, but he will know as well as anyone Wolves need wins and need them now.

Dazzling Dave
Fan writer

Image source, PA Media

As Wolves prepare to host Southampton, the weight of expectation is heavy. After 10 games, being bottom of the table and conceding 27 goals is not where Wolves fans expected to be.

Gary O'Neil may insist that it is not a "must-win" game but the reality feels starkly different. While technically it is not a definitive match in terms of relegation - with plenty of fixtures left - the stakes are high for O'Neil and his team. This is a battle he needs to win.

The general consensus among Wolves fans we have spoken to is clear: time has run out. Initially, there was a lot of patience because of tough fixtures, but opinions have shifted and many now doubt O'Neil's ability to navigate Wolves out of this predicament. Another lacklustre performance could lead to a charged atmosphere at Molineux, with fans voicing their discontent loudly.

There is uncertainty about whether Wolves' owners, Fosun, see eye to eye with fans on this. With O'Neil and his team recently receiving new four-year contracts, they seem reluctant to pay severance. However, as savvy business people, they understand the financial repercussions of relegation far outweigh the costs of a managerial change. The risk of losing Premier League status is a gamble they are unlikely to take lightly.

Though we have been told that easier fixtures have arrived and better results are due, the problems persist, and even a win might only postpone the inevitable.

With a quarter of the season gone and just three points accrued, something clearly has to change. Looking at this season's fixtures, we have only secured three points, while the same matches last season earned us 12.

We cannot keep blaming our current position on difficult fixtures.

Sometimes you have to make a change for the greater good.

Find more from Dazzling Dave at Always Wolves, external

Wolves boss Gary O'Neil could face the sack if his side do not beat Southampton in the Premier League this weekend. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

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We asked for one thing involving Wolves that people are not talking about but should be.

Here are some of your comments:

Alex: There are very few positives at the moment. On a negative (of which there are many!) the conundrum of having two first-choice goalkeepers who are both bang out of form. I think Jose Sa will go in January but most fans aren't convinced Sam Johnstone is an improvement.

Bigtoeash: No one is talking about our goalkeepers. Johnstone was bought as an upgrade for Sa but I don't believe he is.

George: Our current failings started last season. As much as we've had a tough start, we haven't looked like a proper team since February. The tough fixtures have saved Gary O'Neil and papered over the cracks to non-Wolves fans.

Nigel: What a talented squad we have and yet O'Neil is incapable of getting them to come together as a group. There can only be one explanation.

TMcC: In a nutshell, executive chairman Jeff Shi. Some of his better work includes sacking Nuno Espirito Santo, some seriously questionable player signings and sales, and then the business with Julen Lopetegui. All while raising ticket prices and taking us to the bottom of the league.

Noel: In attack, we are a top-half side, but our defence would struggle in the Championship. I like Gary O’Neil but the owners have left him out to dry with the lack of backing. Been to all the home games where we have picked up good wins over the past seasons, but unfortunately can’t see anything improving with the lack of quality in defence.

Three draws in 10 games has been a dreadful start for Wolves but again there were signs of life in an excellent fightback against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

With that elusive first win still awaiting them, much has been written about Gary O'Neil's side.

But you know them best. So what is the one thing nobody is talking about - good or bad?

Tell us here, external

Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter

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"This is like punishment," said BBC Radio WM's summariser Claire Hakeman, as the indicated added-time against Crystal Palace elapsed and still the game whirled on.

Alas, I bring bad news for Claire and most readers of this page: the tension this Saturday at Molineux, unless and until Wolves open a winning lead, will probably be worse.

"Zero concern for my position," said Gary O'Neil, which unfortunately put him in a small minority at present, since many Wolves fans and pundits seem to have been concerned by little else since Saturday night.

Recent indications were that his employers also had zero concern for his position but, in the stadium, it sounded like many minds had already been made up.

Typical of this turbulent season, 12 minutes after O'Neil was loudly told that he didn't know what he was doing, as he made his substitutions, the same fans were singing their celebration of what might have been the winning goal.

In the end, it wasn't - and many of the singers went home assuming that the head coach has one more chance to save his job, and thinking that was one too many.

As well as the often-rehearsed mitigations - injuries last spring, spending limitations and difficult early fixtures - there is another credible defence that can be made of O'Neil, although it might not have many takers at the moment.

Wolves have played well in parts of most games so far this season. They have scored some fine goals, while many of the goals they have conceded could be pegged on individual errors, for which the manager could hardly be expected to legislate.

The problem with the above argument is the bald reality of football life, which generations of coaches have endured: the can for the mistakes of individual players is invariably carried by the manager.

Whether it is fair or wise doesn't come into it.

It is the only lever to pull that offers the hope of an instant change of fortune, and sometimes it works. It is also the only easy sacrifice that can be made to try to mollify a restless supporter-base.

But Wolves should note that the discontent of many fans is not limited to who is in the dugout.

We won't know for sure if Gary O'Neil really is one defeat away from being sacked, until it happens, but it is a card that can only be played once.

For Wolves to pull clear of danger, those who remain will have to do better too.

Listen to full commentary of Wolves v Southampton at 15:00 this Saturday on BBC Radio WM [95.6FM]

Tune in to The West Midlands Football Phone-In from 18:00 on weeknights

Dazzling Dave
Fan writer

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Being a Wolves fan isn't for the faint-hearted. Supporting the team is emotionally exhausting, and I'm tired of discussing the same old issues while watching them fail to clinch another victory.

After Saturday's game, Jorgen Strand Larsen said: "There were some positives, but it's not enough."

He is right.

The 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace sums up our season. It is promising that Wolves can score but, despite having some good chances, our two goals were overshadowed by defensive errors.

We are now a quarter of the way through the season and have only secured three points.

The main issue is the goals we have let in - 27 so far. The stats are grim. An average of 2.7 goals against per game means we need to score three or four to win.

Gary O'Neil's overall record with Wolves in the Premier League stands at 13 wins and 92 goals conceded in 48 matches. This means we have conceded 1.9 goals per game on average during his tenure.

No wonder we only have one win in 20 games.

Both Palace goals resulted from set-pieces, highlighting our weaknesses again - especially at the back post. Despite sacking the set-piece coach a few weeks ago, we have not seen any real improvement in this area.

The players show heart and grit, but there is no clear identity. It is hard to criticise them as they seem committed, but they lack direction. I see no indication that O'Neil knows how to fix the problems.

No team in the Premier League can concede this many goals and survive.

Wolves fans have been so patient, but we have endured seven months of misery. It cannot go on.

We are sleepwalking into relegation. When is this nightmare going to end?

Find more from Dazzling Dave at Always Wolves, external

Steven Wyeth
Match of the Day commentator

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It was not quite the last laugh he would have relished, but Gary O'Neil could afford himself a broad smile and flash of sparkling teeth as I spoke to him for Match of the Day.

When Wolves fell behind against Crystal Palace on Saturday he responded with a triple substitution.

The Molineux crowd was not impressed, at least not with the personnel involved - "you don't know what you're doing" was their emphatic verdict.

Yet, 10 minutes later, Wolves were ahead. The changes had worked and the quality of the goals they had scored was impressive.

The manager could enjoy a moment of vindication to punctuate a "tense atmosphere" - at least until the Palace equaliser he felt was avoidable but was most certainly deserved.

Indeed, the visitors thought they scored a stoppage-time winner but the O'Neil smile returned when, for once, he could discuss a refereeing decision in Wolves' favour.

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Wolves and Crystal Palace.

Here are some of your comments:

Wolves fans:

Gabriel: Gary O’Neil was obviously just trying not to lose. When we went behind and started acting like we wanted to win, we went ahead. Then we went back to trying not to lose and unsurprisingly conceded yet again. I love Gary but, unfortunately, I think his time is up. Contrary to what he said, this match absolutely was a must-win game.

Jason: Shockingly naive defending from corners, Sa showing why he lost his place. There is some real class and ability in the side, but also some really poor play. Ait-Nouri seemingly is incapable of learning and consistently holds on to the ball too long. Sarabia wants a minute or two whenever he gets the ball and is incapable of using his right foot.

Nick: People keep saying we are playing well. Some people say we are unlucky. Others say it was just a bad run of fixtures. But the fact remains the same no matter the excuse - we are bottom. It doesn't matter what outsiders think as we are bottom. It doesn't matter what pundits think as we are bottom. Name a manager who has lost more but still has a job?

Steve: Very poor performance defensively. What else is there to say? Where's the heart and the pride?

Crystal Palace fans:

Bob: We missed so many chances and should have easily wrapped up the game, but our strikers missed numerous chances and it was left up to two defenders to get the goals for a valuable point. Our forwards need to be more clinical if we're going to survive in the Premier League.

Glen: Overall it was a very enjoyable watch. We worked very hard in the first half and proved we can play. The issue was not taking our chances. Sarr played well but missed a few sitters. The team is starting to take shape and now believing in themselves. Good to see youth on the bench but when are we going to start blooding them in?

Rob: Too many recent signings have failed to make an impact and therefore do not fill the gaps left by those we sold. Even when on top, the team lacks cohesion and too many drift around in marked positions without the commitment to find space for themselves or get stuck in to make it happen.

Gavin: Palace totally dominated the game, but the number of goal chances missed was staggering. Sarr, on his own, missed four sitters. We still have not solved the issue of Nketiah and the manager needs to address this quickly. It was pleasing to see Palace come back after being 2-1 down. Lots of good performances and a point is better than nothing.

Gary Lineker introduces highlights and analysis from Saturday's seven Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Liverpool 2-1 Brighton

• Wolves 2-2 Crystal Palace