Wolverhampton Wanderers

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Vitor Pereira joked he should have brought his glasses to his pre-Fulham press conference.

The manager admitted he may struggle to read his notes, if needed, but Wolves' survival chances are coming into sharp focus now.

Pereira's men remain 17th but opened a five point gap to the relegation zone following Saturday's 1-0 win at 10-man Bournemouth.

Victory at Molineux on Tuesday against Fulham would mean Wolves will have an eight-point cushion over the bottom three, with Ipswich and Leicester not playing until later this week.

Pereira said: "It is very important for us, if we get the three points it would be fantastic - to start to look up, not down. To have more tranquillity and to play at our best level.

"I cannot think about it, I just put my focus on Fulham. I block my mind and I need to put all my energy on this next game.

"We can improve a lot of things, scoring goals when we get opportunities and defending well because Fulham are a very good team with a very good coach.

"Working together for the last three years means they are consistent. But we must look for ourselves and compete to get the three points."

Phil Cartwright
BBC Sport journalist

Wolves boss Vitor Pereira has been speaking to the media before Tuesday's Premier League game against Fulham (kick-off 19:30 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Hwang Hee-chan, Emmanuel Agbadou and Rodrigo Gomes will all miss the game, while Goncalo Guedes is unlikely to feature. On Guedes, Pereira said: "I think he went in the morning for an MRI, we'll see, I think he has some pain on his knee. It'll be difficult to recover for the game."

• Jorgen Strand Larsen's return from injury has given the Wolves boss a "good headache". Pereira said: "He's better now, he played 45 minutes and is recovering his fitness. Now he's in condition to help the team."

• Asked about midfielder Andre's form: "He is important for us because he keeps the balance of the team. When we have the ball, he needs to be aware, to be organised and balanced in the moments we lose the ball. He's the player to connect the sectors and to switch the play. He has the intelligence to play in that position and do what I'm asking him to do."

• On how important Saturday's win at Bournemouth was for Wolves: "It was good but the most important is the next one. The next one is against Fulham and it's very important for us. I expect our best version on Tuesday."

• He continued: "We can improve a lot of things; scoring goals when we get opportunities and defending well because this is a very good team with a very good coach. They have been working together for the past three years, they are consistent and have very good players. But we must look at ourselves and compete to get the three points."

• Pereira said he has found more leaders within his squad since his appointment in December: "If we have leaders in the team, we [as coaches] don't need to be on the scene all the time. I like to give to my players confidence and organisation to solve the problems between themselves. When the problem comes to me, it means they didn't solve the problem. But if you have leaders, it's easier to command, for my leadership it's easier. And we have these kinds of players in our team."

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

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

Here are some of your comments:

Bournemouth fans

Charl: Why were Tyler Adams and David Brooks not playing? You can't take away our best midfielder and our most creative player and expect the same results. Dango Quattara and Marcus Tavernier need to up their game before being picked ahead of proven winners. The sending off for Illia Zabarnyi was unfortunate - we will miss him massively. His presence shapes the whole team.

Matthew: Yet another game ruined as a spectacle by inept oversight. Play-acting and time-wasting are the real issues here. Created too few chances after going down to 10 men, with poor on-field decisions preventing us testing the keeper enough. We move on. Maybe revenge will be served within seven days.

Don: The red card was pivotal in this contest. Got to accept the decision, albeit from VAR and I felt that Joao Gomes should also have gone off. A second yellow was deserved for a ridiculous simulation of facial injury to try and get a yellow for Cook. I suppose VAR is not allowed to interfere in this case, defying logic in some way.

Geoff: We were below par but on another day the result would have been reversed. Wolves constantly wasted time and the sending off of the Bournemouth player was unjust - a yellow card yes, but the Wolves players influenced an indecisive ref. If Wolves continue to play in this way, they will get what they deserve!

Wolves fans

Jen: Full of heart and at times backs to the wall, even against 10 men! Massive result, but more than that is its obvious that the players want to play for the shirt. Well done Vitor Pereira.

Rob: Another solid defensive performance and looked good going forward. Jean-Ricner Bellegarde was excellent again and with a player like Matheus Cunha, we have every chance of staying in the Premier League.

Mike: An excellent away win, albeit against 10 men with a well-taken goal by Cunha and not allowing Bournemouth any clear chances. We had opportunities to finish this game off but again we spurned them. This could be a significant weekend in the relegation battle with a little gap now appearing over the bottom three.

Martin: Such an important victory. There is a real identity starting to emerge with this group. Andre is a definite contender for second place in the player of the season category.

John Acres
BBC Final Score reporter at Vitality Stadium

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This was a game defined by a very modern red card.

Unlikely to have been given as a foul 30 years ago, Illia Zabarnyi's challenge on Rayan Ait-Nouri was deemed a yellow card by referee Mike Salisbury, but he was sent to the monitor by the VAR and upgraded it to a red.

It will sit uncomfortably with some of those who have been watching the game for decades, but winning the ball no longer protects players from being sent off.

Opinions will certainly be divided on whether the challenge deserved a straight red, but it almost certainly will not be rescinded in the unlikely event of a Bournemouth appeal.

It proved the defining moment in the game, and it could prove a decisive moment for Wolves, Ipswich and Leicester in the relegation battle, and in Bournemouth's bid for a top-four finish.

Highlights and analysis from Saturday's seven Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from Friday's game between Leicester and Brentford.

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

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Arsenal 0-1 West Ham

• Aston Villa 2-1 Chelsea

Steve Sutcliffe
BBC Sport journalist

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While Wolves were undoubtedly assisted by facing a Bournemouth side reduced to 10 men around the half hour mark, they still needed the nous and quality to eke out a precious victory.

And in Matheus Cunha, they also have a player capable of settling any contest in an instant.

The Brazil international has now scored 13 league goals this term and his latest ensured Wolves have a welcome level of separation to the bottom three - with the gap to Ipswich now standing at five points.

On this evidence it was easy to see why he was linked with a move away from Molineux during the winter transfer window, and why Wolves were equally as desperate to tie him to the new four-and-a-half-year contract he signed.

However, if he continues in the same vein, the Molineux club are likely to face substantial interest for his services in the summer.

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Wolves boss Vitor Pereira, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "I am very happy because I saw on the pitch the true spirit of a team. It is not easy to play here because they are a good team and they create a lot of problems. In the first minutes we had some problems but after this we started to be compact and control the game and in the end we deserved the result.

"Sometimes we think with one more player we can lose positions, we can lose the balance and this is dangerous but we kept the balance and we felt in the moment we scored and stayed compact and had three of four situations to score the second goal. It was a result we deserved.

"The team ran and worked together and it is a good result."

On Matheus Cunha: "We need players to work a lot, fight and run and also players inside the pitch that can in a situation, technically decide a game. Cunha is this special player that can give us these moments of magic."

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Bournemouth's performance

What did you make of Wolves' display?

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

Wolves ran Liverpool close at Anfield last weekend and Matheus Cunha showed his quality with his wonderful goal that gave them hope in that game.

That performance should give Vitor Pereira's struggling side real belief and I am expecting them to put up a fight here too, but I just can't back against Bournemouth.

The way the Cherries attack, with the amount of shots they get on target, makes them hard to stop and I can't see anything other than a home win.

Andoni Iraola's side are right in the mix for the Champions League places now, and that race is very interesting.

Liverpool and Arsenal will finish first or second but, after that, there are a few teams in with a chance, especially because fifth place could be enough this season.

I'm going for Manchester City to finish in my top five, along with Nottingham Forest. On current form, Bournemouth will make it too, which would be an incredible achievement.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Wolves forward Matheus Cunha speaks to Kelly Somers about life in the Premier League, battling relegation and his aspirations on the international scene with Brazil.

Listen to the full interview on BBC Sounds and watch an edited version on BBC iPlayer

There are seven Premier League games on Saturday, and we will bring you every moment.

• Everton v Manchester United (12:30)

• Bournemouth v Wolves

• Ipswich v Tottenham

• Southampton v Brighton

• Arsenal v West Ham - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Fulham v Crystal Palace

• Aston Villa v Chelsea (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live (coverage will start on 5 Sports Extra)

Kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all the action and reaction here

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Earlier, we asked how well you remembered Wolves' opening Premier League game of the season.

The match at Arsenal ended in a 2-0 defeat, with Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka scoring for the Gunners.

Tyrese King
BBC Sport journalist

Wolves boss Vitor Pereira has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Bournemouth (kick-off 15:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Pereira feels his team did "good work" and are "ready for the game", however he revealed Emmanuel Agbadou and Rodrigo Gomes will be unavailable due to injury.

• The boss believes his side can "compete" against any team, adding: "The game before Liverpool was against Aston Villa and we played a consistent game in my opinion. Against Liverpool, my expectations were that we would play a strong match."

• He added: "In the beginning, the first half wasn't how I wanted to play but the second half was very strong and the team gave me the confidence and the expectation that we are in the moment in the season where we can compete with every team in the Premier League."

• On Nelson Semedo: "Nelson is a very, very important player both on and off the pitch because he is someone who wants to help everybody and commit everybody to the club and our targets."

• Speaking about the prospect of facing in-form Bournemouth, Pereira added: "They have a good team and very good players with a very good coach. They are strong but to be honest, I'm looking for my team. It doesn't matter if it's Liverpool or another club, I respect everybody but if you want to increase your level you must look at yourselves to understand where we must put our energy to improve, and at this moment I want to see my team play with confidence."

• The Wolves boss praised the impact of the January signings: "I think that we must look for the good profiles. It's not always about tactically and technically but the personality, too. They come with this spirit, and it helps the adaptation [to the team]."

• On Marshall Munetsi: "I am not asking him to play as a striker, he's a midfielder in my opinion, more of a box-to-box number eight."

• Offering more on the Zimbabwe international, Pereira said: "He's physically strong, and runs a lot, but he's a player who can bring us different things than other midfielders can. He's here to help us."

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

Wolves played Arsenal in their opening Premier League game of this season - what was the final score and who found the net?

Answer will be revealed at 17:00 GMT

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Bournemouth have won three of their past four Premier League games against Wolves, though all three have come away from home.

However, Wanderers are unbeaten in all four of their Premier League away games against the Cherries, with two draws and two wins - their most away games against an opponent without losing in the top flight.

Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter

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Submerged by data, we might believe that football is more scientific now than ever before. But one thing the game has always shared with science is the happy accident; the discovery of something useful by unintended means.

Wolves had one of these recently, in finding Jean-Ricner Bellegarde was a viable option in central midfield.

On Sunday at Anfield, it felt like it happened again.

Injuries to Hwang Hee-chan and Jorgen Strand Larsen had left Wolves - as they have been too often in recent seasons - without an obvious central striker. Goncalo Guedes filled in there for the first half, but Wolves lacked any attacking focus, or obvious means of relieving pressure. Two behind at half time, a routine home win seemed inevitable.

Rather than accept that, Vitor Pereira took a punt. A week earlier, he had introduced his new midfielder Marshall Munetsi for 20 minutes at Blackburn, where the Zimbabwean showed himself to be a willing chaser, adding the physical presence Pereira felt was lacking when he took over.

At Liverpool, Munetsi was deployed further forward, and suddenly Wolves had a weapon. He hurtled gamely into the task, and while his finishing is yet to match his enthusiasm - with more accuracy and luck he might have scored five goals in his two appearances so far - his presence changed the tone, and the rest of the team joined in.

Was this really just a hunch, or more calculated?

"The coach wanted us to put them more under pressure, that's why we had about four midfielders inside in the second half," said Munetsi. "In France, I have played some games like this, so it's something that's not unusual for me. As a midfielder, you can be able to play in any position, because we have that quality in the players we have in the group."

The biggest effect of the changes was to completely release Matheus Cunha. What position, exactly, was he playing in the second half? More or less anywhere the mood took him, it appeared, and the whole game seemed to follow him.

Perhaps what Wolves actually discovered at Anfield was a new sense of freedom, rarely enjoyed by teams in relegation trouble, and the belief they really can rattle good teams again.

Put down the data. Feel the vibe.

Listen to full commentary of Bournemouth v Wolves at 15:00 GMT on Saturday on BBC Radio WM (95.6FM)

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

Dazzling Dave
Fan writer

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Since taking charge in mid-December, Vitor Pereira has overseen a remarkable transformation at Wolves, establishing a distinct identity both on and off the pitch.

Wolves' progress is evident in the numbers. Under Pereira, their points-per-game average in the Premier League has doubled, rising from 0.56 under Gary O'Neil to 1.12.

There are clear signs of growth, with Wolves' xG improving under Pereira, but the key has been the major defensive improvements. Goals conceded have dropped from 2.5 per game to 1.5, alongside three impressive clean sheets. This improvement offers a realistic shot at avoiding relegation.

Against Liverpool, the first half was concerning. Wolves showed too much respect, playing cautiously and failing to press with any conviction. Pereira later admitted he "didn't recognise" the timid team on the pitch.

However, the transformation in the second half was striking. Wolves pressed relentlessly, stifling Liverpool and holding them to zero shots - the first time in more than eight years at Anfield. Wolves pressed higher, moved the ball with more intent and had the hosts on the ropes.

Pereira hailed the second-half display as the kind of football he is striving for - purposeful, aggressive and fearless.

At the heart of Vitor's approach is a relentless high press. Wolves are now recovering possession in attacking areas more frequently than ever, a key feature of their second-half resurgence against Liverpool. The team feels more assertive and energised, less interested in sitting back and absorbing pressure.

Pereira's no-nonsense man-management has further boosted team accountability. His firm yet fair leadership has established clear expectations, creating a sense of discipline within the squad.

If there is one game that encapsulates Pereira's work so far, it is this. The 2-1 loss might not have delivered any points, but it showcased both the distance Wolves still have to travel and the potential they possess.

Wolves were unlucky. If they can continue on Pereira's path, avoiding the drop is more than achievable.

Find more from Dazzling Dave at Always Wolves, external