Wolves' manager Rob Edwards is facing the music after his side suffered a crushing defeat at Crystal Palace, with Yeremy Pino's stunning strike from the edge of the box sealing the win for the Eagles. The 42-year-old former Wolves defender and coach had been tipped as a dark horse to succeed Nuno Espirito Santo in charge, but now Edwards finds himself facing an uphill battle to get his team out of the relegation mire.
The defeat marked Palace's fifth win in their last six games, sending them into fourth place with 15 points from 12 matches. Wolves, on the other hand, remain rooted to the bottom of the table after failing to register a single point from their last 12 matches - a record that has never been breached in top-flight English football.
For Edwards, the result was particularly painful as he had been looking forward to this moment for what felt like an eternity. He made over 100 appearances for Wolves as a defender and later returned to the club as Under-18s head coach before taking the role of Under-23s coach and later two matches in caretaker charge.
Edwards' first permanent game in charge had been expected, but it seemed like only a matter of time before he would get his chance. Chairperson Jeff Shi had likened Edwards' return to that of an "old friend joining us as a leader of the club", and Edwards himself was beaming with excitement as the pre-match anthems played over the speakers.
However, despite having encouraging signs in terms of high-intensity runs and sprints from his team, Edwards knew that results were what ultimately mattered. He conceded that his side had struggled to cope with Palace's pace and agility, which seemed to have unsettled them throughout the game.
The Wolves faithful will be disappointed but not surprised by their side's struggles, particularly in front of goal where they looked woefully inexperienced. The result highlighted the need for Edwards to address these weaknesses quickly, as his team remains on two points with a dozen matches under their belt - and counting down the days until relegation becomes inevitable if something doesn't change.
For Palace, Pino's goal was a highlight reel moment that showcased his class, while Jean-Philippe Mateta should have given the Eagles an early lead but instead shot wide after Wharton picked out him with a perfect first-time pass. The win has propelled Crystal Palace into fourth place and they are now in pole position to secure European qualification.
The Wolves' struggles serve as a wake-up call for Edwards and his coaching team, who must now regroup and refocus if they hope to avoid the drop zone.
The defeat marked Palace's fifth win in their last six games, sending them into fourth place with 15 points from 12 matches. Wolves, on the other hand, remain rooted to the bottom of the table after failing to register a single point from their last 12 matches - a record that has never been breached in top-flight English football.
For Edwards, the result was particularly painful as he had been looking forward to this moment for what felt like an eternity. He made over 100 appearances for Wolves as a defender and later returned to the club as Under-18s head coach before taking the role of Under-23s coach and later two matches in caretaker charge.
Edwards' first permanent game in charge had been expected, but it seemed like only a matter of time before he would get his chance. Chairperson Jeff Shi had likened Edwards' return to that of an "old friend joining us as a leader of the club", and Edwards himself was beaming with excitement as the pre-match anthems played over the speakers.
However, despite having encouraging signs in terms of high-intensity runs and sprints from his team, Edwards knew that results were what ultimately mattered. He conceded that his side had struggled to cope with Palace's pace and agility, which seemed to have unsettled them throughout the game.
The Wolves faithful will be disappointed but not surprised by their side's struggles, particularly in front of goal where they looked woefully inexperienced. The result highlighted the need for Edwards to address these weaknesses quickly, as his team remains on two points with a dozen matches under their belt - and counting down the days until relegation becomes inevitable if something doesn't change.
For Palace, Pino's goal was a highlight reel moment that showcased his class, while Jean-Philippe Mateta should have given the Eagles an early lead but instead shot wide after Wharton picked out him with a perfect first-time pass. The win has propelled Crystal Palace into fourth place and they are now in pole position to secure European qualification.
The Wolves' struggles serve as a wake-up call for Edwards and his coaching team, who must now regroup and refocus if they hope to avoid the drop zone.