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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Barry Glendenning

Wolves 2-1 Tottenham: Premier League – as it happened

Pablo Sarabia and Matheus Cunha
Pablo Sarabia and Matheus Cunha celebrate after Wolves’ first goal as they blow Spurs away with a late comeback. Photograph: Jack Thomas/WWFC/Wolves/Getty Images

Ange Postecoglou speaks: “It’s always a tough game here,” he says. “Wolves are always going to come on strong and we probably ran out of legs towards the end. It’s understandable because some of our guys haven’t played much. They scored a couple of good goals; it’s a hard one for us to take but it is what it is.

“We had a few opportunities but I thought we could have been a bit more positive in the first half. We had some good opportunities to create some good chances but we played a bit too conservatively.”

Updated

Gary O’Neil speaks: “To get to 15 points at this point is a big achievement for us although it could have been more,” he tells TNT. “My celebration was because I was proud of the lads because they deserved the win. It’s a big step for us in our progression and I’m pleased that we finished this little run with a win today.”

On his substitutions: “I’m really pleased for Pablo [Sarabia] because I know he’s been frustrated with the amount of minutes he’s played. He has unbelievable quality and we saw that in the first goal, with the touch and the finish.

“Honestly, you wouldn’t want that to fall to anyone else in our group. For the second, I’m screaming for him to cross it to the back post but he finds an unbelievable pass to Mario. I think the impact Pablo had, particularly given howe hard he’s worked, I’m really pleased for him.”

Match report: Wolves 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur

Premier League: For a long time, it seemed Tottenham would end a difficult week with a narrow win but Pablo Sarabia and Mario Lemina had other ideas and helped poop their party in the most dramatic style. Ben Fisher reports from Molineux …

The table: Defeat today means Tottenham have missed out on the chance to go top of the table for 24 hours and they stay second, one point behind Manchester City, who have a game in hand. Wolves move up to twelfth place, sandwiched between Crytal Palace and West Ham, who each have the same number of points but also have games in hand.

Mario Lemina speaks: As Gary O’Neil and his players milk the well earned applause of the Wolves fans, TNT Sports grab Mario Lemina for a word. “It’s amazing, this kind of feeling in front of our fans,” he says. “We’ve been pushing so hard. I think we deserved this game because we put in amazing shifts. We knew that we had the best tactics to play against them and we showed it today.

“It’s amazing for me to score the winning goal and I’m really happy about that. I’ver been through so many injuries and stories about my career but I feel like I’m at my best now. The fans have really supported me since I’ve been here and I really love them. I really love the club. They are amazing with me and I try to give back to them.”

Updated

Full-time: Wolves 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur

Peep! peep! Peeeeeeeeeep! It’s all over at Molineux, where Wolves have snatched the win from Spurs, coming from behind to take all three points courtesy of two goals in added time. Tottenham’s players look understandably gutted but they were desperately hanging on in the closing stages of this game.

90+8 min: Wolves took a quick free-kick on the halfway line, sending the ball wide to Pablo Sarabia on the right. He cut inside and played the ball in behind Emerson Royal into the path of Lamina, who got the faintest of touches to send it past Vicario and into the corner. That’s some smash-and-grab by Wolves, who probably deserved to win.

Updated

GOAL! Wolves 2-1 Tottenham (Lemina 90+7)

Scenes!!!! Mario Lemina scores what has to be the winner for Wolves, prompting delirium in the Molineux stands.

Mario Lemina stretches to prod home the winner!
Mario Lemina stretches to prod home the winner! Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Updated

90+5 min: Tottenham’s free-kick is sent into the box, where Max Kilman heads clear. Wolves break upfield on the counter but their move breaks down when Matt Doherty fouls somebody or other.

90+4 min: Craig Dawson is booked for blocking a Son run and will have to serve a one-match ban.

90+2 min: It’s been coming and Wolves are well worth their equaliser. Cunha pinged the ball into the left side of the Spurs penalty area and Sprinting at full pelt as he made a lung-busting run towards the far post, Sarabia brought it down with a wonderful touch on his right foot to tee up his own shot. He still had plenty of work to do and despatched the volley past Vicario with his left from a tight angle.

Updated

GOAL! Wolves 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur (Sarabia 90+1)

Wolves equalise. It’s a sensational goal from Pablo Sarabia, who’s only just come on to the pitch.

Pablo Sarabia volley’s Wolves level!
Pablo Sarabia volley’s Wolves level! Photograph: Darren Staples/AFP/Getty Images

Updated

89 min: From the corner, Wolves threaten to break upfield but Rodrigo Bentancur puts a stop to their gallop with a cynical foul. He’s booked.

88 min: Kulusevski picks out Son with a ball into the Wolves penalty area but the South Korean’s shot is blocked. Gio Lo Celso strikes on the follow-up but his effort is palmed over the bar by Jose Sa. That’s Tottenham’s first shot on target since they took the lead in the second minute.

87 min: Wolves double-substitution: Pablo Sarabia and Tommy Doyle on for Joao Gomes and Rayan Ait-Nouri.

85 min: Sasa Kaladjzic connects with a cross to the near post but sends his header hopelessly wide. It’s another let-off for Spurs, who are clinging on to their lead.

82 min: Rayan Ait-Nouri gallops up the inside-left, getting the better of Eric Dier, who simply isn’t quick enough keep up with him. With two Wolves players up in support and screwaming for the ball, he squares it straight to the feet of Emerson Royal, who clears for Spurs.

80 min: Cunha and Lamina combine to great effect down the left side of the Wolves penalty area. Lamina eschews a great shooting opportunity in favour of squaring the ball for a Matt Doherty tap-in at the far post, but Ben Davies does well to intercept and clear before the basll can reach the Irishman. Wolves should have equalised!

77 min: Dejan Kulusevski catches Jose Sa’s head with his knee as he tries to nick the ball away from the Wolves keeper, who had come off his line to dive at his feet as the Spurs winger bore down on goal. It looked nasty but was completely accidental and thankfully, Sa seems to be fine.

74 min: Wolves replace Jeanricner Bellegarde with Sasa Kalajdzic, while Tottenham bring on Bryan Gil for Brennan Johnson. Yves Bissouma is also replaced, with Giovani Lo Celso coming on in his place. That’s a bold, attacking move from Big Ange.

73 min: Brennan Johnson gets in behind the Wolves defence and runs on to a curled cross from the right. With the goal at his mercy and only Jose Sa to beat, he shoots high and wide, prompting sarcastic cheers and applause from the Wolves fans.

70 min: Matheus Cunha holds off Pierre-Emille Hojbjerg as he canters through the centre and is brought down by Bissouma, who is on a yellow card. He avoidf a second booking, which seems fair. It didn’t look a particularly bad challenge and the Spurs midfielder defintiely got a toe to the ball. A more fussy referee than Tim Robinson might have sent him off.

68 min: Tottenham win a corner, which Pedro Porro takes. Max Kilman is first toe inswinger and heads the ball up in the air. It’s helped on its way upfield by Ait-Nouri.

66 min: Wolves substitution: Matt Doherty on for Nelson Semedo. Now in his second spell at Wolves, he jogs on to face his former club.

64 min: Good defending from Eric Dier, who intercepts a dangerous pass from Cunha in the middle of the Spurs penalty area. He’s played well despite a sketchy start to the game, while Ben Davies has also impressed on his return from injury to the Spurs line-up.

63 min: Spurs substitution: Rodrigo Bentancur on for Pape Sarr.

61 min: Finally, a decent delivery from Bellegarde, who sends a free-kick from the left whistling across the edge of the six-yard box. With Craig Dawson lurking menacingly at the far post, Pape Sarr does well to head the ball out for a corner. Nothing comes of it.

60 min: Rayan Ait-Nouri takes the corner but his delivery is woeful and fails to clear the first defender. The standard of corners taken by Bellegarde and Ait-Nouri for Wolves this afternoon has been diabolical.

59 min: Wolves continue to dominate. Dawson plays another diagonal ball out to Bellegarde on the right touchline and Wolves head upfield and win themselves a corner.

55 min: A low shot from outside the Spurs penalty area ricochets the way of Hwang, who has a clear sight on goal from about 10 yards out. He reacts quickly to shoot but sends his effort wide of the upright. With better finishing, Wolves could be ahead here but their lack of composure in front of goal has long been a problem for them.

53 min: Ait-Nouri and Cunha combine down the left with Spurs in full retreat. Cubnha shoots from the edge of the penalty area but fails dismally to hit the target. He’s only scored four in 32 games for Wolves and on the evidence of that effort it’s not difficult to see why .

51 min: Eric Dier sticks out a leg to make a crucial tackle in his own penalty area. He pokes the ball away from Cunha’s toe after the Wolves attacker had cut inside Pedro Porro and was shaping to shoot from 20 yards out.

50 min: The opening minutes of this second half have been scrappy with both sides struggling to keep possession and string a few decent passes together.

49 min: Tottenham win a throw-in deep in Wolves penalty area but cede possession to Max Kilman, who plays the ball out from the back. Ait-Nouri is fouled by Hojbjerg and Wolves have the chance to advance into Tottenham territory.

47 min: Bellegarde wins the ball from Royal in midfield and bears down on the Tottenham prenalty area. With the Spurs defenders backing off him, he unleashes a shot from the edge of the penalty area that sails comically high and wide.

Second half: Wolves 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur

46 min: Play resumes with Spurs on the ball and no changes in personnel on either side.

José Sá squeezes a water bottle over his face
José Sá keeping alert. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

Updated

Half-time: Wolves 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur

Peep! Referee Tim Robinson draws an entertaining first half to a close and Tottenham have the advantge courtesy of Brennan Johnson’s first goal for the club. After asn inauspicious start, Wolves gradually grew into the game and have shown every sign that they might be able to turn things around in the second half. The next goal, should it arrive, will be crucial.

45+4 min: Yves Bissouma picks up a yellow card for a foul on Lemina and will miss Tottenham’s next game, against Aston Villa, through suspension as it’s his fifth booking of the season.

45+2 min: From the corner, Wolves win a free-kick wide on the left and Ait-Nouri’s delivery is met by Toti, whose header is on target but saved comfortably by Vicario.

45+1 min: From the frere-kick, the ball drops to Ait-Nouri whose scuffed shot is put out for a corner. Bellegardes delivery to the far post, where Mario Lemina’s header goes out for a corner off the head of Davies, who had jumped with him. A replay suggests the ball actually touched Lemina’s head last but Wolves get the corner anyway.

45 min: Semedo is released intop space down the inside right and Emerson Royal scythes him down. The Tottenham defender gets a yellow card and can have no complaints. Needless to say, that doesn’t stop him railing against what he perceives to be the injustice of it all.

43 min: Lemina shepherds the ball out of play after Son tries to play Porro in behind down the inside right. It’s a goal-kick for Wolves as we approach the closing stages of an absorbing first half.

41 min: Pape Sarr is fouled by Cunha near the halfway line and the Wolves man protests his innoncence in the face of overwhelming evidence of guilt. Replays show he was clambering all over the Spurs midfielder’s back.

39 min: Wolves try to take advantage of Tottenham’s high line again but on this occasion Hwang is ruled offside as he tries to run on to a through ball with Ben Davies in hot pursuit.

37 min: Ait-Nouri has a shot after being playedf in behind and it’s saved by Vicario, who blocks with his legs. Had Ait-Nouri scored he would have been penalised for a clear offside and the “goal” would have been chalked off. Mario Lemina, who had been running on to the ball from an onside position, gives his teammate both barrels for not leaving it to him.

Rayan Ait-Nouri shoots at goal.
Rayan Ait-Nouri has a chance, but Eric Dier would have been correct. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA

Updated

35 min: Nothing comes of the set-piece but Wolves continue to enjoy a spell of dominance. They win another corner after Brennan Johnson shepherds the ball out of play under pressure from Hwang, apparently oblivious to the fact that he had touched it last. Yves Bissouma clears the inswinger.

33 min: A good move by Wolves ends with Mario Lemina shooting low and hard towards the far corner from the right side of the Spurs penalty area. Vicario does well to get down and tip the ball around the post for a corner.

32 min: Craig Dawson plays a pin-point diagonal to Nelson Semedo out on the right touchline but the Wolves right-back gives the ball away cheaply.

31 min: Johnson and Hwang get themselves in an unseemly tangle that prompts shouts of “Cheat! Cheat! Cheat!” from the Wolves fans. Referee Tim Robinson gives both players a talking-to but it was something and nothing.

30 min: Hojbjerg plays the ball wide to Brennan Johnson on the left touchline and the goalscorer curls a cross into the Wolves penalty area trying to pick out Son. Jose Sa is quick off his line to snuff out the danger.

27 min: In the Tottenham goal, Vicario has to have his wits about him as three backpasses in quick succession are sent fizzing his way. Under pressure from Mario Lemina, he deals with all three commendably with a demonstration of fancy footwork that wouldn’t look out of place on Strictly Come Dancing.

25 min: A sloppy pass from Emerson Royal gifts Wolves a throw-in near the halfway line and moments later, Pedro Porro is penalised for a foul on Toti.

24 min: Tottenham’s high defensive line threatens to be their undoing as Wolves play the ball in behind, forcing Ben Davies into a foot race with Hwang. The visitors get away with it on this occasion.

22 min: Porro receives treatment for what looks like a calf injury and is fit to continue for the time being at least. He’s limping quite heavily and Spurs really can’t afford to lose him.

20 min: Pedro Porro goes down roaring in pain after being fouled by Joao Gomes. The Wolves midfielder is lucky to avoid a booking for his late challenge on the Tottenham right-back, who had given him the slip.

19 min: Ait-Nouri gallops through the centre and pings a low ball towards Hwang, who does well to control it under pressure. The South Korean runs into traffic on the edge of the Spurs penalty area before he can pull the trigger.

18 min: Wolves win two corners in quick succession but are unable to clear the first Tottenham defender with either delivery.

Nelson Semedo with a cross
Nelson Semedo with a cross under the west Midlands sunlight. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA

Updated

16 min: Yves Bissouma cedes possession to Lemina in midfield and Wolves surge forward again. Hwang Hee-chan pulls the ball back towards Bellegarde after getting the better of Dier down by the byline, but the Frenchman has his back to goal and is unable to shoot on the turn.

14 min: Wolves have got a firm foothold in the game after that very early setback and are now giving Tottenham plenty to think about. It’s shaping up to be a good game.

13 min: There’s a break in play as Mario Lemina receives treatment from the Wolves physios. He seems to be OK.

10 min: Showing no ill-effects from his blow to the head, Ben Davies does brilliantly to dive in and block a shot on goal from Ait-Nouri after Eric Dier had lost the ball in midfield and Wolves had broken upfield at speed.

9 min: Jeanricner Bellegarde plays the ball out wide to Joao Gomes, who crosses. Ben Davies goes down after the ball is blasted into the side of his head by Toti Gomes and referee Tim Robinson stops play, provoking the ire of the home crowd.

Updated

7 min: Their confidence buoyed, Tottenham continue to dominate these early stages. Kulusevki takes on and beats Rayan Ait-Nouri on the right flank and sends a cross into the Wolves penalty area. It’s blocked and the home side clear.

4 min: It’s a wonderful start for Tottenham, their opener orchestrated by excellent work by Pedro Porro. His quick thinking in dummying a low crossfield pass allowed the ball to roll through to Kulusevski on the right. A lung0-busting sprint from Porro enabled him to create an overlap, receive a back–heel pass from Kulusevski and square the ball. On the edge of the six-yard box, Johnson was quickest to react and poked home.

Updated

GOAL! Wolves 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur (Johnson 3)

Tottenham take the lead! Brennan Johnson scores his first goal for Spurs, slotting the ball home from six yards after getting on the end of a squared ball sent his way by Pedro Porro.

Brennan Johnson scores for Tottenham
Brennan Johnson gives Spurs an early lead! Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

Updated

2 min: Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario gets an early touch and Tottenham play the ball out from the back.

Wolves v Tottenham Hotspur is go ...

1 min: With the last of the perfectly observed pre-match formalities over, Wolves get the ball rolling in what could be a fascinating game. It’s played straight back to goalkeeper Jose Sa.

Updated

Not long now: With the monster riffola of Led Zeppelin blaring over the Tannoy, the teams march out on to the Molineux pitch and line up either side of referee Tim Robinson and his team of match officials. Kick-off is just a few minutes away but first there’ll be a moment’s reflection for remembrance day.

Updated

Joao Gomes and his Wolves teammates warm up ahead of kick-off.
Joao Gomes and his Wolves teammates warm up ahead of kick-off. Photograph: Jack Thomas/WWFC/Wolves/Getty Images

In an innovation that seems unlikely to catch on, TNT Sports have kitted Brennan Johnson and Max Kilman out with bodycams for their pre-match warm-ups, so viewers can get an unprecedented insight into what it’s like for a professional footballer to do shuttle runs and keepy-uppies.
In an innovation that seems unlikely to catch on, TNT Sports have kitted Brennan Johnson and Max Kilman out with bodycams for their pre-match warm-ups, so viewers can get an unprecedented insight into what it’s like for a professional footballer to do shuttle runs and keepy-uppies. Photograph: Ryan Browne/Shutterstock

Updated

Remembering the fallen: Wolves will join the rest of the football world this weekend by paying their respects to those who have served their country. A period of silence will be observed before kick-off and bugler Lesley Jenkins, from the West Midlands Police Band, will play The Last Post, before representatives of the Armed Forces lay a wreath.

Today’s match officials

  • Referee: Tim Robinson

  • Referee’s assistants: Timothy Wood and Wade Smith

  • Fourth official: Thomas Bramall

  • VAR: Paul Tierney

Referee Tim Robinson leads the team of match officials for today’s match at Molineux.
Referee Tim Robinson leads the team of match officials for today’s match at Molineux. Photograph: Jan Kruger/Getty Images

Those teams: Gary O’Neil makes two changes to the side that lost against Sheffield United last time out Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Joao Gomes come into the side, with Tommy Doyle and Sasa Kalajdzic dropping to the substitutes’ bench.

Ange Postecoglou has been forced to make four changes to the side that lost against Chelsea on Monday night. Eric Dier comes in at centre-half and will play alongside Ben Davies or Emerson Royal. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg also starts alongside Yves Bissouma in midfield. Tottenham’s bench looks a little threadbare but features Oliver Skipp, Giovani Lo Celso and Rodrigo Bentancur, among others.

Ange Postecoglou speaks to the media
Ange Postecoglou has made four changes to the Tottenham Hotspur side that lost against Chelsea on Monday night. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

Updated

Matchday merchandise on sale outside Molineux.
Matchday merchandise on sale outside Molineux. Photograph: Ryan Browne/Shutterstock

Wolves v Tottenham Hotspur line-ups

Wolves: Sa; Semedo, Dawson, Kilman, Toti; Bellegarde, Lemina, Gomes, Ait-Nouri; Hwang, Cunha.

Subs: Bentley, Doherty, Traore, Silva, Bueno, Kalajdzic, Jonny, Doyle, Sarabia.

Tottenhamn Hotspur: Vicario; Porro, Royal, Dier, Davies; Sarr, Hojbjerg, Bissouma; Kulusevski, Son, Johnson.

Subs: Forster, Skipp, Gil, Lo Celso, Bentancur, Phillips, Veliz, Donley, Dorrington.

Early team news

Tottenham lost James Maddison and Micky van de Ven to injury on Monday night and both hugely influential summer signings are expected to be out until the New Year. They join Manor Solomon, Ivan Perisic, Ryan Sessegnon and Alfie Whiteman in the treatment room, while Richarlison is also set to spend a month or so on the sidelines after undergoing surgery on his groin.

Cristian Romero and Destiny Odogie are also absent this afternoon through suspension after getting sent off against Chelsea. In better news for Spurs, Ben Davies is fit after recovering from an ankle injury and is likely to come straight back into the first team.

Wolves have far fewer personnel problems but Pedro Neto remains absent. Defensive midfielder Joe Hodge is also out with a shoulder injury but Hugo Bueno is available again after recovering from a hamstring issue.

James Maddison lies on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium pitch after suffering the ankle injury that will keep him out until the New Year.
James Maddison lies on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium pitch after suffering the ankle injury that will keep him out until the New Year. Photograph: Tony Obrien/Reuters

Premier League: Wolves v Tottenham Hotspur

With an international break looming, Wolves host Spurs in the opening Premier League game of the weekend. Following Monday night’s chaotic defeat at the hands of Chelsea, Ange Postecoglou brings a severely depleted squad to Molineux, his options seveely limited by injury and suspension.

Wolves lost against Sheffield United last time out but were somewhat unfortunate to do so, going down to a late, late Ollie Norwood penalty that should not have been awarded. Unbeaten in four prior to that defeat, Gary O’Neil’s side will be hopeful of taking all three points at home against their depleted visitors. Kick-off is at 12.30pm (GMT) but stay tuned in the meantime for team news and build-up.

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