Wolverhampton Wanderers' descent into a historic crisis deepened on Boxing Day as a Keane Lewis-Potter double handed Brentford a vital 2-0 victory at Molineux. The result leaves Wolves marooned at the foot of the Premier League table with a paltry two points, extending their club-record losing streak to ten matches.
A Week of Turmoil Culminates in Defeat
The match was played against a sombre backdrop at Molineux. Before kick-off, a minute's silence was held for Ethan McLeod, the Wolves trainee and Macclesfield forward who tragically died in a car accident. His brother, Conor, a member of Wolves' Under-21 squad, was among the family present on the sidelines.
This poignant moment followed a week of significant boardroom change, with chairman Jeff Shi departing and being replaced on an interim basis by Nathan Shi. The mood amongst the home support was one of deep frustration, with chants of "Fosun out" and banners declaring "our club" visible throughout a turgid first half.
Lewis-Potter Strikes to Break the Deadlock
The first half was a story of almost unparalleled sterility. Despite enjoying unusual dominance of possession, Wolves failed to register a single shot on target until the 31st minute, the longest such wait for any Premier League team in six years. Brentford, meanwhile, offered little attacking threat themselves until Lewis-Potter finally forced a save from José Sá just before the interval.
The breakthrough finally came in the 63rd minute. A hopeful chip from Vitaly Janelt caused confusion between Wolves defenders Ladislav Krejci and Santiago Bueno, allowing Lewis-Potter to pounce and slot the ball home. The goal punctured any lingering hope in the stands, where fans had been singing the names of past heroes like Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Ruben Neves.
Penalty Miss Compounds Wolves' Misery
Brentford, who have struggled to hold leads this season, nearly conceded an equaliser but were let off when David Møller Wolfe's header sailed over. Any potential nerves were settled twenty minutes after his first goal, when Lewis-Potter volleyed in his second from a Mikkel Damsgaard cross to seal the points.
Wolves were handed a late lifeline when a penalty was awarded for a challenge on Matt Doherty, but Caoimhin Kelleher saved Jørgen Strand Larsen's spot-kick, adding further insult to injury. The final whistle was met with a crescendo of boos and chants of "you're not fit to wear the shirt," underscoring the scale of the crisis at the club.
No Escape in Sight for Rock-Bottom Wolves
The statistics make for grim reading for the Molineux faithful. Only three teams have ever lost ten Premier League matches in a row, and all were relegated. Manager Rob Edwards faces a monumental task to even approach the top flight's lowest-ever points total of 11, set by Derby in 2008.
For Brentford and manager Keith Andrews, this was an imperative victory that halts a worrying slide and provides crucial breathing space above the drop zone. The performance, built on defensive resilience and clinical finishing from Lewis-Potter, offers a blueprint for survival as the season reaches its midway point.
