Sheffield Wednesday 0 Wolves 1: Pressure builds on Carlos Carvalhal as Ruben Neves scores winner
Carlos Carvahal insisted injuries are to blame after another defeat for his Sheffield Wednesday team led to a “Carlos Out” banner being unveiled by home fans close to the full-time whistle.
The frustrated Portuguese was serving a one-match touchline ban, so he looked on helplessly as his compatriot Nuno Espirito Santo, the Wolves manager, guided the Midlands club to a seven-point lead at the top of the Championship. Another of Carvalhal’s countrymen, Ruben Neves, produced the decisive moment of quality, striking in from outside the penalty area.
While Nuno continues to churn out results - even when his team are not at their fluent best - his compatriot Carvalhal remains way adrift of the play-off places. The Wednesday manager’s misery was compounded when Morgan Fox was sent off for a second yellow late on.
This result stretches the Yorkshire club’s winless run to six matches, meaning that Carvalhal will have to rely on the strength of his relationship with owner Dejphon Chansiri.
“I have good relations with the chairman,” said Carvalhal, who must hope fan pressure does not have an effect on Chansiri. “It’s normal [for fans to be unhappy] when we don’t win. I’m doing my work in the best way that I know. This season, we have been losing players and important players.”
Wolves, in contrast, have won four away matches in a row without conceding and have already passed the 50-point mark after just 22 league games. Nuno said: “I make sure we don’t take our position for granted. I look in their eyes and what I see is ambition to be better and stronger. “
Although Carvalhal was sat up in the stands, Wednesday looked solid enough in the early stages but squandered their chances, as Adam Reach sliced wide and Joost van Aken had a header saved.
They fell behind after a tense passage of play culminated in Jacob Butterfield putting in a robust challenge on Ivan Cavaleiro, which led to the free-kick that Wolves scored from.
There were question marks over whether it should have been awarded though. When asked about it, Carvalhal replied: “You ask me because you know it was not a free kick. When teams are in first place, like Wolves, they have this kind of luck.”
Cavaleiro delivered it, Willy Boly headed the ball back, then Neves fired in. Wednesday worked hard to recover but substitute Joao headed over with his first touch of the game. The home side’s hopes then faded when Fox received his marching orders.
Teams
Sheffield Wednesday (4-4-2) Wildsmith; Palmer, Loovens, Van Aken, Fox; Wallace, Jones, Butterfield (Joao 64), Reach; Rhodes (Nuhiu 64), Hooper. Subs Kean (g), Matias, Pudil, Abdi, Venancio. Booked Butterfield, Fox. Sent off Fox.
Wolverhampton Wanderers (3-4-3) Ruddy; Bennett, Coady, Boly; Doherty, Neves, Saiss, Vinagre (Batth 67); Cavaleiro (N’Diaye 90), Bonatini (Costa 72), Jota. Subs Norris (g), Gibbs-White, Miranda, Enobakhare. Booked Jota, Bennett, Neves.
Referee Darren Bond (Lancashire).
