Wolves midfielder Mario Lemina has opened up about the impact of Gary O’Neil to guide the squad through ‘difficult moments’ during the Sheffield United win on Sunday.
Wolves moved up to 8th in the table on Sunday afternoon with a win over Sheffield United at Molineux.
While the Old Gold have since slipped down to 9th following West Ham’s win last night, Gary O’Neil’s side have put themselves firmly in the running to fight for a European finish.
A first-half goal from Pablo Sarabia earned three points for the hosts however, the game was far from an easy obstacle for Wolves to overcome against Chris Wilder’s struggling side.
Wolves experienced a difficult second half against Sheffield United
The first half showcased just what was expected ahead of the fixture, as Wolves dominated possession and attempted to build wave after wave of attack in the bid to break down the visitors.
Throughout the season, the Old Gold have struggled at times to overcome teams that allow them to have more of the ball, with the squad’s preference being a fast-paced game to unleash the pace they’re blessed with in attack.
The host’s struggles were clear not just through the anxiety around Molineux, but through the statistics at the end of the game, which revealed that the Blades had more shots on target and more corners as Wolves came under pressure, via Sofascore.
What Mario Lemina said about the Sheffield United challenge
It was not an afternoon of “champagne football”, as O’Neil described the affair after the fixture however, it was a crucial win for the Midlands side to build some form following the superb victory over Spurs.
Speaking after the game, midfielder Mario Lemina revealed what the boss had said to the players to ensure they remained in the game and ended the fixture with a win and a clean sheet.
“Even in the difficult moments we have to be switched on and the gaffer really told us to be like this, be positive even when we are struggling, and we’ve already done it against some of the bigger teams, so we know how to do it.”
The Gabon international also admitted that the performance was below par for the squad’s standards in front of their home support, who felt the nerves, particularly in the second half.
“We all prefer it when we have more control on the games, even these kinds of games to give pleasure to the fans, it’s really difficult because we gave them stress so it wasn’t very good!”
Despite the manner of the win, it was imperative that Wolves overcame their challenge of struggling against ‘lesser’ sides, yet being able to see off some of the best in the league.
The three points put the club in a strong position and with 12 games to go, a European spot could be there to play for if the Old Gold can build some form.