Wolves are currently bottom of the Premier League table after five games – and Opta have now predicted the club’s fate for 2024/25.
Gary O’Neil has overseen a poor start, although the fixture list has been very tough for Wolves.
That said, Wolves have been competitive and taken leads in games, only to end up losing, which has been cause for frustration for many fans.
O’Neil’s job is not thought to be in danger at the moment.
But a couple more poor results might well just change the picture slightly.
Things don’t get much easier for O’Neil, with Liverpool coming to Molineux this weekend seeking to build on their good start under Arne Slot. Pundit Paul Merson is predicting a resounding 3-1 win for the Reds.
Many Wolves fans think this could be a real slog of a season, and that a relegation battle is on the cards.
But will Wolves have enough to beat the drop?
Opta predict Wolves will come 17th in the Premier League this season
Earlier today, Sky Sports published a predicted final Premier League table for the 2024/25 season from sports analytics company Opta.
A lot of Wolves fans are feeling very pessimistic right now.
The club’s failure to land a top central defender to replace Max Kilman is a massive concern, and that has been compounded by the loss of Yerson Mosquera to injury.
Wolves have started poorly, and many can’t see the team pushing too high up.
Some have even suggested Wolves could get relegated this term.
But Opta don’t think that’ll happen. They believe Wolves will survive by the skin of their teeth in 2024/25 and finish in 17th place.
They have the three teams that came up from the Championship – Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton – to all go straight back down.
Opta predict that Wolves will get 36 points from their 38 games and survive by two.
A tough season lies in store
Wolves fans were really positive just a couple of months ago, after the club made early moves in the transfer window to sign Rodrigo Gomes, Pedro Lima and Jorgen Strand Larsen.
There were then some positive performances and results in pre-season friendlies.
But Wolves had a poor end to the transfer window and have struggled on the pitch, and the mood really has shifted now.
O’Neil has built up a lot of credit in the bank for what he did in his first term. But he needs results now – currently, Wolves are on the longest winless run of any current Premier League side.
Opta are predicting Wolves to finish 17th and frankly, many Wolves fans would take that in a heartbeat right now.