Wolves have made the worst possible start to their Premier League campaign, leaving fans frustrated and questions being asked of manager Vitor Pereira.
Simon Jordan has even warned that Wolves’ decision to renew Pereira’s contract could backfire.
Pereira arrived midway through last season and steadied the ship to secure survival, but things are no longer as positive after five consecutive defeats.
With Wolves bottom of the league after the opening fixtures, the Portuguese manager now finds himself under immense scrutiny.
The club’s next run of matches looks far easier on paper, meaning the manager now faces a make-or-break spell to deliver results and prove he is the right man for the job.
Vitor Pereira under pressure as data shows fixture swing in Wolves’ favour
Wolves have made their worst start to a season in 127 years, with fans questioning the timing of Pereira’s new deal and also blaming Fosun for the club’s decline
Despite the poor start to the season, Opta data has revealed that Wolves actually have the easiest opening 10 games of any Premier League club this season.
Their 10 opponents have an average Opta Power Rating of just 91.4, a huge contrast to last year when the Old Gold were rated as having the hardest opening 10 fixtures.
However, Pereira’s side have failed to take advantage, losing all five of their opening matches.
While Wolves endured a difficult start to the season, data now reveals the fixtures are set to become more favourable on paper, with upcoming clashes against Sunderland and Burnley in consecutive gameweeks offering Pereira a chance to turn things around.
Pereira must deliver results in the next five matches
The Old Gold need to start picking up points quickly and will be targeting maximum points against Sunderland and Burnley.
However, these games won’t be straightforward, as both teams will sense an opportunity to take points off a struggling Wolves side.
Pereira also can’t afford to write off the game against Spurs and must look to capitalise on Wolves’ strong recent record at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
While Vitor Pereira’s immediate future at Molineux appears secure, Fosun could face a costly decision if results don’t improve on either side of the next international break.
It remains to be seen whether Pereira can weather the storm and turn the tide before the fixture swing passes.