Cunha inspires Wolves to first league win of season

Matheus Cunha’s stunner inspired Wolves to a first Premier League win of the season in their showdown with relegation rivals Southampton.

The forward struck from 25 yards to settle the nerves around Molineux and lift the hosts off the bottom of the table and above the Saints.

He had earlier set up Pablo Sarabia’s opener, and victory, which moves Wolves to within a point of safety, eases the pressure on boss Gary O’Neil.

The spotlight instead shines on Saints head coach Russell Martin after a ninth loss in 11 games, but Southampton will point to the decision to disallow Ryan Manning’s equaliser, and they felt Cameron Archer was fouled in the build-up to Cunha’s strike.

The visitors dominated but failed to capitalise on their territorial advantage, having fallen behind to Sarabia’s second-minute strike.

Cunha seized on Kyle Walker-Peters’ header on the halfway line and darted towards the box. He slipped in Sarabia and the midfielder rounded Aaron Ramsdale to give Wolves a dream start.

The hosts had not kept a clean sheet in the league since February – a run of 22 games – and thought their wait would continue when Manning’s rocket from an angle found the top corner after 11 minutes.

The defender smashed in after Wolves failed to clear Walker-Peters’ cross, but it was disallowed when referee Thomas Bramall, after checking his monitor, ruled that Mateus Fernandes had fouled Nelson Semedo.

It gave the Saints belief and they bossed the rest of the half, Taylor Harwood-Bellis wasting their best chance when he headed a corner wide.

Molineux was restless but the tension disappeared when Cunha blasted in after the break, leaving Southampton fuming in the belief Archer was fouled.

It left them with no way back and Wolves comfortably held on to breathe life into their season and deliver another damaging blow to the Saints.

Wolves must build on victory

Victory cannot be understated. While there is no desire from the club to sack O’Neil, the situation would have fast become untenable if Wolves had lost.

The head coach has stuck to his guns and insisted it had still been calm at the club amid any growing panic externally as the winless run continued, but he needed victories to back up those suggestions.

A first league clean sheet in 23 games, since a 1-0 win over Sheffield United in February, and a first win of the season can give Wolves a springboard, and Crystal Palace’s defeat by Fulham leaves them within touching distance.

Victory, almost at any cost, was paramount, especially against relegation rivals, and they must build on it.

There is a recognition Wolves have the players to survive, and performances have not been as bad as results suggest, but they needed to start proving it.

Games against Fulham and Bournemouth complete the month and Wolves need to put their money where their mouth is.

They have consistently felt they have deserved more in their previous 10 games and, after three games unbeaten, they need to make this new momentum count.

Sorry Saints in serious trouble

Southampton have cause to feel aggrieved. They were left frustrated after Manning’s disallowed goal and were fuming when a possible foul on Archer in the build-up to Cunha’s wonderful strike went unpunished.

Yet those will only distract from the severity of their plight. Only a quick glance at the table shows what a challenge they face after nine defeats from 11 games.

The owners have remained supportive of Martin – they are visible at the club’s Staplewood training ground – but a damaging defeat by relegation rivals lays their problems bare.

Southampton are clearly well coached and they were the better side before Cunha’s goal sapped their momentum and belief, but calls for a change will only grow if results continue to slide.

That said, Martin’s pre-season objective was survival and they are not down yet.

He delivered the target of getting the club promoted last season and Saints would need to rip up a blueprint if they wanted to part ways.