Wolves 0 - 2 FT Crystal Palace

Munoz and Pino's Second-Half Strikes End Wolves' Misery—For Palace

Skip It Futmetrix Score: 32/100. Palace's efficiency masked a sterile first half; Wolves' implosion made it look worse than it was.

When Clinical Finishing Meets Total Collapse

Molineux was a graveyard. For 63 minutes, both sides circled each other like boxers afraid to throw—49% possession for Wolves, 51% for Crystal Palace, neither team willing to commit to the Intensity required to break the deadlock. Then Wolves' defense fractured. Adam Wharton threaded a pass that found D. Munoz, who finished with the precision of a surgeon at the 63rd minute. Six minutes later, Pino made it 2-0, again with Wharton pulling the strings. The Balance had shifted irrevocably.

What made this defeat particularly damning wasn't the scoreline—it was the manner. Wolves generated eight shots (only one on target) and 1.76 expected goals. Palace managed 10 shots with four on target and just 1.35 xG. The visitors did more with less, a damning indictment of Wolves' execution and decision-making in the final third. Five yellow cards flew across the pitch, mostly for frustration; the Stakes were suffocating for a team fighting relegation, yet the performance betrayed panic, not purpose.

The Stakes couldn't have been starker. Wolves sit 20th with two points from 12 games—a record so catastrophic it reads like a typo. Five consecutive losses have turned Molineux from fortress to tomb. Palace, by contrast, arrived fifth and departed with a clean sheet, their fifth win of the campaign. This wasn't an upset; it was the expected order asserting itself. The pre-match probability had Palace as favorites (52%), and they delivered with the efficiency of a side eyeing European football.

Wharton's 8.3 rating and assist-heavy performance (two key passes, one assist) underscored Palace's control. He dictated tempo, found pockets of space, and turned half-chances into goals. Wolves' 81% pass accuracy (330 of 406) suggests they moved the ball, but to no end—a carousel of sideways passes masquerading as football.

This was competent away-day execution, nothing more. Palace won't set the world alight on this showing, but they won't need to. Wolves, meanwhile, are drowning.

Wolves Drowning in Relegation Mire as Palace Target Europe

Worth Watching Futmetrix Score: 61/100. A desperate Wolves side must find their first win of the season or face an early slide toward the Championship against a clinical London outfit.

The Setup

The Stakes could not be higher for Wolves as we head into this late November clash. Sitting rock bottom of the table with zero wins from 12 matches, the home side is in the midst of a historic collapse. Conversely, Crystal Palace arrive in formidable Form, occupying the 6th spot and looking like genuine European contenders. While the Balance of the squad suggests Wolves have the talent to compete, their defensive record of 27 goals conceded is the anchor dragging them into the abyss. Gary O'Neil is searching for answers, but the Stars are simply not aligning for the Molineux faithful.

Key Battle

The defining duel takes place between the Wolves backline and the league's most clinical marksman right now: Jean-Philippe Mateta. Matheus Cunha will lead the charge for the hosts, attempting to find a way past Dean Henderson, who has been a wall for Palace this season. If Wolves cannot isolate Mateta and prevent service from wide areas, the match will be over before the interval. The physical presence of Jaydee Canvot in the Palace midfield will likely dictate the tempo, forcing Wolves into a low block they have struggled to maintain.

Our Prediction

Expect Crystal Palace to dominate possession from the whistle. Wolves will likely adopt a reactive stance, hoping to catch the visitors on the break via Cunha, but their lack of confidence will be their undoing. Palace will strike twice—once in each half—to secure a routine 0-2 victory, leaving the home side rooted to the bottom of the Premier League.