Match ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 2, Crystal Palace 0.
Julen Lopetegui insists his Wolves side still need "more points" to stay up despite taking a huge step towards securing their Premier League status for next season with victory over Crystal Palace at Molineux.
In a match low on clear-cut chances, Wolves went in front after three minutes when Ruben Neves' corner bounced off the knee of Palace centre-back Joachim Andersen and in off the crossbar.
A scrappy and tetchy affair was eventually settled by Neves' stoppage-time penalty as Wolves, who were bottom of the table when Lopetegui took charge in November, moved nine points clear of the relegation zone.
"They are important points for us but they are not definitive," the Wolves boss told BBC Sport. "We have to get more points. It's an important win for us."
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Albert Sambi Lokonga came closest to providing a Palace equaliser before half-time but his snap-shot from eight yards out was saved by Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa.
Palace were on top for much of the second half but struggled to create any real opportunities of note with Eberechi Eze's dipping left-footed effort from distance, tipped over by Sa, the closest they came to scoring.
"Maybe they dominated us in the second half but I don't remember them having clear chances," Lopetegui added.
"Maybe when you score so quickly sometimes you think a lot to defend this goal and sometimes you forget to do different things. We needed to have more of the ball. Palace are a good team. It's a very difficult victory for us. We had to work hard. We're happy."
Wolves offered next to nothing going forward in the last half hour but held on before Palace goalkeeper Sam Johnstone brought down Pedro Neto as he tried to atone for his own poor touch.
Neves made no mistake from the spot and sealed a win that puts Wolves level on points with 12th-placed Palace.
Wolves on the brink of safety
This was not a game that will live long in the memory, but for Wolves it could be among their most significant of the season.
Players and management may not admit it but the three points should all-but guarantee they will be playing Premier League football again next season.
Asked directly if Wolves are now safe, Lopetegui said: "No, no, no, no. We have to achieve more points."
It has been an impressive turnaround under the former Spain boss, who took over during the World Cup break with Wolves on just 10 points from 15 games.
Tonight's triumph makes it 27 from 18 under Lopetegui and lifts them to 13th.
The game rather encapsulated Lopetegui's spell so far with Wolves sturdy, solid but far from sparkling.
No-one could doubt their fight, though, and while Lopetegui despaired of his team's inability to keep the ball late in the game and invited pressure, that is something he can work on with his team over the summer as they - surely - prepare for another year in the top flight.
Palace's unbeaten run under Hodgson comes to an end
After three wins and a draw in interim boss Roy Hodgson's first four games, Palace suffered defeat for the first time since mid-March.
Like Wolves, they are on 37 points, and likely safe. And, despite the loss, there was still cause for optimism.
Defensively, the closest Wolves came to opening them up was in the second minute when Diego Costa found space in the box and Johnstone turned his shot behind for the corner that led to Andersen's unfortunate own goal.
From that point until Johnstone's late error, they never looked like conceding.
"I always believed the equalising goal was there," Hodgson said. "Credit to Wolves, they defended well. The second goal was one of those cold showers you have to accept from time to time."
Going forward, they will be disappointed not to have created more but they forced Wolves back for much of the second half.
Eze and Michael Olise, alongside the tireless Jordan Ayew, provided a threat but on this occasion, the final ball was just lacking.
"Nobody could suggest the players' mindset is that we're safe," the Palace boss added. "I thought it was a very energetic, intense performance. On a normal day they would have got a result. We have five more games - I want to see exactly what we did today."
Player of the match
Rúben NevesRúben Neves
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Avg
- Squad number8Player nameRúben NevesAverage rating
8.09
- Squad number29Player nameDiego CostaAverage rating
7.19
- Squad number7Player namePedro NetoAverage rating
7.07
- Squad number5Player nameLeminaAverage rating
6.99
- Squad number15Player nameDawsonAverage rating
6.99
- Squad number35Player nameJoão GomesAverage rating
6.94
- Squad number23Player nameKilmanAverage rating
6.90
- Squad number27Player nameMatheus NunesAverage rating
6.89
- Squad number37Player nameTraoréAverage rating
6.89
- Squad number1Player nameJosé SáAverage rating
6.83
- Squad number64Player nameBuenoAverage rating
6.77
- Squad number4Player nameCollinsAverage rating
6.75
- Squad number22Player nameNélson SemedoAverage rating
6.70
- Squad number12Player nameMatheus CunhaAverage rating
6.66
- Squad number24Player nameTotiAverage rating
6.66
- Squad number11Player nameHwang Hee-chanAverage rating
6.65
Crystal Palace
Avg
- Squad number10Player nameEzeAverage rating
6.71
- Squad number7Player nameOliseAverage rating
5.96
- Squad number9Player nameJ AyewAverage rating
5.56
- Squad number6Player nameGuéhiAverage rating
5.48
- Squad number8Player nameSambi LokongaAverage rating
5.43
- Squad number26Player nameRichardsAverage rating
5.40
- Squad number3Player nameMitchellAverage rating
5.33
- Squad number21Player nameJohnstoneAverage rating
5.27
- Squad number19Player nameHughesAverage rating
5.26
- Squad number2Player nameWardAverage rating
5.02
- Squad number4Player nameMilivojevicAverage rating
4.92
- Squad number22Player nameÉdouardAverage rating
4.83
- Squad number15Player nameSchluppAverage rating
4.67
- Squad number16Player nameAndersenAverage rating
4.54
- Squad number14Player nameMatetaAverage rating
3.84
Line-ups
Wolves
Formation 4-4-2
- 1SáBooked at 76mins
- 22Nélson Semedo
- 15Dawson
- 23Kilman
- 64BuenoSubstituted forGomesat 79'minutesBooked at 84mins
- 11Hwang Hee-chanSubstituted forTraoréat 79'minutes
- 8NevesBooked at 90mins
- 5Lemina
- 27NunesSubstituted forNetoat 89'minutes
- 12Matheus CunhaSubstituted forJoão Gomesat 68'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 29Diego CostaBooked at 75minsSubstituted forCollinsat 89'minutes
Substitutes
- 4Collins
- 7Neto
- 10Podence
- 21Sarabia
- 24Gomes
- 25Bentley
- 28João Moutinho
- 35João Gomes
- 37Traoré
Crystal Palace
Formation 4-3-3
- 21JohnstoneBooked at 90mins
- 26Richards
- 16AndersenSubstituted forWardat 45'minutes
- 6Guéhi
- 3Mitchell
- 8Sambi LokongaBooked at 36minsSubstituted forÉdouardat 65'minutes
- 4MilivojevicBooked at 13minsSubstituted forSchluppat 65'minutesBooked at 70mins
- 19HughesSubstituted forMatetaat 89'minutes
- 7Olise
- 9J Ayew
- 10Eze
Substitutes
- 2Ward
- 5Tomkins
- 13Guaita
- 14Mateta
- 15Schlupp
- 18McArthur
- 22Édouard
- 28Doucouré
- 44Riedewald
- Referee:
- Robert Jones
- Attendance:
- 30,792
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home41%
- Away59%
- Shots
- Home9
- Away14
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away4
- Corners
- Home6
- Away11
- Fouls
- Home13
- Away14
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 2, Crystal Palace 0.
Booking
Rúben Neves (Wolverhampton Wanderers) is shown the yellow card for excessive celebration.
Post update
Goal! Wolverhampton Wanderers 2, Crystal Palace 0. Rúben Neves (Wolverhampton Wanderers) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.
Booking
João Gomes (Wolverhampton Wanderers) is shown the yellow card.
Booking
Sam Johnstone (Crystal Palace) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Penalty conceded by Sam Johnstone (Crystal Palace) after a foul in the penalty area.
Post update
Penalty Wolverhampton Wanderers. Pedro Neto draws a foul in the penalty area.
Post update
Attempt missed. Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Joel Ward with a cross.
Substitution
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Jean-Philippe Mateta replaces Will Hughes.
Substitution
Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Pedro Neto replaces Matheus Nunes.
Substitution
Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Nathan Collins replaces Diego Costa.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Michael Olise (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Eberechi Eze.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Joel Ward (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Eberechi Eze.
Booking
Toti (Wolverhampton Wanderers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Michael Olise (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Toti (Wolverhampton Wanderers).
Post update
Corner, Crystal Palace. Conceded by Toti.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Joel Ward with a cross.
Substitution
Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Toti replaces Hugo Bueno.
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Comments
Join the conversation
Good. I like Wolves. Let's hope they can rebuild towards where they were, a team with attacking verve that were a joy to watch
All down to you on saving Wolves
You should be safe now lads.
Shows you what a good coach and a few quality players can achieve.