UK Edition
Nuno Espirito Santo revolution shows no sign of slowing as Wolves brush aside Manchester United– next stop Wembley
Five years ago this week, Wolverhampton Wanderers were grinding out a 0-0 draw against Stevenage in front of 4,600 people.
It was a brief stay in League One for Wolves under Kenny Jackett, after successive relegations, but few of those at the Lamex Stadium that Tuesday evening could have forecast the progress since.
Now established as one of the Premier League’s “best of the rest” outside the top six, they have completed the season unbeaten against Manchester United and will contest an FA Cup semi-final with Watford at Wembley on Sunday.
“Out of darkness cometh light” is the motto for the city of Wolverhampton, and the past 18 months or so under Nuno Espirito Santo have been illuminating.
Wolves have taken 13 points from the Premier League’s top six, more than any other team outside the group, and the ambition of owners Fosun is ultimately to break apart the established order.
This was another statement of intent on another stirring evening at the famous old ground. “Can we play you every week?” crowed the home fans after Chris Smalling’s own goal put Wolves in front.
Nuno’s decision to choose such a strong starting XI, despite the impending visit to the national stadium, seemed risky, but he was rewarded with another impressive show against big opposition.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s revival of United was damaged by the Cup quarter-final defeat at Molineux last month and this was another chastening experience. United began both halves strongly but there is a fearlessness about Wolves, a disregard for reputations.
In Raul Jimenez and Diogo Jota, Wolves possess a pair of attackers who look to be developing a better understanding with each week. Jimenez will soon complete a club-record £30 million move from Benfica and supporters of Chelsea and Spurs already want to know why their clubs have missed out. Jota recently earned his first Portugal call-up and now has eight goals for the season. He did not score at this level until December.
And then there is Joao Moutinho, Wolves’s peerless midfield general, who was again outstanding. For all the focus on their lavish spending under Nuno, the £5 million fee to buy the Portugal international with 14 major honours from Monaco must be one of the season’s bargains.
The question now is whether Wolves can extend the feel-good factor by reaching the FA Cup final. Watford embarrassed them at Molineux, flooding midfield and rendering Moutinho and Ruben Neves ineffective in a 2-0 victory. It was a tactical masterclass from Javi Gracia, so Watford go into Sunday with the upper hand.
But Wolves are competing in the last four for the first time since 1998 and will be backed by 34,000 fans decked out in Old Gold. Nuno’s revolution is showing no signs of slowing.