Wolverhampton Wanderers

Wolves boss Rob Edwards said his side didn't look like a relegated team as they ran Tottenham close, telling BBC Sport: "It was a close game, I felt we were the better team in the second half in particular, we were pushing.

"The way the game went it was going to be a moment of magic or something like a set piece second phase and it proved to be the case - it's a difficult one to take.

"One or two people don't quite get things right and we got punished. It was a tough one."

On the players' effort and application after relegation was confirmed on Monday night: "I asked for commitment from the players and effort, coming up against a team fighting for their lives.

"We more than matched their intensity and got done with the goal. We have to dust ourselves down and go again.

"There were a few moments in the second half when things could have gone another way. We got (close) a lot but then we were lacking (where it mattered)."

On finishing the season strongly, despite going down: "We got relegated this week, their motivation is really high, but we didn't look like a relegated team. In the end there was nothing in the game.

"That fight and commitment has to be there, we can't let that drop. We are trying to get some results, today I thought we looked tighter and solid and we were pushing."

Did you know?

• Wolves suffered their 23rd league defeat of the season, equalling their most ever in a 38-game top-flight campaign (also 23 in 2011-12 and 1905-06).

• Through Pedro Lima (19) and Mateus Mane (18), Wolves named two teenagers in a Premier League starting XI for the first time since April 2022 v Newcastle United (Fábio Silva and Luke Cundle).

Listen to Edwards' chat with BBC Radio WM here

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Wolves had time to digest relegation after it was finally confirmed on Monday.

It was inevitable after just three league wins this season but the blow was softened as it came when they were not playing.

And the timing allowed the club and the fans to prepare to face Tottenham with their future certain and spared Wolves the image and pain of being relegated at Molineux.

The performance itself did not offer much insight into next season, as Wolves looked to frustrate and hit Tottenham on the break - although the ball never stuck with Adam Armstrong long enough for then to get forward in numbers.

They still need to finish the season well and three straight defeats, after heavy losses at West Ham and Leeds, threaten to wipe out some of the goodwill which has been generated since the turn of the year.

Boss Rob Edwards needs to bring some momentum into the summer and ensure there are no lingering doubts from the terraces that he is the man to bring Wolves back up.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Wolves' performance

What did you make of Spurs' display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Wolves boss Rob Edwards makes five changes from the side who lost at Leeds last weekend.

Jose Sa, Pedro Lima, Matt Doherty, Rodrigo Gomes and Mateus Mane start for the hosts who are already relegated - at Molineux.

Dan Bentley, Jackson Tchatchoua, Angel Gomes and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde drop to the bench with Ladislav Krejci out injured.

Wolves XI: Sa, Lima, Doherty, S Bueno, Toti, H Bueno, Andre, J Gomes, R Gomes, Mane, Armstrong.

Subs: Bentley, Tchatchoua, Olagunju, Wolfe, A Gomes, Bellegarde, Edozie, Hwang, Arokodare.

Djed Spence returns for Destiny Udogie in Tottenham's only change.

Spurs are 18th and two points behind West Ham - who host Everton this afternoon - and have not won in the Premier League since December.

James Maddison is on the bench again as he closes in on a return following a serious knee injury he suffered in August.

Tottenham XI: Kinsky, Spence, Danso, Van de Ven, Porro, Bissouma, Gallagher, Bentancur, Xavi, Kolo Muani, Solanke.

Subs: Austin, Dragusin, Palhinha, Richarlison, Maddison, Tel, Gray, Bergvall, Souzs

There are five games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Fulham v Aston Villa (12:30)

• Liverpool v Crystal Palace

• West Ham v Everton - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Wolves v Tottenham - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Arsenal v Newcastle (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 15:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also watch, listen a follow live text of the FA Cup semi-final between Man City and Southampton here (kick-off 17:15)

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play West Ham v Everton" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Arsenal v Newcastle", for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

Tottenham could not beat Wolves at home earlier in the season - they needed a 94th-minute equaliser to avoid defeat in September - but they simply have to beat them this time.

Can Roberto De Zerbi's side win three of their final five games and save themselves from the drop?

Of course they can, but it has to start here. Imagine the psychological damage to the Spurs players and their fans if they don't win this one.

Wolves are officially down now but we have known that will happen for a while.

The pressure is all on Spurs and for them to find a way of winning this game.

If Thomas Frank had stayed in charge and maintained his record of 1.12 points per game, then Spurs would be on 37 points now, in 16th.

Instead, they are in the relegation zone and worrying about how the teams above them are doing as well as trying to pick up points themselves.

From watching them, there is nothing that suggests Tottenham will win this time after failing to win any of their previous 15 league games.

Similarly, they have not kept a clean sheet for 14 league games, so why would they manage one now?

But I am going to go against the grain here. Spurs absolutely must win this game, so I am going to say they will - and also that Wolves won't score.

I know that is a ridiculous prediction, and I don't even really believe it will happen myself, but then nothing about Spurs' season makes sense when you study it.

Sutton's prediction: 0-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Image source, Getty Images

Wolves have confirmed that all season-ticket holders will receive "a minimum 25% reduction" in their packages ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, which will see the club drop down to the Championship after an eight-year stint in the Premier League.

There will be greater reductions available across concession categories. For example, younger supporters could see their season ticket prices fall "by as much as 53%" compared to this campaign.

In addition, the under-21 concessionary category has been increased to under-23, while the under-17 band has been upped to under-18.

Fixed prices have also been introduced for younger supporters, with under-18s paying a £175 flat-rate across all four stands and under-14s paying just £75.

The football club committed to season ticket reductions last month, as well as a review of its general admission ticket pricing.

Wolves' interim executive chairman Nathan Shi confirmed the wholesale changes to the club's pricing structure in a club statement, external.

"These changes reflect a clear reset in how we approach ticketing at Wolves, with a focus on accessibility and long-term growth" he said.

"We want to ensure more supporters, especially young fans and families, can experience Molineux and feel part of the club.

"A full and vibrant Molineux remains crucial to our goals - one we believe can drive the team to a successful 2026-27 season."

The decision confirms the club's mission to improve accessibility, encourage long-term growth and build their next generation of supporters.

Meanwhile, senior supporters will also continue to benefit from the 65+ concessionary category, despite changes to the national retirement age.

The club believes the move "represents a reset in approach, aimed at strengthening the connection between the club and its supporters for the long term".

How do you feel about the announcement? Will you be renewing your season ticket for the Championship?

Let us know your thoughts here

Marissa Thomas
BBC Sport journalist

Wolves boss Rob Edwards has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Tottenham at Molineux (kick-off 15:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Edwards provided an update on goalkeeper Jose Sa, who picked up an injury before the Leeds game: "He trained today [Friday] so we'll give him as much time as possible but he felt comfortable today so that's pleasing."

• He added Matt Doherty trained all week so he is available, but Ladislav Krejci "will be struggling".

• On relegation being confirmed: "Tough to take but we knew where we were. We were marooned at the bottom of the league. We don't like it. It wasn't easy, I don't think it was ever going to be. There has been mistakes made here for a number of years and the trend that the club has been on for a while has been leading up to this so there is a lot for us to learn.

• He continued: "If you make mistakes, you can be punished and we have seen that with a number of clubs. We have been able to make some improvements and we want to take positive momentum into the new season so we want to do that [from] tomorrow."

• When asked how he personally processed relegation, Edwards said: "We acknowledged it and I felt I needed to show some strong leadership with the staff and the players and what we want to do moving forward. We know this has been a challenging season but it's about what we do next. It's been difficult for the supporters and I know it is challenging. Let's react in the right way. Nobody would want us to feel sorry for ourselves. We have to respond in a professional way and do a good job."

• On recruitment for next season: "Players [are the ones who] go over the line and do it so it is important that we get that bit right. The process was started in January and a lot of hard work has gone on to make sure we are in a good position in the summer. We want to act as early as possible to give us the best chance to work with the group."

• Edwards spoke about an altercation between team-mates Tolu Arokodare and Mateus Mane: "That was a couple of weeks ago. Not uncommon. We dealt with it and we have moved on from it. There is a lot of passion and sometimes things can get physical. We have a group that care. They are a tight group and sometimes things can spill over. I've got no problem with any of the individuals."

• On facing Tottenham: "Roberto [de Zerbi] is in for a reason, because they have had some difficulties as well. Momentum is hard to change. It's a really good game and it's an interesting game so it shouldn't be one that is difficult for us to respond. I hope we can show the best side of us and I know it will be a difficult game. We want to try and finish as strongly as possible. We haven't done that as a football club so that is the message we are driving. We have got to guarantee our performance levels are high."

Listen to full match commentary of Wolves v Tottenham on BBC Radio 5 Live at 15:00 BST on Saturday

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Got a question about Wolves? Get in touch here and we'll seek answers from our experts

Wolves, Bournemouth and Sunderland are among the clubs interested in signing 25-year-old Queens Park Rangers and Jamaica striker Rumarn Burrell. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Wake us when it's over.

Alas, while the mathematical certainty of relegation still hurt Wolves fans, there is still another month of this to endure.

"Work has been underway since my arrival in December," wrote the still-new executive chairman Nathan Shi in a Monday night statement on the club's website. He continued: "To ensure we are ready to respond with clarity and conviction… We know what is required and will approach the months ahead with purpose."

Nathan Shi's communications since being appointed to replace his namesake Jeff Shi have been received positively, at least as positively as can be at a time when there is nothing that can usefully be said to assuage the upset that fans feel. Those supporters formed their judgements of the players some time ago. Some have already made judgements on Rob Edwards. The time when they will judge Nathan Shi's work is about to begin.

The first part of this period will be the worst. Fairly or not, Shi is for the moment the avatar of Fosun, the club's owners. However unjust it may be on a personal level, as their representative on the ground he will have to face the ire of the fans. He is showing a welcome willingness to listen to their concerns, attending several meetings with supporter groups and committing to appearing at a larger fans' forum, to be broadcast by BBC Radio WM, next month.

Good communication is valuable, but only as an addition to getting major decisions right, not a substitute. Words will be the cheapest commodity around Wolverhampton in the next few months. The financial drop between the first and second tier is more pronounced now than when Wolves were last relegated from the Premier League in 2012, and Wolves supporters do not need to look at Leicester as a frightening case study of what can happen if they get the major decisions wrong now. The Championship is even more capricious than the Premier League, but rewards clubs with strong plans and determination to stick to them, as Coventry have demonstrated. It can be pitiless on those that do not.

"We know this season has tested your loyalty and patience," said Shi. The good news is that the loyalty will stay. Attendances may fall, but Wolves fans will remain Wolves fans, available to be pulled back. As Shi will hear on Saturday when Wolves play at home for the first time in 50 days, it is the patience that has limits.

Listen to full commentary of Wolves v Tottenham at 3pm on Saturday on BBC Radio WM [95.6FM and BBC Sounds]

And tune into The West Midlands Football Phone-In from 18:00 on weeknights

Explore Wolves content on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

Tottenham are still yet to register a Premier League win in 2026 and, with their survival hopes in the balance, will be desperate to end that particular statistic on Saturday when they visit already relegated Wolves.

However, Spurs' recent record against the West Midlands club is not the best - they have failed to win any of their past six attempts and you have to go back to August 2022 for Spurs' most recent victory in the fixture. Harry Kane netted the winner in a 1-0 success at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

There have been a couple of painful experiences for Spurs at Molineux during that winless run - most notably in November 2023, when Wolves scored twice in stoppage time to secure a 2-1 victory.

Spurs lost 4-2 at the same venue last April, at a time when their main focus was on what would become a successful Europa League campaign.

That victory formed part of a six-match winning run in the Premier League for Wolves, a sequence of results which secured an eighth successive season in the top flight. Just over 12 months on, relegation to the Championship is now a reality.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Wolves executive chairman Nathan Shi vowed the club knows how to recover after relegation from the Premier League was confirmed.

The club's eight-year stay in the top flight ended with five games remaining this season after West Ham earned a point at Crystal Palace on Monday.

Wolves have won just three times in the Premier League this season and are bottom with just 17 points from 33 games.

Shi said: "We are clear on what needs to improve and our focus is now on strengthening the club, building momentum and creating a team our supporters can believe in. We know what is required and will approach the months ahead with purpose.

"We know this season has tested your loyalty and patience. Your backing, home and away, has not been taken for granted. You deserve better and giving you a club you can genuinely be proud of is what drives everything we do from this point forward.

"Confirmation of our relegation is a difficult moment for everyone connected to Wolves.

"While this is a deeply disappointing outcome, work has been under way since my arrival in December to ensure we are ready to respond with clarity and conviction."

Dazzling Dave
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

No, I do not mean relegation. That has felt inevitable for a while now. I mean rubbish.

Because that was what Wolves were against Leeds. Rubbish, flat and nowhere near good enough.

There have been games this season where you could at least point to effort, shape or a bit of fight. This was not one of them. The performance was woeful from start to finish and Leeds deserved everything they got. Wolves looked second best in every area. Loose in possession, weak out of it and short of belief when it mattered most.

That does not just happen by accident. Yes, the players have to take their share of the blame. Yes, Rob Edwards has tried to steady a broken side and has at times looked like he is managing a group that is already halfway down the tunnel. But this mess goes far beyond one bad afternoon, one poor squad or one manager who some believe may be out of his depth.

This is the end result of a managed decline that has been building for years.

Fosun have taken a club with real momentum and slowly drained the life out of it. Bad decisions, failed appointments, poor recruitment and a constant sense of drift have left Wolves here. The warning signs were there long before this season turned toxic. We have watched standards slip, ambition fade and the club get weaker.

There are some green shoots of hope with Nathan Shi replacing Jeff Shi. It feels like maybe, just maybe, someone at the top has finally seen the damage being done.

The summer has to bring real change. Not another reset in name only. Not another promise to learn lessons. Real change. Until then, Wolves fans are left with the same painful truth.

The defeat by Leeds was terrible, but it was also familiar. And that is the biggest problem of all.

Find more from Dazzling Dave at Always Wolves, external

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

The front doors at Compton broke one Friday afternoon.

For a few minutes a number of people at Wolves' training ground were locked out before the problem was fixed. It feels like an appropriate metaphor for the club's season.

Wolves were broken and manager Rob Edwards has been trying to piece them back together since November. Handed a near impossible task, he has been unable to save them.

Relegation from the Premier League was confirmed by West Ham's 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace on Monday.

Failure to replace their best players after selling Raul Jimenez, Diogo Jota, Ruben Neves, Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri over the past few years has been central to Wolves' downfall.

None of the summer 2024 signings is a regular, with only Rodrigo Gomes and Sam Johnstone part of the matchday squad.

Emmanuel Agbadou, Nasser Djiga and Marshall Munetsi joined in January 2025 to help keep Wolves up, but Agbadou was sold to Besiktas last month with Djiga and Munetsi sent on loan this season.

Of last summer's signings, winger Jhon Arias has been sold to Palmeiras in Brazil for just over £20m after arriving from Fluminense, while Fer Lopez returned to Celta Vigo on loan.

It is evidence of the regret surrounding the transfer business, with no Premier League experience added after losing Cunha to Manchester United and Ait-Nouri to Manchester City, with Nelson Semedo and Pablo Sarabia leaving for free.

That point was made to former director of professional football Domenico Teti, who left days after Victor Pereira's sacking, but he signed off on the signings.

Pereira was unhappy at how slowly business got done and felt he did not get his first-choice players - to the point where he regretted staying and signing a new contract - but they were still players he approved.

At the time Wolves felt there was value in the European market - Ladislav Krejci's loan from Girona has been their best business - but David Moller Wolfe, Tolu Arokodare and Jackson Tchatchoua arrived for a combined £45m with minimal impact.

There was certainly no expectation Wolves would tank this season because of the transfer business, but sources say the lesson has been learned and there is a sense of relief for a clean slate and a desire to avoid making the same mistakes again.

Read more from Nick on why Wolves' relegation had been coming

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Leeds and Wolves.

Here are some of your comments:

Leeds fans

David: This team under Daniel Farke look very impressive. The number of Leeds fans against Farke have increasingly fallen silent and realised their mistake. Leeds can build on this and be taking part in the battle for Europe next season rather than the battle for relegation.

Andrew: This was the most uncomfortable 3-0 win you could wish for! After a great start to the game, Leeds were dragged into a very scrappy game. But it's the points that matter at this stage and we are nearly there. Roll on Bournemouth, then to Wembley.

Chris: It's finally paying off on a number of fronts. Leeds are getting the results that match the intensity they're bringing to the game. Noah Okafor has hit real form showing us what he can do. And Dominic Calvert-Lewin is having the season of his career. Bring on Chelsea at Wembley! Another trophy this season?

John: It wasn't fantastic, but it was a necessary confident and disciplined performance, from which one can only be satisfied that we will be staying in the Premier League.

Wolves fans

Wol: Another terrible performance away in front of us loyal fans. No passion or fight from the players. No quality in the final third again. Let us get to the end of the season and see what next season brings. Hopefully a major shake-up throughout the club and better dealings in the transfer market.

Simon: Rob Edwards, it's not worked and there is little hope it will work next season. There is no identity and no clear tactics. Crossing the ball into the box and playing a long ball constantly when you have the smallest player up front is akin to pub football methodology. See out the season and take a break from management, allow Wolves to get a manager in with a clear system and approach and enough of a profile to help recruit players.

Chris: I can't see any signs of improvement which give me hope for next season. I don't think Edwards is the man.

Rory: Wolves played OK, but going down 2-0 made it an uphill battle for them. A great save from Karl Darlow meant it was never going to be Wolves' day.

Wolves' Czech Republic defender Ladislav Krejci, who turns 27 on Monday, is wanted by Leeds. (Express & Star - subscription), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport