The stakes couldn’t be much higher as Wolves prepare to host Southampton in the Premier League.
Gary O’Neil has entered a point of no return, as failing to beat Southampton could see him lose his job at Wolves.
The Old Gold have won just one of their previous 20 matches in the league, last securing a victory over Luton Town in April.
It’s somewhat of a miracle that O’Neil is still in a job after such a terrible run but on Saturday afternoon, he has the chance to kickstart a turnaround.
Paul Merson thinks Wolves will secure a win over Southampton, with another pundit sharing his prediction for the clash.
Chris Sutton shares his Wolves vs Southampton prediction
Despite a difficult run of fixtures, O’Neil can count his blessings that he’s still in the dugout at Molineux after Wolves made their worst start in 41 years.
Last weekend’s draw against Crystal Palace cemented their place at the bottom of the table as Southampton secured a 1-0 victory over Everton.
Russell Martin’s men arguably have some momentum heading into this match but former Premier League striker Chris Sutton agrees with Merson’s verdict.
Predicting the Old Gold to secure a 2-0 victory, Sutton wrote in his BBC Sport column: “This is the battle of the bottom two, and it is a big game for both managers going into the international break, although I don’t think either side have been as bad as their results suggest.
“Southampton will take a lot of heart from their win over Everton and fair play to their manager Russell Martin, who has stuck to his guns over their style of play.
“It is Wolves who I am backing here, though. They have always got a goal in them.
“Gary O’Neil’s side got a bit of a break last time out when Palace had that late goal disallowed, but I think they are in for a more comfortable afternoon this time.”
Southampton’s style plays straight into Wolves hands
There’s no way of sugarcoating this fixture; it’s a must-win for Wolves if they are to survive in the Premier League and O’Neil is to keep his job.
Many have tipped Southampton to suffer an immediate relegation to the Championship, and it’s hard to disagree following the first 10 rounds of matches.
The Saints may have secured victory over Everton last weekend but Martin’s possession-oriented style can play straight into O’Neil’s hands.
Southampton like to dominate the ball and they will go to Molineux with a fearless approach, committing bodies forward instead of deploying a low block.
With the pace Wolves possess in forward areas and most notably, the quality of Matheus Cunha, the hosts have had no issue scoring goals.
That shouldn’t be the case against one of the league’s worst defences, as O’Neil will be encouraged by how open his opponents are at the back.
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