Vítor Pereira future in doubt after Fulham ease to victory over Wolves

By Andy Sims, PA

Winless Wolves slumped to a 3-0 defeat at Fulham to cast huge doubt over the future of boss Vítor Pereira.

Strikes from Ryan Sessegnon and Harry Wilson, as well as Yerson Mosquera’s own goal, kept Wanderers – who had Emmanuel Agbadou sent off in the first half – rooted to the foot of the Premier League.

Their sorry return of just two points from their opening 10 matches is one point worse than at the same stage last season, when Pereira was parachuted in to save them from the drop.

Now the Wolves hierarchy could be considering pressing the ejector button, with the Portuguese coach finding his position under increasing scrutiny after a calamitous defeat against a side who had lost their last four matches.

Wolves actually began what already felt like a crucial game on the front foot, with Jean-Ricner Bellegarde cutting inside and forcing Bernd Leno into an early save.

But the hosts took the lead with their first chance, with former Wolves striker Raul Jimenez the architect.

Calvin Bassey’s pass was cut out by Santi Bueno but only as far as Jimenez, who’s first-time through-ball sent Sessegnon racing clear to fire under goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.

Fulham’s main threat was coming from their wingers, with Wilson firing an ambitious volley wide and then sending a low shot inches past the near post.

On the other flank, we need to talk about Kevin. Fulham’s Brazilian summer signing, making his first Premier League start, was giving Bueno a torrid afternoon, at one point almost shimmying the defender into submission before just running out of room to shoot.

Wolves’ task got distinctly more difficult 10 minutes before half-time when Agbadou hauled down Josh King and received a straight red card for denying a goalscoring opportunity.

Yet the 10 men suddenly woke up and Fulham defender Kenny Tete survived a VAR penalty check after the ball brushed his hand, Toti Gomes just missed a low cross from Jorgen Strand Larsen and Ladislav Krejci’s stoppage-time header was saved by Leno.

Tete almost made an impact at right end at the start of the second half. Urged to shoot by the Hammersmith End, the full-back let fly from 25 yards and was only denied by a flying save from Johnstone.

Instead, Wilson doubled the lead on the hour with a superb left-footed curler into the far corner after Sander Berge’s effort was deflected into his path.

If that was poor defending, the next goal was downright comical as Sessegnon’s low cross was missed by Johnstone and put into his own net by Mosquera.

It capped another miserable display and a result which could have been even worse for Pereira had Fulham sub Samuel Chukwueze not been denied by a post late on.