Relegated Wolves Vow To Fight On As Pride Shapes Final Four Premier League Games

Wolves approach their last four Premier League fixtures with relegation confirmed, yet Hugo Bueno insists effort will not drop. The full-back says the squad still chase positive results, even though only pride and possible position above Burnley remain at stake in the closing weeks.

Burnley sit 19th and are also already down, with Scott Parker's side three points ahead of Wolves. The Midlands club can still leapfrog the Clarets, while Sunderland arrive at Molineux in 12th place and four points off sixth after an impressive first season back in the top flight.

Sunderland have shown strong attacking form overall but arrive after two heavy defeats. The Black Cats lost 5-0 at home to Nottingham Forest and then 4-3 away against Aston Villa. Those results halted momentum for Regis Le Bris' team, who still hold an outside chance of European qualification.

Wolves, by contrast, struggle badly in front of goal. They have failed to score in 18 different Premier League matches this season, the highest figure in the division. Only Norwich City in 2021-22, with 22 goalless games, have had more in a single campaign since Wolves' previous top-flight droughts in 1983-84 and 1981-82.

Recent meetings provide mixed signals for this Wolves vs Sunderland clash. Wolves are unbeaten in their last seven home league matches against Sunderland, winning three and drawing four. Their most recent meeting at Molineux was a 0-0 Championship draw in December 2017, while the last Premier League home game came in December 2011, ending 2-1.

Sunderland have still enjoyed the upper hand lately in league contests between the sides. They have won the last two league games against Wolves and now seek to complete a league double over them for the first time since the 1949-50 campaign. Sunderland last recorded three straight league victories over Wolves in March 1937.

Wolves vs Sunderland Premier League clean sheets and trends

Defensively, Sunderland boast an impressive recent record against Wolves. Regis Le Bris' players have not conceded in the last four league meetings between the teams, stretching back to April 2012. Their previous longer shutout run against one opponent was against Bradford City, when Sunderland kept seven straight league clean sheets between 1989 and 1999.

Wolves' struggles extend specifically to games against promoted clubs. They have lost all four Premier League fixtures against promoted sides this season. Only four other teams have ever lost five such matches in a single campaign: Ipswich Town in 1994-95, Sunderland in 2002-03, and Leicester City with Southampton in 2022-23.

The Opta model gives a very even prediction for this meeting. MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW. OPTA WIN PROBABILITY figures suggest a narrow edge for Wolves, while still recognising Sunderland's threat and the substantial chance of a stalemate between two inconsistent teams searching for a response.

Bueno, speaking before the Sunderland match, stressed the group's responsibilities towards supporters. "After the two tough games we played a couple weeks before, to come here and see the stadium full, you know you have to give everything for the fans, for the club, for all of us. It's hard at the moment but the thing that we are never going to do is just give up. That'snot an option. We have four more games to go and get the best results possible. We are building something."

Bueno acknowledged the difficult mood around the club but underlined ongoing work. "Of course, it is hard with all the atmosphere, environment, the situation. It's not easy, but we are training well. Every day we wake up and try to be better. Of course, the results are not coming. I think on Saturday [against Tottenham in a 1-0 loss] we showed a better face of us, and we have to keep going like this, but for sure were building something."

Wolves vs Sunderland Premier League key players

Individual performances may strongly influence this Wolves vs Sunderland contest. For Wolves, Joao Gomes has been one of the most consistent players during a difficult season. The midfielder has attracted interest over a potential big-money move, and these remaining fixtures provide a further platform to impress possible suitors.

For Sunderland, Wilson Isidor represents a different story. No Premier League player has featured in more matches this season without ever completing 90 minutes. Isidor has 29 appearances, including 11 starts, and has been substituted each time, while coming off the bench in 18 games. With five league goals, Isidor is Sunderland's second-top scorer and may also move clubs in the summer.

Despite Wolves' relegation and Sunderland's push towards the European places, both squads still face clear targets across the run-in. Bueno's comments reflect a desire to restore pride at Molineux, while Sunderland seek to respond to successive heavy defeats and maintain momentum from a strong first campaign back in the Premier League.