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Wolves took a huge step towards securing their Premier League status for next season with victory over Crystal Palace at Molineux.
In a match low on clear-cut chances, Wolves went in front after three minutes when Ruben Neves’ corner bounced off the knee of Palace centre-back Joachim Andersen and in off the crossbar.
The goal came in a lively opening few minutes that quickly gave way to an altogether more scrappy and tetchy affair that was settled by Neves’ stoppage-time penalty.
Albert Sambi Lokonga came closest to providing a Palace equaliser before half-time but his snapshot from eight yards out was kept out by Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa.
Palace were on top for much of the second half but struggled to create any real opportunities of note with Eberechi Eze’s dipping left-footed effort from distance, tipped over by Sa, the closest they came to scoring.
Wolves offered next to nothing going forward in the last half hour but held on before Palace goalkeeper Sam Johnstone brought down Pedro Neto as he tried to atone for his own poor touch.
Neves made no mistake from the spot and sealed a win that move Wolves level on points with 12th-placed Palace and, crucially, nine points clear of the relegation zone.
More to follow.
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Wolverhampton Wanderers
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Squad number1Player nameJosé Sá
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Squad number22Player nameNélson Semedo
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Squad number15Player nameDawson
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Squad number23Player nameKilman
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Squad number64Player nameBueno
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Squad number11Player nameHwang Hee-chan
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Squad number8Player nameRúben Neves
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Squad number5Player nameLemina
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Squad number27Player nameMatheus Nunes
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Squad number12Player nameMatheus Cunha
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Squad number29Player nameDiego Costa
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Squad number4Player nameCollins
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Squad number7Player namePedro Neto
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Squad number24Player nameToti
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Squad number35Player nameJoão Gomes
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Squad number37Player nameTraoré
Crystal Palace
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Squad number21Player nameJohnstone
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Squad number26Player nameRichards
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Squad number16Player nameAndersen
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Squad number6Player nameGuéhi
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Squad number3Player nameMitchell
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Squad number8Player nameSambi Lokonga
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Squad number4Player nameMilivojevic
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Squad number19Player nameHughes
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Squad number7Player nameOlise
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Squad number9Player nameJ Ayew
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Squad number10Player nameEze
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Squad number2Player nameWard
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Squad number14Player nameMateta
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Squad number15Player nameSchlupp
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Squad number22Player nameÉdouard
Line-ups
Wolves
Formation 4-4-2
- 1SáBooked at 76mins
- 22Nélson Semedo
- 15Dawson
- 23Kilman
- 64BuenoSubstituted forGomesat 79′minutesBooked at 84mins
- 11Hwang Hee-chanSubstituted forTraoréat 79′minutes
- 8NevesBooked at 90mins
- 5Lemina
- 27NunesSubstituted forNetoat 89′minutes
- 12Matheus CunhaSubstituted forJoão Gomesat 68′minutesBooked at 90mins
- 29Diego CostaBooked at 75minsSubstituted forCollinsat 89′minutes
Substitutes
- 4Collins
- 7Neto
- 10Podence
- 21Sarabia
- 24Gomes
- 25Bentley
- 28João Moutinho
- 35João Gomes
- 37Traoré
Crystal Palace
Formation 4-3-3
- 21JohnstoneBooked at 90mins
- 26Richards
- 16AndersenSubstituted forWardat 45′minutes
- 6Guéhi
- 3Mitchell
- 8Sambi LokongaBooked at 36minsSubstituted forÉdouardat 65′minutes
- 4MilivojevicBooked at 13minsSubstituted forSchluppat 65′minutesBooked at 70mins
- 19HughesSubstituted forMatetaat 89′minutes
- 7Olise
- 9J Ayew
- 10Eze
Substitutes
- 2Ward
- 5Tomkins
- 13Guaita
- 14Mateta
- 15Schlupp
- 18McArthur
- 22Édouard
- 28Doucouré
- 44Riedewald
Live Text
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Match ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 2, Crystal Palace 0.
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Second Half ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 2, Crystal Palace 0.
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Rúben Neves (Wolverhampton Wanderers) is shown the yellow card for excessive celebration.
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Goal! Wolverhampton Wanderers 2, Crystal Palace 0. Rúben Neves (Wolverhampton Wanderers) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.
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João Gomes (Wolverhampton Wanderers) is shown the yellow card.
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Sam Johnstone (Crystal Palace) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Penalty conceded by Sam Johnstone (Crystal Palace) after a foul in the penalty area.
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Penalty Wolverhampton Wanderers. Pedro Neto draws a foul in the penalty area.
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Attempt missed. Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Joel Ward with a cross.
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Substitution, Crystal Palace. Jean-Philippe Mateta replaces Will Hughes.
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Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Pedro Neto replaces Matheus Nunes.
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Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Nathan Collins replaces Diego Costa.
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Attempt blocked. Michael Olise (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Eberechi Eze.
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Attempt blocked. Joel Ward (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Eberechi Eze.
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Toti (Wolverhampton Wanderers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Michael Olise (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Toti (Wolverhampton Wanderers).
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Corner, Crystal Palace. Conceded by Toti.
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Attempt blocked. Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Joel Ward with a cross.
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Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Toti replaces Hugo Bueno.
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