English Premier League club sacks coach after unbelievable run of results

02/11/2025 20:19:00 ChampionChatter

Wolverhampton Wanderers officially announced the dismissal of head coach Vitor Pereira following a streak of 10 winless matches at the start of the 2025/26 Premier League season, a run that left the team at the bottom of the table with only 2 points from 10 games.

The decision was made just hours after a 0-3 loss to Fulham last weekend — their third straight defeat — which was considered the "last straw" for Wolves’ management. In that game, center-back Emmanuel Agbadou received a straight red card in the 36th minute while the team was trailing 0-1, causing Wolves' efforts to collapse. Subsequent goals by Harry Wilson and an own goal from Yerson Mosquera ended a nightmare night for the Midlands club.

Pereira, aged 57, became the fourth coach to be sacked in the Premier League this season, following Nuno Espirito Santo, Graham Potter, and Ange Postecoglou. Notably, he had only signed a new three-year contract in September, when chairman Jeff Shi had pledged to "give Pereira time to build the squad and bond the new players."

Wolverhampton Wanderers officially confirmed the firing of head coach Vitor Pereira

However, poor form and a suffocating atmosphere at Molineux led the management to lose patience. Wolves are currently 8 points behind the safety zone and face the risk of ending a 7-year continuous presence in the Premier League.

Pereira was appointed in December 2024 to replace Gary O'Neil, when Wolves were 19th. He helped the team avoid relegation with 10 wins in 22 matches, finishing the season in 16th place. This summer, the club saw major personnel changes with Matheus Cunha transferring to Manchester United for £62.5 million and Rayan Aït-Nouri joining Manchester City for £31 million.

Once beloved by fans for his approachable and friendly personality — Pereira often celebrated victories with supporters at the pub — that affection quickly faded as results declined. After the round 9 defeat to Burnley, the Portuguese coach argued with fans in the stands, indicating that the pressure had become too much.

After the Fulham loss, Pereira admitted, "This was the worst performance since I took charge." He said, "My coaching staff and I gave our best, but sometimes you cannot control timing and confidence. I need to speak with the players to understand what is happening."

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Sam Johnstone described the defeat as "shameful," stating the entire team "needs to apologize to the fans." Wolves will temporarily entrust the team to the assistant coach for the match against Crystal Palace before the November international break.

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