Wolves 0-2 Crystal Palace: Edwards' Debut Ends in Disappointment as Eagles Soar at Molineux
Crystal Palace inflicted further misery on rock-bottom Wolverhampton Wanderers with a commanding 2-0 victory at Molineux Stadium on 22nd November 2025. Rob Edwards suffered a 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in his first game in charge of Wolves via second-half goals from Daniel Muñoz and Yeremy Pino. The result left Wolves still searching for their first Premier League victory of the season and nine points adrift of safety, whilst Oliver Glasner's Palace moved into the top half of the table with their 17 points after 11 games.
Tactical Analysis
We noticed Edwards' decision to deploy a defensive 5-3-2 formation from the outset, with Wolves clearly prioritising damage limitation over attacking ambition. The home side's defensive quintet featured Tchatchoua and Hugo Bueno as wing-backs, whilst Agbadou, Krejci and Toti formed the central defensive triumvirate. In midfield, João Gomes and André were tasked with breaking up Palace's attacking patterns, with Munetsi providing energy further forward to support the striking duo of Strand Larsen and Arokodare.
Palace's approach under Glasner proved far more expansive, utilising a fluid 4-3-3 system that allowed for natural width and penetration through the middle. The Eagles had looked sharp in training after their 12 senior internationals had returned earlier this week, according to Oliver Glasner – and so the case proved early on with some particularly incisive approach play, the ball zipping from back to front rapidly amidst the rainy conditions. Our analysis suggests Wharton's deep-lying playmaker role proved crucial in dictating tempo, whilst the pace of Sarr and directness of Mateta constantly threatened Wolves' compact defensive structure.
From our observations, Edwards' tactical adjustments came too late to affect the outcome. The introduction of Hwang Hee-chan and Bellegarde added attacking intent, but Palace's superiority in both technical execution and tactical cohesion proved decisive throughout the 90 minutes.
Technical Performance
According to our analysis, Palace's technical superiority manifested most clearly in their patient build-up play and clinical finishing. The first period made for an entertaining battle from which Palace should have been on top, but Jean-Philippe Mateta's one-on-one miss let the hosts off the hook. We observed how Palace's movement in the final third consistently created space, with Pino's intelligent positioning and Sarr's direct running causing constant problems for Wolves' defensive organisation.
In our view, Wolves' technical limitations became increasingly apparent as the match progressed. Their passing accuracy suffered under Palace's pressing, whilst their attacking transitions lacked the pace and precision required to threaten Henderson's goal effectively. Palace relied on Dean Henderson's reflexes to stop Wolves from taking the lead when Joao Gomes' free-kick nicked off Wharton but the England keeper scrambled away for his first save.
Statistical Analysis
The statistical breakdown supports our tactical observations, with Palace's 54% possession reflecting their control throughout the encounter. Wolves managed just seven shots compared to Palace's nine, with the visitors registering four efforts on target against Wolves' solitary attempt. The corner count of 4-1 in Palace's favour demonstrated their territorial advantage, whilst the foul statistics (13-8 to Wolves) highlighted the home side's desperation to disrupt Palace's rhythm through physical means.
We noticed that Palace's superior passing accuracy and movement created clearer scoring opportunities, with their clinical conversion rate ultimately proving the difference between two sides operating at contrasting levels of Premier League quality.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Wolves
Strengths:
- Defensive organisation remained compact for long periods
- Work rate and commitment never wavered despite the scoreline
- Set-piece delivery occasionally threatened Palace's defensive structure
Weaknesses:
- Lack of attacking creativity and penetration in the final third
- Poor defensive transitions following turnovers
- Inability to retain possession under pressure
- Limited threat from wide areas despite wing-back system
Crystal Palace
Strengths:
- Excellent ball circulation and patient build-up play
- Clinical finishing when clear opportunities arose
- Strong defensive organisation limiting Wolves to minimal chances
- Effective use of pace in attacking transitions
Weaknesses:
- Occasionally wasteful in promising positions during first half
- Slight vulnerability to direct balls behind the defensive line
Key Moments
The match's decisive period began in the 63rd minute when a short corner worked its way to Wharton at the edge of the area and his shot bounced off Maxence Lacroix and into the path of Munoz, who struck into an empty net. This breakthrough goal visibly deflated Wolves' spirits and opened the floodgates for Palace's superiority to tell.
The knockout blow arrived just six minutes later through a moment of individual brilliance. Hwang Hee-chan lost the ball on the edge of the box and Wharton fed it to Pino who let rip with a stunner which bent past the despairing dive of Johnstone, off the underside of the bar and in. Our analysis suggests this goal perfectly encapsulated the technical gulf between the sides, with the Spaniard taking a touch, setting himself, and curling the sweetest of strikes from 25 yards into the far top corner – in off the underside of the bar, to add to the aesthetics – for an unforgettable first Premier League goal.
We observed that Mateta's first-half miss proved crucial in keeping Wolves in the contest longer than their performance perhaps deserved, whilst Henderson's save from Gomes' free-kick represented Wolves' best opportunity to break the deadlock.
Player Ratings
Wolves
Sam Johnstone (6/10): Made several important saves but could do nothing about either goal. Distribution was generally accurate under pressure.
João Gomes (5/10): Worked tirelessly in midfield but lacked the quality in possession to create meaningful attacking opportunities for his side.
Strand Larsen (5/10): Isolated for large periods and received minimal service from his teammates. His physical presence occasionally troubled Palace's defenders.
Hwang Hee-chan (4/10): Introduced to provide attacking impetus but his defensive error led directly to Palace's decisive second goal.
Tchatchoua (6/10): Defensively solid throughout and provided Wolves' most consistent attacking threat down the right flank.
Crystal Palace
Dean Henderson (7/10): Commanded his area well and made one crucial save from Gomes' free-kick when the score remained goalless.
Adam Wharton (8/10): Controlled the tempo throughout with his excellent passing range and provided the assist for the opening goal with intelligent positioning.
Daniel Muñoz (7/10): Took his goal excellently and provided constant threat down the right wing with his pace and direct running.
Yeremy Pino (9/10): Man of the match performance capped by a stunning debut Premier League goal. His movement and technical ability caused Wolves constant problems.
Ismaila Sarr (7/10): Used his pace effectively to stretch Wolves' defence and linked play well between midfield and attack throughout.
Overall Summary
From our tactical perspective, Crystal Palace thoroughly deserved their victory through superior technical execution and tactical organisation. It was no more than Palace deserved, as their overall pressure eventually told... But the three points were Palace's – fully-deserved – as they began their run of winter fixtures by continuing their red-hot form of late. Edwards' appointment represents a significant challenge given the scale of Wolves' predicament, with the change of manager not stopping them from suffering a 10th league defeat of the campaign... Wolves are still without a win nearly a third of the way into the season.
In our view, Wolves must dramatically improve their attacking output and defensive transitions if they are to avoid relegation, whilst Palace's performance suggests they possess the quality to push for a comfortable mid-table finish under Glasner's guidance.
Future Outlook
According to our analysis, this result leaves Wolves in an increasingly perilous position, sitting bottom of the table with just two points from eleven matches. Edwards faces the daunting task of implementing his tactical philosophy whilst simultaneously addressing fundamental defensive frailties that have seen his side concede a league-high 25 goals in 11 games, including shipping three or more in each of their last four matches.
We expect Edwards to prioritise defensive stability in upcoming fixtures, though Wolves' attacking limitations suggest goals will remain at a premium. For Palace, this victory demonstrates their capacity to control matches against inferior opposition, and we anticipate Glasner will target further wins against teams in the bottom half to establish Palace as genuine top-ten contenders.
From our observations, the technical gulf between these sides suggests similar outcomes are likely when teams of contrasting Premier League pedigree meet, with Palace's superior squad depth and tactical cohesion providing clear advantages in their pursuit of European qualification ambitions.