Despite being delighted his Wolves players were able to claim a vital Premier League 2-1 win over Southampton, Vitor Pereira felt the team should have put the result beyond doubt earlier in the contest.
Two goals from Jorgen Strand Larsen either side of half time saw Wolves in control at St Mary’s, but Pereira watched on as his side spurned a couple of opportunities to add a third moments before Southampton halved the deficit.
But the head coach was happy with the way his players saw out the match, and make a big step towards Premier League survival after opening up a nine point gap from the relegation zone, while also giving him another chance to celebrate in front of the adorning Old Gold supporters.
On three points at Southampton
“It's a fantastic result for us. I suffered a little bit in the last 10 minutes because we had chances to score the third goal twice, and I believe with the third goal, we would have had more tranquillity to play, to keep the ball, to make the pace of the game with the ball, to control the game with the ball.
“But in this in this league, we cannot have a chance to score and after we concede the goal. We concede the counter transition and they score. After 30 seconds, the result was not three-zero, but two-one, and two-one is just one goal difference, and we needed to get these three points.
“It's normal that for a team it’s time to suffer, time to compact, time to not concede another goal and to get the three points, and we did well.”
On passing up chances for a third
“We had, in my opinion, two big chances – if the last pass goes in the right player, because we have had a situation, just before they scored, I think we had four against two. In this kind of situations, we must score the third goal.
“But we are a bit under pressure, and it's normal that sometimes it's not easy for players. They come from the bench and the rhythm of the game is higher and it’s not easy to go there and to have good decisions.”
Three points on the road 😍 pic.twitter.com/rQ51s0jV2F
— Wolves (@Wolves) March 15, 2025
On Strand Larsen’s brace
“In the last game, he played with injury, he broke his hand two days before the match, and he had pains, and he tried to help the team, but it was very difficult for him.
“When we [supporters] don't know the problem, we start to criticise, but I understand. Today he came and he proved that he is a player with personality, a team player, and, for me, it was not only the goals, it was the work that he did to help the team.”
On going nine points clear of the bottom three
“I will wait for the game of Leicester but nine points is better than six, and six points was better than five. That's why the point that we got against Everton I think was a good point, and today, three points means this moment is very important for us.
“To get this this confidence and this tranquillity that the points give to us. To play our football, to play with more confidence, to not every time with the fear of making a mistake, but we are playing a little bit like this.
“When we arrived, we had five less points in the relegation zone, so now nine plus five is very good. It feels very good and it’s time for a pint – or two or three! Three points means three beers.”
Another step in the right direction 💪
— Wolves (@Wolves) March 15, 2025
Thank you to everybody who made the trip to @SouthamptonFC today, and to all of those supporting from home 💛 pic.twitter.com/VauxKEGxzv
On the support of the Wolves fans
“They are fantastic. I think the chemistry between them and myself has been there since the first game. At Leicester, they started to sing my name and it’s very special, this gives me the energy to work harder, to make them proud, and to do everything to help this club.
“I don't know why [the fans sing his name]. Maybe because I'm a very simple guy. When I arrived in Wolverhampton, where do I go? I go to a pub, three beers with the supporters, with the people, because I'm a very simple guy, I’m one of them.
“I feel that the people of Wolverhampton, they deserve it, because they work a lot and they come here to help us and to support us and they deserve everything that we do for them. All of our work is for them. At the end of the game, we need to feel proud of ourselves, and to make them proud.”
On winning without Cunha
“I hope it [his suspension] stays as the three games because he’s an important player for us, but this is the time for the other players to prove that we are a team.
“We have very good players, even without a special player as Matheus Cunha, but we need to be compact, consistent, and it was a pity that we conceded a goal because I wanted another clean sheet.”
