Four things we learned after Nottingham Forest and Wolves played out a 2-2 draw at the City Ground.
In a highly entertaining match in the East Midlands, neither team could find a winner as the points were shared.
A draw was perhaps the far result with both sides having players who shone throughout while others consistently made mistakes.
However, a point was not what either team wanted going into the game. Gary O’Neil, looked to end Wolves’ winless run, now standing at five games. On the flip side, Forest are trying everything in their power to avoid relegation.
Nonetheless, here we look back on the match and analyse four things we learned from Wolves’ performance.
Matheus Cunha wows fans at the City Ground
It has been a long route back to fitness for the Brazilian. The attacker was on fire at the start of 2024 until an injury against Brentford kept him sidelined for months.
Cunha made his return to the pitch against Burnley last week. However, Saturday’s game against Forest was his first back in the starting XI.
Here, the Brazilian made the difference in the fixture and was easily the star man on the pitch.
His first could easily be Wolves’ Goal of the Season. After picking up the ball on the halfway line, Cunha drove all the way into the box. Here, he used a fabulous bit of trickery to round the defender before slamming the ball into the top corner.
While his second wasn’t as eye-catching, it was exactly what Wolves were missing in recent weeks. A terrible mistake from the Forest goalkeeper left the ball loose in the box. Cunha then pounced on the mistake with a real striker’s finish to ensure Woles got a point.
The match really showed how much Wolves missed Cunha over the last few months and without him, the visitors surely would have lost.
Hwang Hee-Chan is back!
Another big return against Forest was Hwang. Wolves’ South Korean sensation was finally back in the team after being on the sidelines since the 1-0 victory over Brighton.
Fans haven’t been able to see much of Hwang in 2024 through the Asian Cup and injuries. Therefore, it was great to see the attacker make an instant impact on his appearance from the bench.
Hwang was unlucky not to be awarded a penalty when he burst into the box shortly after coming on.
As he continues to build his match sharpness, hopefully, he will only continue to improve.
Wolves are now mathematically safe
Despite all of the doom and gloom at the start of the season, Wolves have now confirmed their place in the Premier League for the 2024/25 campaign.
While recent weeks have not been the best for O’Neil and the fans with injuries and losses stacking up, it has certainly been a season to remember.
Many fans would have taken 17th when the manager was appointed. For the club to be almost guaranteed a midtable finish is a credit to O’Neil and the first-team players for the work they have done.
Wolves winless run extends to five
While there were clearly positives to take away from the game, one clear fact remains apparent. Wolves have now gone five games in all competitions without a victory.
Ever since the 3-2 defeat to Coventry in the FA Cup, Wolves’ form has plummeted despite some good individual performances.
While injuries have no doubt played a part, Wolves now face a tough run-in. Arsenal at Molineux is quickly followed by a home game against in-form Bournemouth. It may be a while until the Wolves faithful witness another victory this season.