Wolves clinched a vital victory over West Ham in the Premier League to move 12 points clear of the relegation zone.
Jorgen Strand Larsen’s first-half strike was enough for Wolves to secure a 1-0 win over West Ham, effectively ending their chances of being sucked into the bottom three.
The Old Gold were dominant in the opening stanza, creating several opportunities and missing a gilt-edged chance through Marshall Munetsi.
But despite Toti Gomes ‘trying to kill’ Vitor Pereira with some misplaced passes, Wolves defence held firm in the second half to secure a crucial clean sheet.
Pereira was mobbed by the players at full-time, appreciating what he’s achieved since arriving at Molineux while Strand Larsen’s strike saw them join an exclusive club.
Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images
Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images
Jorgen Strand Larsen and Matheus Cunha join Brentford duo with Premier League feat
Wanderers secured a win without the suspended Matheus Cunha for the second game running, reinforcing that life without the Brazilian is going to be fine.
Wolves fans felt they played better without Cunha, who has scored 15 goals this term, with Strand Larsen experiencing the freedom of being the focal point of the attack.
The Norwegian scored his 10th goal of the season, becoming only the fifth Wolves player in Premier League history to hit double figures in a single campaign.
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Interestingly, there is only one other striking duo in the competition who have hit double figures this term, and that is Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa.
📈 #PL strike duos with 🔟+ goals apiece:
🥇 Mbeumo (15G) & Wissa (14G)
🥈 Cunha (13G) & Strand Larsen (10G⬆️)#WWFC #PremierLeague pic.twitter.com/djNxyOZtqp
— playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) April 1, 2025
Not even the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal boast two forward players who each hit double figures, evincing how important Strand Larsen and Cunha have been to Wolves.
Why Wolves are playing better without Cunha
It’s now three games unbeaten for Wolves without their talisman Cunha, including a draw against Everton and wins over Southampton and West Ham.
Supporters would have been fearing the worst when the Brazilian was handed a red card against Bournemouth but, other players have stepped up.
Strand Larsen has been oozing with confidence in the absence of his strike partner, seeing the ball played into him more times than he would usually.
Premier League Player of the Month nominee Jean-Ricner Bellegarde has also shown his best form in a Wolves shirt, and part of that is because he hasn’t had the pressure of passing to Cunha.
It’s going to be a huge loss when Cunha leaves Wolves but the signs are already there to suggest that Pereira’s men can cope just fine without him.