Wolves sack Vitor Pereira after winless start to Premier League season | OneFootball

Wolves have sacked Vitor Pereira amid their winless start to the Premier League season and just 45 days after he signed a new contract at Molineux.

The club are bottom of the table with just two points from their opening 10 games and a 3-0 defeat at Fulham on Saturday was their third in a row in the Premier League, leaving Wolves eight points from safety.

Pereira’s dismissal comes after he had signed a new three-year contract in September, a decision that was made despite Wolves losing their opening four games of the new season.

The 57-year-old Portuguese saved the club from relegation last season, taking over in December with Wolves 19th to oversee 10 wins in 22 games – including six in a row between March and April – and steer the club to safety.

Pereira celebrated with Wolves supporters by joining them in the pub - but the mood quickly turned at Molineux and Pereira rowed with fans after the late home defeat against Burnley last weekend.

Key players Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri were sold in the summer and Wolves’ sorry start left Pereira’s position in jeopardy.

“Upon his arrival at Molineux last December, Pereira and his coaches made an immediate impact, guiding the team to a successful second half of the Premier League campaign,” a Wolves statement said.

“However, results and performances this term have fallen below acceptable standards, and as a result, a change in leadership was deemed necessary.

“Under-21 head coach James Collins and Under-18 head coach Richard Walker will take training while the club finalise the appointment of a new first-team head coach.”

After the 3-0 defeat at Fulham, where Wolves were reduced to 10 men after Emmanuel Agbadou’s straight red card, goalkeeper Sam Johnstone said Wolves should be “embarrassed”.

“It was frustrating, embarrassing,” Johnstone said. “It’s not good enough and we need to do better. We should be embarrassed, and they might not want to hear it, but we obviously apologise to the fans.

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Vitor Pereira rowed with fans after the defeat to Burnley (Getty Images)

“We’re trying our best, but we have to keep going. We’ve got good players and we need to turn it around quickly.”

Wolves are the first club in Premier League history to go winless in their first 10 games in consecutive seasons, and now need another recovery job to save themselves from relegation.

Pereira is the fourth Premier League manager to be sacked this season, following Nuno Espirito Santo, Graham Potter and Ange Postecoglou – with West Ham and Nottingham Forest the other two clubs in the bottom three.

Pereira was unable to identify what went wrong in the 3-0 defeat at Fulham but said Wolves’ performance at Craven Cottage was their worst since he took over.

“I cannot come here to have answers for everyone. I must talk to my players to understand what the problem was today,” Pereira said after his final game in charge.

“I can say to you I am doing my best and working hard. I cannot control time or the confidence the club has. But me and my staff are trying everything to help the team to perform and get results.”

Wolves executive chair Jeff Shi said: “Vitor and his team worked tirelessly for Wolves and helped guide us through a challenging period last season, for which we are grateful.

“Unfortunately, the start to this season has been a disappointment and, despite our strong desire to give the head coach time and matches to find an improvement, we have reached a point where we must make a change.

“We thank Vitor and his staff for their efforts and wish them the very best for the future.”