How great an escape do Wolves need to pull off? | OneFootball

Reports suggest Rob Edwards has agreed a three-and-a-half-year deal with Premier League basement boys Wolves — but just how big a job is he taking on?

The former Luton Town boss has impressed at Championship side Middlesbrough this season, and Wanderers are reportedly negotiating a compensation package worth in the region of £3–4 million.

A former Wolves defender, 42-year-old Edwards will return to Molineux with the Midlanders eight points adrift of safety. A record of zero wins, two draws and nine defeats has left Wanderers anchored to the bottom of the table — and Edwards will need to engineer a rapid turnaround if they’re to stave off relegation.

With confirmation of his appointment expected within the next 24–48 hours, Playmaker rifled through the stats to gauge the scale of the task the Welshman faces — and while the numbers make for grim reading, there is still hope.

Since the Premier League began in 1992/93, only 10 sides have gone winless through their first 11 games of a season — and unsurprisingly, many of them couldn’t avoid the drop.

Swindon (1993/94), Man City (1995/96), Norwich (2004/05), QPR (2012/13) and Watford (2019/20) all found themselves in the same predicament and were relegated come May.

However, five teams have managed to pull off a remarkable recovery from that same position. Everton (1994/95), Blackburn (1996/97), Derby (2000/01), Sheffield United (2020/21) and Newcastle (2021/22) all completed famous ‘Great Escapes’.

So while Wolves face a mountain to climb clear, history suggests that survival isn’t Mission Impossible.

For the full rundown of top-flight sides to go winless through their opening 11 fixtures, check out Playmaker’s graphic below...